It is budget time for school districts and the Newark Board of Education just approved a new 2024-2025 budget of $1.52 billion, $187 million bigger than this year’s budget, or 14 percent. This won’t add much to local taxpayers’ levy, just $30 per homeowner, because Gov. Phil Murphy’s FY2025 budget allocates $125 billion to Newark Public Schools.

The added costs include hiring 211 staff members (the total payroll for staff is $505.8 million), $401 million to local public charter schools (an increase of $37.5 million; the state uses school districts as pass-throughs for charter tuition), $66 million for special education, and $41 million for school renovations. There are also added costs to maintain high-dosage tutoring and other academic interventions.

Currently only 19% of Newark third-graders can read proficiently, a benchmark for future academic success. District-wide, 29% of students can read proficiently and 15% can do math on grade-level.

Superintendent Roger Leon is also anticipating increases in district enrollment although actual number remain murky: Chalkbeat says there are 41,000 students enrolled but the Star-Ledger says it’s 44,000.

Leon says it would take $2 billion to fully renovate all school buildings. He also wants to rebuild University High School and open eight new schools as part of his ten-year strategic plan. He mentioned a possible bond referendum to fund some of these costs, which voters would need to approve.

This year the Newark Teachers Union contract will expire. President John Abeigon said they are negotiating a “historic” and “unprecedented” contract that “demands higher salaries.”

Chalkbeat notes that Newark has historically struggled to educate students with disabilities:

“In 2012, the state began monitoring the district following the settlement of a class action lawsuit that accused the district and state special education department of not evaluating students for special education services or providing resources on time.

Newark parents have also raised concerns about the lack of aides and services available for students with disabilities, who often require multiple teachers or aides to assist them during class time as well as social workers, case managers, therapists, or other support based on their individualized education programs, or IEPs.”