By Andrew Martins
Staff Writer
PLUMSTED – The Plumsted Township School District Board of Education has introduced a $24.5 million budget to fund the operation of the K-12 school district during the 2016-17 school year.
Residential and commercial property owners in Plumsted will be asked to pay a total of $12.4 million in property taxes to support the budget, which was introduced at a board meeting on March 9.
District administrators said the budget meets statutory regulations established by the state and because it does, residents will not vote on the spending plan.
The district’s 2015-16 budget totaled $24.2 million and was supported by the collection of $12.1 million in local school property taxes.
Administrators said the school district tax rate is expected to increase from $1.543 per $100 of assessed valuation in 2015-16 to $1.585 per $100 of assessed valuation in 2016-17.
In 2015, the average home in Plumsted was assessed at $279,100, and the owner of that home paid about $4,306 in school taxes. In 2016, the average home in Plumsted is assessed at $279,293 and the owner of that home will pay about $4,425 in school taxes.
If an individual’s home was assessed at $275,000 in 2015 and is assessed at $275,000 in 2016, that individual’s school tax will increase from $4,245 to $4,358.
If an individual’s home was assessed at $400,000 in 2015 and is assessed at $400,000 in 2016, that individual’s school tax will increase from $6,174 to $6,338.
If an individual’s home was assessed at $500,000 in 2015 and is assessed at $500,000 in 2016, that individual’s school tax will increase from $7,717 to $7,923.
Plumsted residents pay more or less in school taxes depending on the assessment of the property they own.
School taxes are one component of a property owner’s total tax bill. In addition to school taxes, property owners also pay Plumsted municipal taxes, Ocean County taxes and other assessments.
The school district will receive $11.56 million in state aid in 2016-17, which is about $27,000 more than the district received in state aid in 2015-16.
Administrators are planning to hire an applied behavior analysis teacher and three full-time paraprofessionals at the New Egypt Primary School.
At New Egypt High School, administrators are planning to hire one full-time English teacher and one full-time science teacher.
Administrators are looking to hire a part-time science and mathematics supervisor of instruction to support those departments throughout the district. If an individual is hired for that position it will result in the elimination of lead teacher positions at the high school.
Administrators said a district English as a Second Language teaching position will be eliminated because plans call for existing ESL teachers to assume the responsibilities of the district position.
The 2016-17 budget will cover ongoing maintenance of equipment and software, an infrastructure upgrade, the purchase of additional devices for the high school and the support of statewide computer-based assessments.
At the New Egypt Primary School, the district will implement an Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) program, using the new ABA teacher, while the Dr. Gerald H. Woehr Elementary School will introduce a Fundations phonics program for pupils in grades four and five.
The science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) program, as well as the social studies program, at New Egypt Middle School will also be implemented for pupils in grades six, seven and eight.
Curriculum changes at the high school include new instructional programs, including social studies for grades nine through 12, a language arts literacy novels program for seniors, a STEM Engineering Academy, a Teacher Academy, an SAT course, a college English course and online materials for science.
Funding for capital projects has decreased from $476,130 in 2015-16 to $176,867 in 2016-17, according to the budget. New LED lights will be installed at the New Egypt High School parking lot, and carpeting and flooring will be replaced in the main office at the high school and at the New Egypt Middle School.
A budget presentation will be held at 7:30 p.m. April 13 in the New Egypt High School Interactive Media Center. A public hearing on the budget will be held at a board meeting at 7:30 p.m. May 4 in the New Egypt High School Interactive Media Center. Board members may vote to adopt the budget at that meeting.
