LINWOOD — Mainland Regional High School cut 13 positions and reassigned 11 while raising taxes to fund its 2025-26 budget.
The district also took advantage of the state Tax Levy Incentive Program that allowed those spending below adequacy to increase expenditures beyond the 2 percent levy cap.
The tax levy will increase 3.64 percent, or $760,000, to $23,968,898. That provided the district with $358,000 that is restricted to HVAC repairs for C hall.
The $34.7 million budget increases the tax levy to $9.7 million and tax rate 8 cents to 84.56 cents per $100, or $845.61 per $100,000, in Somers Point. That equates to a regional school tax bill of $2,536.83 on a $300,000 home.
The tax levy will be $7.2 million and the tax rate 75.81 cents per $100 in Linwood, or $758.15 per $100,000. That equates to a regional school tax bill of $2,274.46 on a $300,000 home.
In Northfield, the levy rises to $7.05 million and tax rate 3.67 cents to 79.63 cents, or $796.36 per $100,000. That equates to a regional tax bill of $2,389.80 on a $300,000 home.
According to a presentation by Chief School Administrator Mark Marrone and Business Administrator Chandra Coady, the school “is facing significant financial challenges that have necessitated difficult decisions for the upcoming academic year. After experiencing a $1.4 million reduction in state aid in 2024-25, the district now confronts a minimum funding deficit of $1.1 million for 2025-26.”
The district has five sources of revenue equaling $34.7 million and an operating budget of $31.1 million. The local tax levy of $21.2 million is the largest portion, while $6.7 million in state aid, $3.4 million in debt service funding, $2.87 million in local funding and $102,077 in federal funds make up the rest.
Federal aid is down in all three categories: Medicaid services to eligible students dropped from $29,780 to $2,167, special education funds for out-of-district placements fell from $282,195 to $56,439 and and professional development decreased from $270,447 to $54,089.
At the same time, total state aid has fallen year over year, dropping from $8.33 million in fiscal year 2022 to $6.7 million for fiscal year 2026. That figure includes the loss of $635,000 in stabilization aid provided last year.
Helping the situation is the fact that the total ratable base rose in all three sending districts. Somers Point realized an increase of more than $8 million to $1.147 billion, Linwood an increase of more than $9 million to $951,440,900 and Northfield an increase of $5.65 million to $885,820,900.
Based mainly on property values and lesser so on enrollment, Somers Point pays 40.47 percent of the tax levy, Linwood pays 30.09 percent and Northfield 29.43 percent. The districts send 308, 387 and 452 students, respectively.
Enrollment continues to decline, decreasing from 1,207 in October 2023 to 1,198 in October 2024. The district had 1,330 students in October 2017, losing 10 percent since that time.
Staff cuts
The district cut a total of 13 positions — five teaching, five administrative and three support staff, and reassigned 11 employees.
“The faculty and staff facing position reductions are exceptional educators with tremendous impact on our students,” according to the presentation. “These difficult choices were made solely due to financial constraints, not because of staff performance or dedication to our students.”
Four special education positions are being reduced or reassigned, including a veteran faculty member and school psychologist, who will join the Child Study Team; a learning disabilities teacher consultant, who will remain through December before the position is outsourced; and a teacher who has been reassigned to support science students.
According to the presentation, all signature programs remain intact, including Unified Sports, inclusive algebra I and the 18- to 21-year-old program. Workplace readiness program will remain, including the school store and work-based learning. All special education aides will be maintained
The district has decided to sunset the Latin foreign language program based on lack of interest. World language enrollment for 2024-25 included 416 students in Spanish, 173 in Italian, 117 in French and 40 in Latin, including just 11 freshmen.
The Latin program will sunset over the next two years, allowing all current students to complete their sequence of course. No new students will be enrolled.
– By CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff