The Upper Freehold Regional School District Board of Education has adopted a $35.7 million budget while taking advantage of cost-saving initiatives to fund the operation of the school district during the 2015-16 school year.
The budget was adopted May 6 during a board meeting at the Newell Elementary School, Allentown.
Board President Patricia Hogan, Vice President Rick Smith and board members Douglas Anthony, Peter Katz, Howard Krieger, Tia McLaughlin, Tim Stolzenberger, Kurt Wayton and Amy Jacobson voted in favor of adopting the budget.
Residents of Upper Freehold and Allentown will pay a total tax levy of $20.9 million for 2015-16, which represents an $891,577 increase from 2014-15, according to Business Administrator Diana Schiraldi.
The school tax rate in Upper Freehold will be $1.79 per $100 of assessed valuation, and the school tax rate in Allentown will be $1.75 per $100 of assessed valuation.
According to the budget, the owner of a home in Upper Freehold that is assessed at the township average of $449,578 will pay $8,046 in school taxes in 2015-16.
According to the budget, the owner of a home in Allentown that is assessed at the borough average $288,114 will pay $5,041 in school taxes in 2015-16.
Superintendent of Schools Dick Fitzpatrick said the purpose of a school budget is to be able to provide the best opportunities for students.
“We want to maintain our high- performing schools with high-performing kids and also produce great learners,” he said. According to the budget, there will be fewer positions in 2015-16, including the reduction of four teaching positions, two secretary positions, six paraprofessionals and one lunch aide.
“We were trying to successfully bridge the gap between our revenues and expenditures, so in order to do that we had to cut a few positions. We also are trying to do a lot more of our communications electronically to control our expenses,” Schiraldi said.
Other cost-saving initiatives include saving on contracts for Internet service, a reduction in staff workshops and travel, transportation route revisions and route consolidations, energy-efficient lighting in gymnasiums and auditoriums, and occupancy sensors on classroom and gym lights, according to Schiraldi.
“There are also several shared services we take advantage of, including a transportation coordinator with the Millstone Township School District, shared transportation routes, and contracts with the Monmouth Ocean Educational Services Commission,” Schiraldi said. In 2015-16, Upper Freehold Regional will receive $8.27 million in tuition from the Millstone Township School District to pay for residents of Millstone who attend Allentown High School. The tuition is $12,433 per student and about 665 residents of Millstone attend Allentown High School.
Upper Freehold Regional will receive $4.47 million in state aid for 2015-16. That amount has remained unchanged for the last three years, according to Schiraldi.
Schiraldi noted that the district’s debt service is down 1.2 percent from 2014-15 due to the refunding of bonds, while general fund expenses that pay for the operation of the school district are up 2.1 percent from 2014-15.
Hogan said she appreciated the administration’s hard work in developing a budget.
“A budget is a long and daunting process, but I can’t be more thankful of the people responsible for bringing great opportunities to kids on a shoestring budget,” she said.
School taxes are one component of a property owner’s total tax bill. In addition to school taxes, property owners also pay municipal taxes, Monmouth County taxes and other assessments.