Collingswood among New Jersey school districts facing cuts

School funding challenges in New Jersey have several districts facing cuts.

In Collingswood, the Board of Education is set to vote on a budget plan designed to address a $3.3 million funding gap. The proposal includes closing Garfield Elementary School. Students who attend the school will be reassigned to a different building next school year. The superintendent said families will receive school assignments in May. 

“I’m very, very uncomfortable about them going to another school,” said Jose Soto.

Soto’s two children are among the 113 students expected to be reassigned.

“My daughter is a strong kid and she will pivot, we will all pivot, but it’s hard. I know they have hard decisions to make,” said Mindy Leher, another parent.

Closing Garfield Elementary is part of the larger budget plan for Collingswood Public Schools.

Superintendent Dr. Fredrick McDowell said the district has been in a structural deficit for more than a decade.

This budget cycle, the district is receiving a decrease in state aid, combined with a 22% increase in health insurance and other rising operational costs.

“School districts like Collingswood, based on our size, based on configuration, are all being tasked with making extremely difficult choices and none of them are good,” McDowell said.

“There will unfortunately be reductions to staff, services, programs, with the hope that they align to goals and objectives of district, students,” he added. 

McDowell acknowledged that he is the parent of a Garfield student himself. He stressed that the decisions were not made lightly. He wrote in a letter to the community that each decision was considered with focus on long-term district sustainability. McDowell also shared concern over the larger school funding environment.

“We need a better pathway forward. And we need to lean heavier on our public officials to start that domino effect so that we are not pricing people out of their homes and we are not continually closing schools and laying off critical educators here in New Jersey,” said McDowell.

Collingswood is not alone. Cherry Hill Public Schools, another Camden County district, is also dealing with decreased state funding and rising costs.

“Our healthcare premiums have skyrocketed,” said Superintendent Dr. Kwame Morton.

“Our increase year over year was $10 million from last year to this year,” Morton added.

The superintendent said the district was faced with a $29 million deficit, addressing it with a budget plan that includes some staffing reductions. Morton said approximately 70 positions have been identified to be reduced with approximately 84% of those being addressed through attrition.

Cherry Hill’s proposal also includes a 7.4% general fund tax levy increase. According to the district’s budget clarity hub, when factoring in the debt service tax levy, the overall increase is approximately 6.8%. The district calculates that for the average assessed home of $227,000, it is an estimated increase of approximately $35 per month for July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027.

The board approved the budget proposal Tuesday night. Morton said he heard and understands the concerns from community members raised during the meeting. 

“We’ve prepared and put together a budget that will allow us to continue to service our children in the matter that they’ve been serviced in the past,” Morton said.

The Collingswood Board of Education is scheduled to vote on the budget plan at a meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday.