TRENTON – Merging of school districts could save taxpayers millions of dollars, a Ball State University report found.
The report, released Monday by the New Jersey Association of Realtors, found that the merging of two school districts, each with less than 1,000 students, would save $2.2 million in total costs, with $1.4 million coming via savings in “instructional costs.” New Jersey has 304 school districts that have less than 1,000 students.
The incentive is greater if each school district with less than 2,000 merged with a similar one, according to the study.
The savings for a district from such a merger could be $3.9 million, with an estimated $2.2 million savings in “instructional costs.” There are 416 school districts that have less than 2,000 students.
The study also found substantial savings for school mergers in counties with 250,000 residents or less. Out of 21 counties, only six North Jersey and South Jersey counties fit in this category – Hunterdon, Warren, Sussex, Salem, Cumberland and Cape May.
A school merger in Salem County could save $2.5 million a year and there could be $6 million in savings for Sussex County school districts merging, the report estimated.
The report also found charter schools, a major – and controversial – component of Gov. Christie’s education reform package, are cheaper than traditional school districts.
The report stated that per-pupil costs were $1,327 lower than in school districts with less than 2,000 students and $965 less than in school districts with less than 1,000 students. Instructional costs were $1,178 and $948 lower, respectively.
