On Wednesday, March 27, 2013, the Hoboken Board of Education will be meeting at 7:00 PM to consider a budget for the 2013-2014 school year. In addition to the required information that is printed in the newspapers, the district has produced a four page document that will provide residents with a good overview of the budget. The budget overview will be distributed widely in the community and feel free to share. Click for budget overview.

The Proposed 2013 – 2014 School Budget Intro Letter

from Dr. Leon Gold BOE President

“Over the past several weeks, the Hoboken Board of Education and the school administration have been working diligently to develop a budget that strikes a dificult balance—one that provides adequately for elective student learning while taking into account the legitimate concerns of taxpayers in a state with the highest property taxes in the country.

The Board of Education is proud to have provided the community with a slight decrease in the school tax levy for the past three years despite rising costs. But this year we are presented with several challenges, the biggest of which are:

An unexpected loss of $450,000 in Federal funds as a result of sequestration, A requirement to pay down a deficit that built up over many years in the district’s Food Service program, and An increase of $553,000 in charter funding due to the addition of a new grade level at one of the charter schools.

In light of this, we must increase revenues by $1.86 million. Although the budget is adequate to the educational needs of our children, I must emphasize that this budget does require considerable sacrifice, including reductions in new educational programs, personnel, and planned capital improvements.

 

As a member of the Hoboken Board of Education, I’ve listened to the parents and residents who not only expect more from the district, but that we increase student achievement in a disciplined, cost-effective manner. The board and the administration could not agree more and I hope that, upon careful review of the budget, you, in turn, will agree that we have balanced educational needs with financial prudence.

Sincerely,