Board approves nonpublic Title I and related service contracts; two members dissent

The Toms River Regional School District Board of Education on May 14 approved a series of agreements to provide nonpublic Title I educational services and related supports for the 2024–25 school year.

Motions approved included agreements with Catapult (nonpublic Title I services), Tree of Knowledge Learning Academy (nonpublic Title I services), Tender Touch Educational Services LLC (nonpublic Title I services) and multiple Educational Services Commission of New Jersey contracts covering nursing services, IDEA‑B services and services under Chapters 192/193. Each motion was carried by roll call; a consistent pattern in the recorded tallies showed a majority of board members voting yes while Morrison and Palazo recorded no votes on several items.

Morrison explained his no votes by reference to the district’s unresolved budget: "I just don't see how I can vote Yes on this when we don't have our own school budget," he said during roll call discussion. Palazo voiced a similar concern and also said she could not approve nonpublic expenditures while the district lacked a balanced budget.

Vote at a glance (representative pattern recorded in meeting): yes — Capone, How, Kidney, Lamb, Pascarella, Nardini, Ean; no — Morrison, Palazo. (The transcript shows repeated roll calls with the same pattern across the nonpublic contracts; counts are reported by member name in the meeting record.)

Why it matters: These contracts authorize the district to procure federally funded Title I services and other mandated supports for eligible nonpublic students. The board approved the agreements despite standing budget uncertainty; two members withheld support on fiscal grounds.

What’s next: Contracts will proceed for the 2024–25 school year as approved. The board will continue working on the overall district budget and will not vote on the general fund budget until state guidance and further analysis are available.