West Orange Schools May Cut Up To 40 Jobs To Close Budget Gap

WEST ORANGE, NJ — There is some belt-tightening on the horizon for the West Orange Public School District this year, administrators say.

A one-two punch of increasing costs and decreasing state aid is setting up a “substantial budget deficit,” West Orange Superintendent Hayden Moore announced at this week’s board of education meeting.

Laying out the challenges in this year’s tentative budget, Moore said that several options are on the table to close the gap, including staff reductions (watch meeting footage below, cued to the presentation).

Right now, the district is looking at 30 to 40 job cuts, which could take place anywhere from preschool to the central office. Meanwhile, the district will also consider not replacing retiring or resigning staff members.

Some staff members may have to be transferred to fill open positions throughout the district, Moore added.

Moore pointed out that the district is seeing a 2.05 percent cut in state aid this year. West Orange is one of only two Essex County districts to see a loss in K-12 aid for fiscal year 2025 – although it saw a large increase last year, when it got an additional $4,915,635 from the state (about 16.74 percent).

• See Related: West Orange Schools May Lose State Aid (Here's How Much)

According to Moore, the tax impact for homeowners under the tentative budget is currently estimated at 2.77 percent. That's about $34 less per household than last year's tax increase.

The superintendent reminded community members that the proposed budget isn’t the final version of this year’s spending plan, and may see changes before it hits the finish line.

The tentative budget now heads to the county for review. A public hearing and final adoption in West Orange is scheduled for May 6.

Board of Education President Brian Rock opined that there are some issues with the state's funding formula, and that the district represents an "anomaly" this year.

Rock said he has met with New Jersey Assemblywoman Alixon Collazos-Gill, who represents West Orange and other towns in the 27th District, in an attempt to show them some "shortcomings of the formula." Another meeting with John McKeon, also of the 27th District, is on the horizon, he said.

The issue is something that other school districts may experience in the future, Rock added, imploring state legislators to take another look at its state aid formula.

West Orange isn’t the only town in the area that’s forecasting potential job cuts in its school district this year. Earlier this week, South Orange-Maplewood Public School District administrators announced that a $2.7 million deficit may require them to cut between 30 and 40 positions.

• See Related: SOMA Schools May Have To 'Cut To The Bone' Without More State Aid

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