On April 15, the first school elections were held since passage of the new school funding formula. Despite the radical changes introduced by the formula, one number remained the same – voter turnout. Only about 14% of registered voters came out to elect school board members and say yea or nay to proposed school budgets for academic year 2008-9. The 14% figure is slightly higher than last year’s number.

Over 90% of New Jersey school districts held elections on April 15. Residents in Type II districts with elected school boards voted, while those in Type I districts with appointed school boards did not. Elections were held in 549 districts, and 1,594 school board seats were filled.

"In many cases, low voter turnout means an absence of local accountability," said Jerome Harris, Chair of the New Jersey Black Issues Convention, a founding member of OC/OS.

"Not only do local residents need to vote on school budgets and school leadership, they need to become involved in the process," he added. "We can’t wait until next April. The time is now to become familiar with school budgets, press for spending on programs that work for all children and especially those most at risk, and consider running competent, dedicated individuals for school board positions."

The statewide rate at which 2008-9 school budgets were approved was fairly high at almost 74%. That figure did not deviate much from the 2007 rate of 78% but was a significant increase over the 2006 figure of 52%. In 2007, State aid increased to many districts that had experienced flat funding for five years.

In 2008, the school funding landscape changed with passage of the School Funding Reform Act of 2008 (SFRA). With the promise of over $800 million in "adjustment aid" to school districts over and above State aid included in the new formula, some districts were able to propose lower property tax increases than they had in some years. But Governor Corzine’s budget must pass the Legislature before districts can be sure that they will receive adjustment aid this year. And there is no guarantee that this additional, non-formula aid will continue into the following budget year and beyond.

Neither adjustment aid nor increased formula aid to some districts could convince voters to approve a majority of "second questions" on April 15. Only 12% of 33 separate ballot questions were approved. Even the number of these second questions – specific spending proposals that, if passed, would permit a district to exceed the 4% State-imposed cap on budget increases – was much lower than last year’s total of 87. The decrease can be attributed to a new law requiring 60%, rather than a simple majority, for their approval.

Prepared: May 13, 2008