Haddon Township, Lumberton Superintendents Urge Legislature to Restore State School Aid

An unidentified superintendent representing Haddon Township School District told a legislative committee that the district lost 8% of its budget — about $800,000 — after recent changes to state aid and urged lawmakers to pass Bill 3081 or similar legislation to restore funding.

She said the bill in its original form would have restored roughly $536,000 to the district and asked legislators to consider both restoring as much aid as possible and changing the timing of state funding adjustments so districts have more warning when aid levels change. "In Haddon Township, we lost 8% of our total budget, $800,000, and the bill in its original form would have restored about $536,000," she said.

The superintendent said the district was told the reduction was "primarily due to rising income level of our residents," a finding that surprised local leaders because enrollment remained strong and there was no major redevelopment. She said the Department of the Treasury used 2021 income data, the district appealed that determination and the appeal was denied. The speaker stressed that school districts cannot tax income and rely on property tax revenue, making sudden swings in state aid disruptive to planning.

The witness warned of immediate personnel impacts and a looming May 15 deadline for notifying non-tenure teachers of employment for the following year, saying "we're losing teachers as we speak." She also described a tension with the existing 2% local tax-cap process, noting Haddon had passed a bond referendum on 03/12/2024 under that cap and that the cap can create a "catch-22" when sudden state-aid cuts occur.

Dr. Colleen Murray, superintendent of Lumberton Township School District, told the committee Lumberton had faced a "fiscal cliff," with a roughly $100,000 loss last year and a $30,000 stabilization allocation previously. She said the district has made deep cuts to programs and supports — including mental-health services, safety supports and interventionists — and that "we've cut everything you could possibly imagine, and really unhealthy things to cut." Murray added that qualified staff are applying to nearby districts, intensifying staffing shortages.

Both superintendents urged faster legislative action and more stable funding so districts would not need to raise local taxes. Murray said Lumberton is seeking "full stabilization" of state aid and asked lawmakers to act efficiently.

The committee heard the testimony but did not take a vote during the recorded segments. No additional action or formal motion was recorded in the transcript. The witnesses asked the committee to consider both restoring the lost aid and changing the timing and procedures for future aid adjustments to reduce midbudget-year disruption.