For Immediate Release

Media Contact:
Jared Rumage 732.758.1507
rumagej@rbb.k12.nj.us

RED BANK ASKS FOR FAIR FUNDING - AGAIN
School Board Passes Resolution Demanding Action

RED BANK BOROUGH PUBLIC SCHOOLS, MARCH 20, 2018 -- The Red Bank Borough Board of Education unanimously approved a resolution demanding fair and adequate state aid as outlined by the School Funding Reform Act of 2008. The school aid levels for the Red Bank Borough Public Schools released after the Governor’s Budget Address fall way short of adequacy levels as defined by state law. This is a problem that is long familiar to the district. Additionally, the district’s state-mandated obligation to funding the Red Bank Charter School compounds the shortfall for the severely underfunded school district.

At its March 19, 2018 meeting the Red Bank Borough Board of Education adopted a resolution presented by Community Relations Chairperson, Tom Labetti. Prior to the adoption, several members of the public shared turns at the microphone expressing their frustration and anger with the repeated shortfall, as well as the community exhaustion resulting from the annual battle.

Red Bank Borough Public Schools have consistently been shorted their fair share of state aid all the while earning praise for continued academic improvement and spending efficiency.

• State Aid levels are determined by the School Funding Reform Act (SFRA). Over the past 6 years the district has been short funded on average $5,830,000 annually.
• The 2 square mile Borough of Red Bank, with fewer than 1500 K-8 public school students, has a publicly funded charter school. The school district’s mandated obligation to this charter school increased by $184,588 for the 2018-19 school year. That number is greater than the $178,503 increase in state aid provided to the Red Bank Borough Public Schools, resulting in a net loss of $6,085.

The resolution, in part, states:

WHEREAS progress toward providing a Constitutionally and morally mandated, truly thorough and efficient education in the Red Bank Borough Public Schools—which have, for years, valiantly struggled to educate our children despite chronic underfunding—requires increased rather than decreased available funds; be it therefore

RESOLVED that the Red Bank Borough Board of Education respectfully demands that the New Jersey Legislature pass and the Governor sign into law legislation which will ensure that Red Bank Borough Public Schools and other districts similarly suffering inadequate State funding be set on the path to receiving an amount of aid commensurate with the needs of their students.

Red Bank Borough Public School leaders as well as parents will continue to demand this problem be fixed. Funding levels are unfair and inequitable. Members of the school district and the community will be attending and speaking at various public budget sessions in Trenton and across the state. They will continue to press for legislation ensuring the children and families of Red Bank access to the resources necessary to provide a thorough and efficient education.

Red Bank, NJ – March 20, 2018 –