LACEY, NJ — The Lacey Township School District is gearing up for another difficult budget, planning to lose another $1.2 million in state aid.
Gov. Phil Murphy is set to announced the state’s budget on Feb. 27, and shortly after is when schools will find out how much state aid they’ll receive. Ahead of that, Lacey Superintendent Vanessa Pereira is urging everyone to contact legislators to advocate for the students.
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“Next year’s projected reductions will be unsurvivable,” Pereira said in a video posted on the district’s website. Read more: School Budget Looks ‘Difficult’ Again For Lacey This Year: Officials
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In the video, Pereira explained that the budget cuts are due to the controversial S2 law. The S2 aid cuts are scheduled to end with the 2024-25 school budget year, but there is no indication what will happen beyond then.
Since S2’s implementation seven years ago, the district has made numerous cuts, including reducing staff by 102 positions.
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If the upcoming cuts are as projected, the district would have to cut more staff, driving class sizes to more than 30, cut recreation programs and more, Pereira said.
Pereira shared instructions on how residents can write to legislators, providing a letter to be copied and pasted.
“It is time for the governor and the New Jersey legislators to do the right thing and implement solutions that address funding disparities,” she said.
You can find those instructions here.
She urged residents, staff and students to write as many times as they would like.
“Together, we can make a difference,” Pereira said.
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