2 Percent Increase in State Aid for Manalapan-Englishtown Schools

The state aid for the Manalapan-Englishtown schools for 2012-2013 has increased 2 percent from the current school year, according to the state aid numbers issued by Trenton last week.

Manalapan-Englishtown schools received a total of $19,305,011in state aid for the current school year and next year the schools will be receiving $19,691,220, an increase of $386,209.

The state has increased total K-12 formula aid $135 million from 2012 to 2013 and education spending in the proposed budget now totals $7.8 billion.

In 2010, the district saw an approximate 17 percent cut in state aid, according to Superintendent John J. Marciante. "While it is a 2 percent increase in last years amount, we are still 1 million less that we would have been in 2010 if Christie had not cut education funding," Marciante said.

At the Manalapan-Englishtown Regional School District Board of Education meeting on Feb. 28, the Board adopted their tentative budget for the 2012-2013 school year, valued at $81,147,031.

Board Member and Chair of Finance Brian Graime recommended that the Board issue funds for a project introduced by Connie Bryson, Director of Information Systems, to make the district schools wireless; $195,000 of the budget will be utilized to fund this project.

Additionally, a portion of the budget will be provided to Vincent Pietrucha, Director of the Physical Plant. Pietrucha made a the district needs; $70,000 of the budget will be set aside for improving the physical plant.

A public hearing on the budget will be held at on March 27 at 7:30 p.m.