Woodbridge Schools Get Windfall In State Funding Increase

WOODBRIDGE, NJ — Woodbridge public schools are slated to receive $63 million from the state Department of Education for the 2021-22 school year, a nearly 40 percent increase over what they got this year.

Gov. Phil Murphy released the proposed state funding allotments for New Jersey school districts on Thursday.

"I’m not sure why we received such an increase, but we are grateful," Woodbridge schools superintendent Robert Zega told Patch. "For years Woodbridge has been underfunded according to the funding formula. There have been many other districts who were, and remain, similarly underfunded based on the funding formula."

Zega said the Woodbridge school district plans on "using these funds to help our students recover academically and emotionally from a year of distance learning."

Woodbridge schools are currently on a hybrid model.

A return to full-time, in-person learning has not yet been established, but Gov. Murphy did say just Monday that teachers qualify for the coronavirus vaccine starting March 15.

All New Jersey school districts get state funding from Trenton, to supplement what is paid in local property taxes. However, some towns get much more state funding than others. For example, Edison will receive $35 million from the state next year. The city of New Brunswick will receive $159 million. Highland Park, a very small district, will get about $4 million.

Woodbridge is one of the largest school systems in the state, with 26 schools and more than 13,000 students. Stay tuned to Patch to find out how Woodbridge Public Schools plans to use the funding increase.

Here is what all New Jersey school districts will get under Murphy's proposed school funding for 2021/22: 193 Districts May Face Tax Increase: 2021 NJ School Aid Figures

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