BHPSNJ 2024 Budget Prep Part 1:Enrollment, Cost PP, Administration, Instruction and Legal Spending

ACFR Analysis on the Seven District Dashboard

There are some pleasant surprises in connection to the District’s Annual Comprehensive Financial Report for 2022-2023 and some areas of concern. It is important to take this summary with a grain of salt as the taxpayers guide has not yet reported on actuals for 2023 and they are another definitive source.  

This article is meant to provide the public with information on the ACFR and the ACFR’s themselves to better equip residents with information for active participation in the upcoming BHPSNJ budget process.

The first area, enrollment, is an area of concern. Berkeley Heights enrollment had its 6th straight year of declining enrollment despite the introduction of FDK. For 2022-2023, we were one of only two Districts on our Dashboard that saw enrollment numbers decline.

The second area of concern has been a historical issue – per-pupil cost.  Berkeley Heights continues to have the highest per-pupil costs out of the seven District’s on the Dashboard and the third highest increase from 2022-2023.

BHPSNJ demonstrated improvement in total administrative costs, reducing them by close to one million dollars (the most significant reduction out of the seven districts). It went from having the highest per-pupil cost in this area to now residing in the middle.  Part of this reduction could be due to the second Assistant Superintendent position being eliminated (or not filled), thankfully. This reduction could also, in part, be due to the elimination of a Math Supervisor.  

BHPSNJ reduced spending on Instruction by 4.5 million dollars, which feels like a red flag. However, it boasts the highest per-pupil spend out of the seven District’s on the Dashboard. Some of this could be due to lower enrollment but further explanation could be helpful.

BHPSNJ spent less than its budgeted amount per pupil on legal spending and is 5th out of 7 Districts on Spending in this area. The District also spent less per pupil than in 2021-2022, according to the taxpayers guide. So, while better, we are clearly not out of the woods, and we should monitor the taxpayer’s guide when the data becomes available as a check to the ACFR and maintain diligence on this area moving forward.

Spending on textbooks will create more frustration among parents as the District continues to rank at the bottom of the Dashboard in this area. 

The ACFR’s for all Seven Districts are available here. 

I encourage everyone to look through these for areas you are interested in and to submit any analysis you think would be helpful to BHCW at [email protected].

I also encourage everyone to read about the 2023 Budget Process and purchase football equipment if you plan on attending the meetings.