West Morris Regional Regionalization Discussion

1. West Morris RegionalRegionalization Discussion Information provided by the New Jersey Department of Education as a resource to the citizens of the 5 towns making up the regional school district to help them make the best decisions for their children and taxes

2. Who thinks they pay too much in property taxes? The Recurring Questions Who wants a better education for their children?

3. West Morris Regional Do you have a successful school district?

4. West Morris Regional Academics High Achievement • 18th & 65th out of 390 for HSPA LA in state (3rd & 44th not including choice high schools) • 1st and 8th non-choice HSPA LA in county (out of 22) • 38th & 78th for HSPA M (20th & 55th not including choice) • 2nd & 8th non choice HSPA M in county Academic Data • 14th, 39th, 62nd & 130th out of 697 for NJASK8 LA in state • 4th, 8th, 11th and 19th NJASK8 LA in county (out of 35) • 34th, 59th, 71st & 136th for NJASK8 M • 3rd, 5th, 8th & 17th NJASK8 M in county

5. West Morris Regional Academics Wide Breadth of Programs • Only IB School in County • More AP Offerings Than Comparable Schools • More Rigorous World Languages • More Electives • Marching Band and Music • Sports

6. West Morris Regional How does your district spend taxpayer money?

7. West Morris Regional Financials Demonstrated Strong Educational Value Total Property Taxes for a $500,000 HomeChester Boro – $12,031 Washington Township – $11,667 Chester Township – $10,901Mendham Boro – $9,537Mendham Township – $9,500State Average – $10,028 • School District Per Pupil Spending State Overall Median – $13,018 State 9-12 Median – $14,840WMR – $13,934 • 19th lowest out of 47 limited purpose regional (LPR) HS districts • lowest of 3 Morris County LPRs (Hanover Park - $17136 and Morris Hills - $15,121)

8. West Morris Regional Financials Equal Spending Between Schools

9. West Morris Regional Financials Current Constructions Costs Cause Difference in Expense and Debt

10. Calculation of Municipality Apportionment of the High School Budget West Morris Regional Financials

11. West Morris Regional Financials Impact on mil rate if State Aid was distributed by Municipality

12. West Morris Regional Do you still want to explore a change in the structure or funding apportionment of the district?

13. Regionalization Options • Steps to Change Funding Apportionment (18A:13-23) • Property method is default and can be seen as more stable and reflecting ability to pay. • Enrollment method is more like a user fee but can be seen as more volatile. • Both can be seen as fair. • 50-50 or anything hybrid of property and enrollment methods can be seen as a compromise. • Majority of voters in each constituent municipality of regional school district must support.

14. Regionalization Options • Steps to Dissolution or Deregionalization/Withdrawal (NJSA18A:13-48) • For withdrawal, need a resolution from local constituent school board of regional or municipality to apply for investigation from county office. • For dissolution, need a resolution from a majority of the boards of education of the school districts which constitute a limited purpose regional school district and a majority of the governing bodies of the municipalities which constitute that district to apply for investigation from county office .  • County office meeting within 21 days • County office report within 60 days but if county office asked for feasibility study then have 60 days from that study’s completion • Within 30 days after the county report, the municipality or school board can petition the Commissioner for permission to submit the question to the voters. • For withdrawal, a majority of the whole and a majority within the town seeking to withdraw is required, while for dissolution, a majority of the whole and a majority in the majority of towns in the regional is required. • Other boards and other municipalities have 15 days from when the Commissioner is petitioned to respond. • Within 15 days of the receipt of all resolutions, a board of review composed of the NJDOE Commissioner, a State Board of Education member, the State Treasurer and the Director DCA’s Division of Local Government Services shall determine whether to grant the petition to go to the voters and how indebtedness should factor in.

15. Regionalization Options • Steps to New Regional Structures (NJSA 18A:13-34) • Local board and Commissioner have to approve. • Majority of voters must support in each town. • Largest district CBA takes over.

16. West Morris Regional What financial ramifications could emerge from some of those changes?

17. Financial Considerations • Current Property Tax Levies (holding spending constant)

18. West Morris Regional Financials

19. Financial Considerations

20. Financial Considerations • Possible Property Tax Levy Changes (holding spending constant and keeping it property-based) Note: MT would send tuition to a new district if it withdrew, and that per pupil tuition would be based on NJDOE calculations depending on the district that accepted their students

23. West Morris Regional Now that you see some of your options, what other questions need to be answered to make the most informed decision on your children’s education and your taxes?

24. Unanswered Questions to Consider • Education Quality – Current and Future Questions • SAT • Inputs vs. Outcomes • Absolute vs. Growth • Prioritization/Sacrifice • Population Changes • Enrollment Declines Could Dramatically Change Apportionment Discussion

25. Unanswered Questions to Consider • Examples • Mixed Results • Delayed Savings • West Windsor-Plainsboro, Union County, Elmer, Sea Isle City, Jamesburg, charter school • Litigation

26. Unanswered Questions to Consider • Willingness to Further Regionalize • Current and looming vacancies • Are there shared services occurring now? • Obstacles & Benefits from Further Regionalization • New Resources • Reduced Administrative Expenses

27. Unanswered Questions to Consider • Collective Bargaining Agreements (NJSA 18A:6-31.4) • Could increase costs • Bumping • Staff & Student Transition • Unpredictability • Teacher morale • Shared resources for students

28. Unanswered Questions to Consider • Debt • What happens to assets? • To be determined by panel but can go back to when regional district was formed in 1958 • Sending/Receiving Headaches • Any savings could be delayed because of other variables • Who can take on new students after a deregionalization? • Will quality change? • Could the finances be more a wash than anyone thinks? • Will board representation stay the same? • Tuition spikes will no longer be shared

29. West Morris RegionalRegionalization Discussion Questions?

30. Next Steps • Legislation and working within existing law • Per Pupil --- --------- Assessed Valuation • Fixed Costs vs. Variable Costs • Blended Methodologies • Circuit Breakers ?&<rolling pupil costs>?% • Failure to solve the cost allocation just perpetuates the argument • Feasibility Study • Are Taxpayers willing to pay for a feasibility study to answer the unknown so they can be better educated when asked to make a decision? • Some towns are already budgeting

31. West Morris RegionalRegionalization Discussion Thank You! Copies of Presentation?