Advertising Will Likely Come To Secaucus Football Field, Because District Needs To Bring In Money

SECAUCUS, NJ — At their meeting last Thursday night, May 7, the Secaucus school district introduced the proposed $57.1 million budget for the upcoming 2026-'27 school year.

You can read the budget here: 4.files.edl.io/02b7/05/07/26/194252-2213ea14-5c14-4f05-950f-d176b4c1135e.pdf

Interim superintendent Mark Toback continued to say the Secaucus school district needs to find ways to bring in more revenue. He proposed several ways the district plans to do this:

• Transportation partnerships using the district's school buses. Bringing some special-education bus routes in house (the district currently contracts them out), and possibly using Secaucus' buses to run transportation for other districts.

• Tuition for full-day PreK. As Patch reported in March, Secaucus will begin offering full-day PreK for 3,4-year-olds starting in September 2026. The tuition for that right now is $950 per year.

• Renting out the high school Performing Arts Center to outside groups. Toback said the PAC is a valuable asset the district can make money from by renting it out.

• And you may start soon seeing advertising on the Patriots football field and track. The district is going to explore allowing companies to advertise on the scoreboard at the football field and putting up ads around the high school track, Toback said.

Secaucus school district will also continue to seek state-approved adjustments that could help offset future tax increases down the road.

The largest share of next year's $57 million budget goes towards classroom instruction and programs at nearly $18.9 million, followed by employee benefits at a cost of $11.3 million.

7 percent school tax hike coming, town taxes will also go up 7 percent

As Patch previously reported, this budget brings a 7.2 percent to the local school tax levy. The school tax levy will increase from $41.6 million in 2025-26 to $44.6 million in 2026-27, an increase of nearly $3 million. District officials estimated the owner of an average home assessed at $180,516 would pay about $170 more per year, or roughly $14.22 per month.

Toback already said the Secaucs school district is having to pay for rising costs in employee healthcare, medical prescription costs (both up 30 percent) plus a big increase in utility costs and special-education costs. This is all while the district expands full-day prekindergarten and maintains academic and extracurricular programs.

If that 7.2 percent increase does not get approved, the school district will see "significant program reductions, staffing impacts and potentially both over the next couple of years," the district's assistant business administrator Patrick Cocucci warned earlier this month.

The 7.2-percent tax increase "(is) not optional. It's a necessity," said Cocucci. "It does sound high, but it equates to essentially $170 per average household (per year)."

Officials said the increase reflects not only the district’s allowable 2% tax levy cap, but also the use of “banked cap” funds and a state-approved health care waiver adjustment tied to surging insurance costs. Medical insurance costs for Secaucus public school teachers and staff rose 31 percent this year and prescription coverage increased 32 percent.

District leaders pointed to multiple financial pressures, including contractual salary increases, pension contributions, inflation and higher utility costs. Rising special-education tuition and transportation expenses were also identified as major cost drivers.

Many parents in town say Secaucus school are over crowded. But the data does not show that to be true. The district provided enrollment data and trends on page 8 of its budget presentation.

Enrollment declined from 2,186 students in 2022-23 to 2,056 students this school year, 2025-'26. Enrollment is projected to rebound to 2,164 students next year and that is because of expanded prekindergarten offerings and increases in early intervention special-education enrollment.

Watch the May 7 meeting; the budget presentation starts around minute 43:

What Secaucus schools launched in classrooms this year:

• WIDA Assessment Materials for ML students
• College ROI Program for the High School to help students make informed decisions about college and career pathways
• Additional AP Class Materials and Textbooks
• Class sets of Texas Instrument calculators
• Increased Services from BCSSS Teacher of the Deaf and Audiologist Services
• Crisis Prevention Intervention (CPI) Training for Teachers
• Three new FM systems, two in Clarendon School and one in Pre-K
• Additional sensory materials for Pre-K classrooms
• New Patriot Perk Work-Based Learning Opportunity
• More iPads in classrooms

What the Secaucus school district is planning:

The district also plans several facilities projects, including installing new HVAC units at Secaucus Middle/High School.

The district plans to resurface the tennis courts at the middle/high school.

Construct a new press box at the middle/high school.

The purchase of two 54-passenger school buses.

Secaucus Offers Full-Day PreK For 3,4-Year-Olds Starting In September (March)

Secaucus School District And Town Both Seek 7 Percent Tax Increases (May 1)

Secaucus School District Is In Budget Crisis, Unveils 3-Year Financial Plan (May 3)