Bedminster School District Could Be Eliminated Under Plan

BEDMINSTER, NJ — The Bedminster school district could be among 274 school districts statewide to be eliminated and merged with others under a new "Path to Progress" plan.

State Senate President Steve Sweeney is pitching that 32-point "Path to Progress" that he and other so-called experts created as a way of avoiding raising taxes.

Among the recommendations are merging all K-4, K-5, K-6, K-8, and K-9 school districts into K-12 regional districts to improve the quality of education and promote efficiency.

"There is no money for anything unless we raise taxes," Sweeney said. "I, for one, have had enough of raising taxes."

Currently the Bedminster School District educates township children from kindergarten through eighth grade. Students grades nine through 12 then head over to Bernards High School in Bernardsville, which is part of the Somerset Hills Regional School District that also serves students from Bernardsville, Far Hills, and Peapack-Gladstone.

Sweeney acknowledged that his school consolidation plan would be unpopular, but he also believes that it could provide the state an additional $1 billion.

"The goal is to eliminate the administration, put a principal in the school, get rid of the school district, leave a principal, let the regional high school become a K-12 district," he said. "You go from 600 districts to 320."

Click here for more information about the plan.

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