Myths
Our goal is to provide credible, balanced information to help you make informed decisions about the future of our schools and community.
1.
MYTH On April 15, you can vote on the new middle school.
FACT On April 15, you CAN vote on:
- Denville K-8 school budget
- Regional school budget
- Re-election of three members of the Denville Board of Education who are running unopposed
The referendum for the new middle school has not yet been scheduled.
2.
MYTH You can make a “political statement” about the new middle school by voting against the school budget on April 15.
FACT Voting against the school budget would have NO impact on the middle school referendum. In fact, if voters do not approve the budget, the Town Council would be able to cut the proposed budget, which would threaten educational programs, teaching positions and services such as courtesy busing. When voters failed to pass the school budget in 2004-2005, the Council cut $500,000 in spending. A vote against the budget would deny our children of valuable educational programs and damage our reputation as a great place to live.
3.
MYTH We don’t need to increase the school budget. The Board is wasting our money.
FACT Our school budget has been tight for many years. Funds are allocated to specific programs based on state guidelines, with little flexibility to reallocate. In fact, the auditor cautioned that our discretionary fund of less than 1% may be less than adequate. In addition, the state has limited budget increases while shifting more and more financial burden to local towns. This puts us at a disadvantage to neighboring districts that spend up to $3,600 more per student. We must invest in our schools if we want our children to compete.
4.
MYTH Our Board of Education is “uneducated” and “incompetent.”
FACT The Board consists of elected volunteers who are advocating for the educational needs of our children and addressing long-standing problems of over-crowding in our schools. We encourage you to attend Board meetings and assess their skill and commitment for yourself. Or, you can request a meeting with a Board member to learn about the programs and decisions. They deserve our thanks and appreciation, not our insults. As part of a quality initiative mandated by the State Department of Education, the Board recently evaluated its own performance and the work of the superintendent. The facilitator from the New Jersey School Board Association concluded that the Board is “doing everything it’s supposed to do.”
5.
MYTH The average class size in our elementary schools is 17.
FACT This statistic does not reflect the number of students in our general education classrooms, which typically ranges from 21 – 25 students in elementary grades. In fact, many of our classes are larger than recommended by the State. The statistic you mention most likely takes into consideration children who receive special education, often in smaller group settings.
6.
MYTH The Board is misleading the public about Denville's cost per pupil. If you take the total budget amount ($27,343,752) and divide it by the total number of students (1,999), you get $13,679 per student, which is comparable to the spending by other K-8 districts.
FACTThe calculation above may be correct, but that is not how the State defines the "cost per pupil." The State uses a specific formula to get a "cost per pupil" which allows for comparison across districts. For example, some districts do not provide transportation and other districts have full-day kindergarten. These costs must be taken out of the equation if you want accurate comparisons (i.e., apples to apples, not apples to oranges). Using the State's formula for each district, Denville's cost per pupil is $9,500, which is lower than virtually every other K-8 district in our county.
7.
MYTH We can not afford a budget increase and a new middle school.
FACT The school budget covers the annual cost of teachers, programs and operating our schools. It gives our children the math, reading and instructional help needed to succeed. If we value education, then we need to pay for it. The new middle school addresses severe overcrowding. The proposal is the result of a two-year process that has involved more than 100 members of the community, teachers, students, administrators and Board members. We encourage you to keep an open mind and learn more about the new school. The Board has said it will hold a public meeting to review the proposals and the impact on taxpayers. In the meantime, we do not have the facts needed to make an educated decision on this topic.
8.
MYTH My vote doesn’t really matter.
FACT Each and every vote counts. Please make sure every registered voter in your household votes YES on April 15 to strengthen our schools and our community.