A final decision from the state a short time ago will result in approximately 11,000 public and non-public Lakewood school children losing busing for the coming school year, a State source tells TLS.
The decision pretty much echoes the proposals by State Monitor Michael Azarra, who announced last month that the district would no longer provide courtesy busing, and even mandated busing would have severe consequences due to a budget shortfall.
The decision means that all children under the two-two and a half mile requirement will no longer receive busing. All elementary children living two miles away from school will still receive state-mandated busing, as well as all high school children two and a half miles away.
In addition, there will only be one start and one end time for all students, which means primary-aged students will need to start and end at the same time as 8th-graders, as per the state decision, based on Azarra’s recommendations at last month’s public meeting.
Azzara’s recommendation to require mixed busing is off the table, the source said.
During the June meeting, Azzara claimed the new cuts would bridge an approximately $5.5 million budget gap – which still would have required a $2.5 million referendum to cover the deficit.
The Igud Hamosdos last month also rejected a proposed plan they said was just not feasible.
“Regretfully, at this time, we would like to inform you that we are not able to expand the 2014/15 Tiering Plan into the coming school year as proposed,” the Idud Hamosdos wrote in a letter to the BOE and obtained by TLS. “Educating our students is our first and foremost priority and needs to be accomplished properly and be inherent in tranquility. Disruption to the daily schedules of over 25,000 students, tens of thousands of parents and several thousand teachers is not something that would further that goal.”
But the State’s rejection was in response to the latest proposal by the Mosdos about two weeks ago which would have restored busing to approximately half the students.
There’s no word yet if the affected parties plan to contest the decision.
[TLS]
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Ok here we go :
Guy #1: “But my property taxes are so high!”
Guy #2: “That’s it, we should all enroll in public school!”
Guy #3: “We should go protest in Trenton!”
Etc…
The fact is, that Lakewood is a very unique town, and as such, we have different needs than most places. The law works everywhere in the country, except for Monsey and Lakewood. Your politicians will continue to worry about 99% of their constituents versus 1%. Just be happy that we had it until now.
How do the 2 miles get calculated?
What if there are no sidewalks for kids to walk on?
And let the arguments and comments from all who are not involved begin…
to mo
actually the formula dosent work for most of the districts in the state of NJ.. problem is the few districts it does work for hold the most power.
Who cares about sidewalks?!? They aren’t used anyway.
Wow the Governor comes here to pay respect, then goes and enjoys taking our money at a fund raiser last night and now this. No help from him can I get my money back
Its the rite decision. More people have been affected from strain the courtesy busing has put on the budget than the people affected by ending the busing. No brainer
# 2 is the answer we all enroll in public school. I have yet to understand or hear one clear answer why not – the state would have to come up with the money and there is no way they can handle it that many kids, teachers and all. They don’t even have buildings to teach them in. I challenge someone to tell me a scenario that this would not work. Please think clearly first.
the arguments and comments involve all of us who pay 50% of our mortgage tax dollars for schools our own children or grandchildren have never -nor will ever- attend—-so don’t dismiss this as none of our business. it’s OUR MONEY WE ARE TALKING ABOUT—and busing is a small dividend for that money
I actually don’t see what’s so terrible about it. I grew up out of town where there was no busing and we either walked, carpooled or took public transportation. There will still be state mandated busing, so that will alleviate some of the congestion. This past year when they tiered the school start times, my children came late to school almost every single day, and that was with starting 15 minutes later. Aside from that, every year that I had a girl in Primary, they came home very late because the public school runs were too close time-wise to theirs. Courtesy busing is a courtesy, and if it’s not feasible it should be eliminated.
I voted for Christi both times. I will not vote for him again as he has done a big 0 for us.
Our taxes keep going up and up and services keep going down.
Let’s just be a little patient till Chasidim move to town. Belz is the beginning. Wait till Satmar comes to town and I bet that they will take care of this.
To o Christie has nothing to do with this! And from your attitude about not voting Christie it seems like you have a better option, why won’t you share it with us? Unless…. oh you are from the non tax payers milking and expecting more and more from government. Im not saying times art not terrible I’m just saying its terrible exclusively to tax payers who sweat and kill away their days only to have the government take it away from them
I sincerely do not understand. Taxes versus the actual number of children enrolled in the public school system here do not add up. The public deserves to know where our money is going…… not just titles of expenses but an actual audit involving numbers
The simple answer why not to enroll is because for countless generations our children have been sent to religious schools. I do not understand why people would all of a sudden start sending their kids to public school just because of courtesy bussing?
The teachers and members of the educational profession would be thrilled to see this change in demography in the schools. Moreover, it is a compelling interest of the state that every child attend the public schools in order to socialize and indoctrinate them with patriotic and whatever other values they deem important (tolerance, citizenship, diversity etc) and indeed the compulsory education laws required 100% attendance until the US Supreme Court in 1925 created the right to send children to religious schools.
Enrolling our kids would be a major victory for the state and public school community. The Department of Education would jump at the opportunity to bring our kids under the fold.
Once again until we solve the funding issue, our town will always have financial problems with the school funding.
The state looks at two things when giving assistance. The value of the propery in town versus the kids in PUBLIC schools. In Lakewood we have lots of property value but not a lot of kids on the public schools. We therefore get minimal state funding.
Get it into your heads already in this world nobody cares about you. You have to fend for yourselves
What do you mean? Of course this all makes a lot of sense! I am really getting my money’s worth from my exorbitant property taxes. My garbage gets collected!
Oh yes… Has anyone noticed that hundreds of homes a year are being built and the only thing you get for your crazy high taxes? Yup. Garbage pickup. And there’s no more money for busing. What???? Someone please do something about this terrible mismanagement of the township.
Why can’t Cory Booker Singer, Smith, a Smith, ect. help us out! We voted these people in. This is the time of need.
Stay away from republicans and from Christie, they are bullies and don’t care about anyone. Christie please don’t shut down cedar bridge if we don’t endorse you. We will get you a doughnut from bagel nosh
You are all complaining about your taxes and private school busing. I have no children, I pay more taxes than most of you and am on fixed income. What do I get for my $12,000 per year in property taxes? Traffic, congestion, people parking illegally and poor quality of life. After 45 years in Lakewood, I will be leaving and taking my business and jobs and tax revenue with me. None of you will care.
Why are we different than the Public School? Don’t their schools have different start times?
If you are on a fixed income and own a business you surely aren’t helping with jobs (other than govt jobs with your 12k in taxes). Something doesn’t make sense….Just like your arrogant post.
To airborne: Good luck on your future endeavors
p.s dont forget to take off your bumper sticker thats says pray for me I drive in lakewood
To airborne: I understand and you do not send any kids to schools, but you should be equally upset like I am, we are paying thousands of dollars in taxes and the Town’s children get nothing out of it!!
I don’t understand how the state can force schools when to dismiss is that even in their authority? Just because they have to give bussing, they can now dictate when everyone has to end! I have an idea let the schools create a few schools within a building, each school can now have a separate dismissal time!!!
Somehow I am getting a feeling we have some executives from trenton contributing to these posts. #17 seems to know a lot of what would make the department of education happy. Only public school produces patriotic americans?
@teacher on an intellectual level it may sound ideal to have a diverse cultural mix in the PS schools, but if the busing issue is truly financial, then adding another 40k students into the system will only bankrupt it before the school year even starts. The non-public school students are only asking for courtesy busing as opposed to infrastructure, teachers, principals, textbooks, supplies, meals, sporting equipment etc. Thats the rational.
As a Lakewood resident, but non-parent, I am very concerned about this decision. While I do think that more care needs to be taken to improve public school education in town for enrolled students, I simply do not think Lakewood has the infrastructure (e.g., well-maintained sufficient side walks, sufficient crossing guards, traffic calming measures) for students to walk 2 to 2 1/2 miles safely to school (public or not).
Most children can not safely cross the street by themselves until they are at least 7 or 8 years old and that does not take into consideration multiple lane highways, over congested roadways, and speeding drivers. Young children do not have the cognitive development and ability to judge how fast cars are moving. Parents picking up and dropping off their children to school will add to the congestion and danger.
Won’t one end time make busing more expensive?
i was recently at a shuvu fundraiser in lakewood. where someone said a community in the eastern coasts public school is %35 percent jewish, cause they get kosher food and are even taught hebrew. and when shuvu asks them to come to jewish private schools they ask back why not stay all my neighbors go to public schools & they give us our jewish needs.
if Lakewood boys start to all register in public school. the state is required to cover all needs also.
The difference between Lakewood Private and any Public school is Public Schools do not have segregated bussing…Public school students go to 2-3 different schools for Elementary and Middle and High school with girls n boys together on the bus wit stagered times…that is the difference…Lakewood segregates the girls n boys going to many different schools all over town and that is what increases the costs…Are most of the busses in Lakewood full with student? if not that is a waist!
To Shmuel..you are more than welcome to enroll your children in the public schools..but just an FYI..religion is not taught and never will be taught in the public schools.
I see no mention of the PUBLIC school students in any of your posts. I guess they don’t matter……
People in Lakewood do not understand the purpose of public schools. Although the NJ Court in Robinson ruled that adequate education is a RIGHT, public school were not created, and are not considered, a government benefit like welfare or food stamps.
Public school were created to preserve our system of government. They are essential to the survival of our republic.
As for funding, the ten billion dollar or so that the legislature allocates for education is divided among NJ district based on student count. Short of constitutional litigation, an extra 30,000 students only means that Lakewood would be allocated more and other district will receive less.
If you look at surrounding districts, all are taxing way below their local fair share while Lakewood is way above its local fair share. As it now stand, Lakewood students already have a constitutional claim to additional state funding. So even if the legislature would not respond to Lakewood with more funding (due to the caps and frozen aid) the courts will respond.
#34
Perhaps if parents of the public schools would read TLS and post, you would see comments. Do you see any public school parents concerned for the private school students?? There’s no conspiracy, just everyone tries standing up for themselves, doesn’t that make sense? Frankly, I think most parents who will be affected in the public school may be completely unaware of all that’s going on.
The State will call your bluff.
Either way, it is your right to register for public schools and nobody will care the least if you do so.
The governor does not have the statutory authority to allocate more money for the bussing. His commissioner does have the authority to allocate more money if you register. So who is going to be the fool n the end when you register and do not pony up and your kids to the public schools?
In hindsight, it was a massive mistake for the voters in town to approve the special tax assessment last year for renovations to the public schools.
The fact is that it provided cover to the State for their severe underfunding of Lakewood. Right now, the state is doing the same, just trying to get by for another year, by cancelling courtesy busing.
The expenses will continue to rise due to other state mandated expenses, and the people in this town will not approve another dime in taxes which are capped at 2%. Why should they, when they being stabbed in the back by the State.
The politician’s in Trenton are doing what politicians do. Not looking for the future, at some point this will blow up in their face.
to Teacher:
From what I read, nearly half the public school children will be adversely affected by this decision, and all those parents will be burdened with the need to make arrangements for carpool or walking to school. Easier said than done in this town, with congested roads, rage-infected and distracted drivers and not nearly enough sidewalks or crossing guards to protect those children. How will they get safely to your classroom? Are you concerned? You should be!
What happened to the proposal to register frum high school kids in the public schools to receive free English at the place of their choice under Option Two of the administrative code? See:
https://thelakewoodscoop.com/2012/08/the-end-of-high-tuition-and-property-taxes-featured-story.html
https://thelakewoodscoop.com/2012/10/the-solutions-are-in-the-hands-of-management.html
The transportation cost per student in Lakewood is much lower than in surrounding towns. Now that the monitor has abolished courtesy busing ,the cost per student will increase significantly because all the routes will have to be rebid at much higher rates. So the real cost savings wont be so much even though 11,000 kids will lose busing.
I said to think clearly before responding. I am not saying that kids will actually go to public school what I am saying is that if two weeks before school starts tens of thousands of kids are all of a sudden registered to public school and there are no teachers, buildings, resources etc.. they will have to concede that they have lost and that they will have to agree to throw us a bone in exchange for a much larger problem of billions of dollars and impossible hurdles that couldn’t be solved. They will realize that we have not asked for much in comparison to what we could have.
To number two so tell me why so many people do not use the sidewalk they walk on the street even where there is a sidewalk.
brilliant solution: create seperate private schools for junior high school grade 6-8 so their dismissal time could be later and legal.
To Chaim: why would they throw us a bone if they know none of the kids will actually show up?
Also, why should the frum students have courtesy bussing while the public school students won’t?
The reason the Jewish kids have separate busing for boys and girls is because they go to separate schools in separate buildings. Even if we combined the boys and girls in one school we would still need the same amount of schools and bus routes. It would simply be allocated differently.
#36
“Just standing up for themselves” don’t you think working together would help to solve the issues. I see this issue as effecting ALL of the children of Lakewood!
Apparently, Lakewood cannot handle the massive increase in population that we’re undergoing. If we can’t afford to get our children to school safely, we can”t afford to have our population of school children increase. Stop the development and building of every square inch of our town. Courtesy busing wasn’t a problem until we had thousands of children added to the expense. Our roads are strangling. Our public employees are overwhelmed. Our schools are drowning.
Stop the building. We’re at saturation point.