Hillsborough Residents Urged To Weigh In On State School Funding Review

HILLSBOROUGH, NJ — As the New Jersey Department of Education begins a statewide effort to collect public feedback on school funding, Hillsborough Township Public Schools Superintendent Michael J. Volpe is urging local families, staff and taxpayers to participate.

"For years, our community has carried an unfair burden under a state funding formula that mistakes paper real estate gains for actual resident wealth," said Volpe. "Hillsborough runs one of the most efficient school districts in the state, yet our students and taxpayers have been forced to absorb millions of dollars in state aid cuts. We cannot spend less without hurting staff, programs, and opportunities for our children."

"The NJDOE is finally opening the door for public input, and now is our time to tell Trenton that state aid reductions must stop immediately and that funding must be anchored to actual student needs rather than paper wealth," continued Volpe.

Volpe said his plea to residents comes after years of state aid losses for the district.

Hillsborough's cumulative lost state aid since the 2019-2020 school year has surpassed $8,067,925.

The state general-fund aid fell from more than $25 million in 2017-2018 base funding to $17.75 million budgeted for the 2026-2027 school year, according to Volpe.

The district said the state's funding formula relies heavily on property valuations, which it described as "paper wealth," rather than residents' actual taxable take-home income.

According to the district, Hillsborough property values increased 41.8 percent, from $8.1 billion to $10.6 billion, while resident take-home wages grew by about 3 percent annually, or about 15.9 percent total.

The NJDOE School Funding Outreach Project is holding regional forums, community roundtables and virtual comment sessions for community members, parents, educators and local leaders.

The district said feedback gathered through the process will help inform upcoming state reports and potential legislative school funding reforms.

"Grassroots support from our neighbors makes all the difference in Trenton," Volpe said. "Whether you register to speak at a virtual forum or send a direct email to state officials, we need every Hillsborough resident to join us in demanding a transparent, predictable, and fair funding formula that supports our schools. Now is the time if you want your voice to be heard."

Upcoming sessions all run from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., with public comments accepted for up to three minutes per participant.

The schedule includes a virtual statewide online forum on Thursday, Oct. 22, a community roundtable on Monday, Oct. 26, at Pitman Jr./Sr. High School, an Essex County forum on Tuesday, Oct. 27, at Donald M. Payne School of Technology in Newark, and virtual statewide online forums on Thursday, Nov. 5, and Thursday, Nov. 12.

Residents can register through the NJDOE event page or email comments to FundingOutreach@doe.nj.gov.

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