3 Comments on “Middletown Superintendent Thanks O’Scanlon for Restoration of School Funding”

1. 
   Tom Stokes said at 11:10 am on November 3rd, 2017:

   Now, if only we can get public officials and taxpayers to demand a more efficient (economy of scale) educational system that provides better results for our students and lower costs for the taxpayers.

   A county wide system would reduce the bureaucracy, especially the number of superintendents, consolidate all business offices and business administrators into one efficient, cost effective business office, consolidate all the multiple lawyers involved in each school district into one legal service for the county system.

   And negotiations with unions would be simplified and made more cost effective with better outcomes for the students as well as the taxpayers.

   Even the funding methodology needs to be addressed. Parents need to pay a portion of the bill for educating their children, only while their children attend public schools.

   Unless costs are brought under control, property taxpayers, especially seniors, will no longer be able to afford to stay in NJ. The impact on many in NJ with the current tax reform package capping the property tax deduction and eliminating the state income tax and sales tax deductions will be negative.

   Contact your local Congressman and Senator to compromise on the State and Local Tax (SALT) deductions to be kept intact for those under an annual income of $250,000 for a couple and gradually cap the deduction above that level.

2. 
   Steve Adams said at 2:27 pm on November 3rd, 2017:

   Hey Tom Stokes…
   Your comment has an admirable goal of reducing costs. Be careful about your proposal to create large districts or a county wide district. The facts are many smaller districts are more cost efficient and provide better student outcomes than larger districts. The knee-jerk reaction to create bigger empires is one that often fails in NJ because the eco-system is filled with vultures. Oversight in smaller districts has proven to result in lower cost and improved outcomes.

   If you want to reduce school cost in NJ there are Billions of dollars that could be saved. The two proposals are school choice and break up large districts if they are corrupt or expensive.

   Many Abbott districts are getting around $40,000+ dollars per student in NJ Aid. If $15,000 was offered to parents to sent their child to a better performing public or private school NJ taxpayers could save $25,000 per student in those districts. More important is the students would get the education and future the NJ Constitution guarantees them. More would become taxpayers instead of dependent on social services for life.

   Breaking up large/corrupt/inefficient districts instead of the State takeovers just makes sense if you look at the data on which districts are cost effective.

   PS- Dr. George and Declan are outstanding advocates for our children.

3. 
   Tom Stokes said at 6:30 pm on November 3rd, 2017:

   Hey Steve Adams …

   Thanks for your comment.

   How many Superintendents, Business Administrators, Business Offices and School Attorneys do we really need in the school systems? Maintenance staff are required in each building on a daily basis and centralized (more specialized maintenance staff) staffing would handle the non routine maintenance issues that arise.

   Those are considered support staff to the process of educating our children.

   Centralizing the support staff, and reducing the total number of this staff provides an economy of scale. Resources can then be properly allocated to the actual needs of children in the classroom. Supervisors and principals are also needed in each school.

   Security is a concern receiving far more attention these days for obvious reasons. Our students and staff at each school must have protection from undesirable elements.

   After school sports is yet another area which really deserves a hard look at how it is provided and how many students are actually involved relative to the costs. Injury protection for participating students is critical as well.

   The actual bureaucrats live off the multiple school districts in each county. Teachers are the ones in each school that are integral to the actual educational process in the classroom.

   By having one union contract dealing with all staff in the same position (ie – teachers, maintenance, supervisors, etc.) would lessen the cost of negotiations and hopefully result in better outcomes for all, including the taxpayers.

   By having one business office involved in bidding and purchasing the products and services needed an economy of scale can be achieved. Technology is increasingly overtaking all of society and we need to have experts selecting the actual hardware and software that will serve our children best in the educational process.

   Competition is something that could also serve us well in the delivery of this all important educational service to our children. School choice could also help drive all of us to provide the best service at an affordable cost.

   Cost sharing with parents for certain items for their students and the actual funding methodology for schools really needs to be reviewed and updated.

   Is the property tax the best and fairest way to allocate school costs? This has a negative impact on many seniors living on fixed incomes and has caused too many seniors to sell their homes and leave. That results in those homes purchased by families with more children to be educated. We need to keep as many seniors in their homes as possible; not chase them away with ever increasing property taxes.

   Having served on the Middletown School Board I have seen first hand the level of bureaucracy that does exist. By going to a county wide system we will help reduce costs of the educational service provided. Also, a county wide system would spread out the costs among all taxpayer groups, whether homeowners, renters, commercial business or manufacturing. Remember, currently about 66% of local property taxes go to the public school system.

   While I would not like to see a centralized system under the State control, for reasons you actually mentioned, I believe it is possible to do on a county by county basis.