Support Our Students
Unprecedented Funding Disparity
The Lenape Regional High School District is facing a serious funding crisis that threatens the financial stability of our district and the educational programs, opportunities, and quality education our students deserve.
For years, New Jersey’s state funding formula has unfairly penalized LRHSD, inaccurately assuming that our communities can fully fund our schools on their own. For the 2025-2026 school year, the State provided ZERO dollars to the LRHSD for general education and funded only 10% of our total budget. The remaining 90% of the school budget falls on you, the local taxpayers.
Sustained reductions in State aid have forced the LRHSD to make difficult operational and staffing decisions. To mitigate the loss of millions in state funding and safeguard essential programs, the LRHSD has been forced in recent years to increase the local tax levy and eliminate necessary positions and student programming.
Without fair state funding, LRHSD could face difficult choices in the future that could directly impact you and your children.
The New Jersey Department of Education recently issued a survey on school funding. Unfortunately, the survey is technical and ambiguous, and some questions could be used to justify the current unfair formula and the removal of the critical funding guardrails that prevented an additional $4.5 million reduction in State funding to LRHSD.
The Data
The cumulative financial impact of the current state formula is significant:
| Financial Metric | Details |
|---|---|
| Cumulative State Aid Reduction (8 Years) | LRHSD has lost more than $10.3 million in State funding. |
| Disproportionate Cuts | LRHSD has received a 35% decrease in funding with only a 5% enrollment decrease. |
| Proposed Cut to LRHSD for Fiscal Year 2026 | The State proposed a $4.5 million reduction. |
| Actual Reduction to LRHSD for Fiscal Year 2026 | Due to temporary "guardrails" and advocacy, the cut was limited to $567,000. |
| Equalization Aid Status | LRHSD receives ZERO dollars for regular education. |
| State Funding Percentage | The State funds only approximately 10% of LRHSD's total budget. |
| Funding Gap (Comparison) |
Other districts receive upwards of 60% to more than 90% of their budgets from State aid. |
The minimal aid received only partially covers mandated categories:
- Transportation Aid: 24.7% of actual district costs
- Security Aid: 68% of actual district costs
- Special Education Aid: 50% of actual district costs
This leaves local taxpayers solely responsible for the entirety of regular education programs, academic support, counseling, nursing, athletics, and crucial building operations.
How You Can Help
Check our 2026-2027 Budget Communications page for the latest information and follow us on social media for updates on how you can help.