New Jersey
districts would see their state aid rise in the coming academic year under a $9.26 billion spending plan Gov. Phil Murphy unveiled Thursday for K-12 schools.
Murphy said aid would jump 7% from last year, when the Democrat chose to forgo $336 million in new funding after the coronavirus walloped state revenue. With finances now looking better than feared, Murphy said New Jersey could afford more for districts with property tax burdens, historically underfunded schools and mental health and academic support related to the pandemic.
“As we rapidly approach one year – it’s hard to believe – since COVID-19 first disrupted our students’ learning, this investment is about ensuring they are not left out or left alone,” Murphy said at a news conference at Thomas Jefferson Middle School in Fair Lawn. “We know the learning loss is real.”