Mar 23 2017 2:17 pm

[LETTER BELOW] The Lakewood School District in severe financial distress and in need of emergency assistance, the District Superintendent indicated in a frightening letter sent to the State as the new budget was released.

In the letter, the Superintendent says the proposed budget would mean over 100 staff members are expected to be terminated, students will be losing programs, and much more.

Superintendent Winters in her letter wrote, “It is with great sadness that I must inform you that the Lakewood School District is unable to provide its students with a “thorough and efficient” education required by the New Jersey State Constitution. The level of education that will be offered to the students of the Lakewood School District in the 2017-2018 school year, is in my professional opinion, tragically inadequate and inferior compared to the education offered to those students in wealthier towns in Ocean County and across the state.”

She added, “The District must deal with a number of new expenditures and significantly less revenue, such as, but not limited to, the following;

 The absence of a $5.6 million State Aid Advance/Revenue

 Repayment installment for the above advance

 Repayment of significant federal and state audit refunds which had been deferred in past years $1,099,531

 The tuition for a newly approved charter school $2,128,493

 The consortium’s busing cost for the increase in mandated nonpublic school students despite flat funding in State Transportation Aid and overall State Aid for the District. $1,895,728

 Increase in Health Benefits $2,821,605

 Increase in Salaries $2,561,333

 Increase in Tuition $525,357

 Increase to School Base Budget to Title 1 Reduction $735, 045

 Transportation Less Salaries and LSTA $686,793

 Net Changes to the Balance of the Budget $10,692

In order to cover the above, the Lakewood School District will be losing approximately 119 members of its certified teaching staff, creating average class sizes of 50 (K-12). Students throughout the district will no longer have the opportunity to participate in sports programs or after-school clubs and activities.

Summer Bridge programs that have helped our students’ transition from Elementary School to Middle School and from Middle School to High School will be eliminated. Lakewood High School’s summer school program will be abolished, leaving disadvantaged students unable to make -up course credits, in order to obtain their high school diploma.

In a district with few administrators, and close to 50 students in a class, there will no longer be guidance counselors in the Elementary Schools to assist those students who struggle with behavioral and emotional problems associated with children being raised in poverty. Research shows that poverty in childhood and adolescence is associated with a higher risk for poor cognitive and academic outcomes, lower school attendance, lower reading and math test scores, increased distractibility, and higher rates of grade failure and early high school dropout.”

(READ THE FULL LETTER HERE)

Board Attorney Marc Zitomer says this is very disturbing, and calls on the State to step in.

“It is very disturbing that the Lakewood School District once again finds itself with a significant budget deficit after having presented a balance budget for this school year,” Zitomer said. “This again demonstrates that that Lakewood is grossly underfunded by the State of New Jersey and that we do not have a fiscal mismanagement problem given that there are three State monitors in Lakewood who have been in the District for several years. Until the State properly funds Lakewood given its unique population, the District will continue to find itself in the untenable position of having to cut programs and staff to balance its budget. The entire Lakewood community needs to unite and address this pressing issue with its local legislators and the Governor. ”

Upon viewing the letter, former Board Attorney Michael Inzelbuch says all of Lakewood will suffer from this fallout.

“Enough. Soon no one will be able to live in Lakewood,” Inzelbuch said. “Taxes so high and no public school system. Remember, without a good public school system, we all suffer. For example, now that there is a charter school the district, more than ever, needs to be competitive. This year alone, the new charter school and skimmed off about $2.4 million from all of our kids.”

He added, “I don’t get it. I reviewed some of the Budget and see a million or so being paid for Audits to State. Why? Check the record -when Neva and Kathy and I were there – no monies were paid by any matter we appealed. The only monies provided were by Catapult or other vendors to the State, and even then it was reduced by millions. Ask the current counsel and Barry Iann why? Why are vendors being allowed to make the audit exceptions and not held accountable? Why are the exceptions not being challenged?”

As to getting more state money, “Cmon,” Inzelbuch said. “25 plus years I’ve been hearing this. The one opportunity we had with SEMI reimbursement – worth millions – we were litigating in court and in 2012 new counsel then decided it wasn’t worth the time. Aggressive approach is needed towards Trenton – and I have news for you -I bet the Monitor would join in IF he had a Board and counsel he could work with.”

“Lastly, we need real board leadership and legal prowess – one that backs up threats and has the legal know-how and background. Enough of the “let me see what I can do with our kids’ lives and educational system.”

Superintendent Winters stated at the recent meeting that she will not be certifying the budget. No motion to approve it was made, and they are expected to adopt a revised budget during the next meeting.