Watchung, Green Brook School Districts Could Be Eliminated

WATCHUNG/GREEN BROOK, NJ — The Watchung and Green Brook school districts 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 Watchung Borough Schools and Green Brook School District each educate their own borough and township children from kindergarten through eighth grade.

Students in both Watchung and Green Brook in grades nine through 12 then head over to Watchung Hills Regional High School in Warren, that also serves students from Warren in Somerset County and Long Hill in Morris County.

Warren Township School District was also listed among the 274 districts statewide to be eliminated and merged.

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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