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Sweeney Highlights Importance of Fair Funding Formula at Tour of Manville High School

Trenton – Senate President Steve Sweeney toured Manville High School today and met with the Manville School District Superintendent Robert Beers. Manville received a $3 million increase in aid for the 2018-2019 school year, and still remains only 65 percent funded.

 

“In the last eight years Manville has seen an 18 percent increase in enrollment and a significant increase in its poverty rate, yet before this year their state funding had been stagnant,” said Senator Sweeney (D-Gloucester/Salem/Cumberland). “Districts like this are exactly why funding the school funding formula is so crucial. No district wants to lose money, but the reality is that there are districts around the state who are critically underfunded and we must redistribute the funding if every student is going to have an equal opportunity at success.”

 

Manville’s increased funding has allowed the district to meet state physical education requirements and hire 25 additional teachers. It has also allowed them to offer additional courses, after school programs and support services.

 

“The funding increase from S2 has been transformative for our district, the improvements we showed to Senator Sweeney today would not have been possible without it,” said Superintendent Beers. “I am incredibly grateful for the Senate President’s dedication to seeing this through and ensuring the formula was funded. I look forward to seeing all that we can do for our students as we work our way up to 100 percent funding.”

 

(Photo Attached: Senate President Steve Sweeney, Senator Christopher Bateman, Assemblyman Roy Freiman, Manville Superintendent Robert Beers and the 25 new faculty members at the Manville School District)