West Orange Board adopts 2024-25 budget, raises local tax levy 2.77% and approves staff reductions

The West Orange Board of Education voted unanimously on May 6 to adopt its 2024-25 spending plan, approving a 2.77% increase in the local tax levy and a slate of staffing reductions to close a funding gap caused by a drop in state aid.

Board members and district leaders said the budget shortfall stemmed from a reduction in equalization aid and rising costs for salaries, benefits and utilities. Superintendent Mr. Moore told the board the result was a net shortfall after some categorical increases, and that administrators had trimmed supplies, outsourced contracts and other expenditures and used retirements and non-renewals to limit layoffs. "Without that money from the state that's the only way to balance this budget," Moore said during the meeting.

Why it matters: Board members and the superintendent said the district faced an unexpected change in state funding that required difficult trade-offs. President Rock and other trustees described a larger year-over-year swing in state funding and framed decisions as balancing the needs of three constituencies: students, employees and taxpayers.

What the budget does: The administration listed about 24 districtwide staffing reductions taken largely through attrition and targeted non-renewals, including reductions affecting preschool administration, technology positions, one librarian/media specialist position and several classroom roles (six high-school teachers across core subjects, multiple elementary and middle-school positions and some central-office roles). The business office presentation also showed West Orange's enrollment and revenue comparisons, and outlined the county review and adoption timeline that led to the May 6 vote.

Public reaction: Dozens of teachers, parents and community members addressed the board during the public-comment period, focusing significant attention on the planned elimination of a library/media specialist position. "The thought of not having Miss Bois there full-time next year is honestly devastating," said Molly Eisen, a special-education ELA teacher, describing the library as a key resource for reluctant readers and students with diverse needs. Parent and librarian advocates urged the board to find alternative savings to preserve library staffing.

Health benefits and pharmacy concerns: Several staff speakers criticized a proposed change to the district's prescription benefit manager to Express Scripts and asked the board to pause implementation until the plan and network details could be fully reviewed. Board members and the superintendent responded that the district is joining a pooled insurance fund to spread risk across participating districts, that provider networks would remain the same, and that the pharmacy-benefit manager would change; they invited staff to report any problems promptly to district contacts.

Board action: The finance motion that included the final budget passed on a roll-call vote with all five trustees voting yes (Dr. Bryant, Mr. Ifer, Mr. Stevenson, Vice President Vera and President Rock). Earlier the board also approved related personnel and curriculum items that were bundled on the agenda.

What's next: The board noted that state aid formulas and local valuations could change next year, and that the district will monitor conditions and attempt to minimize program disruption. The board's next regular meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on June 17, 2024, in the West Orange High School library media center; the meeting packet notes there will be no executive session following the meeting.