There’s a sudden and unexpected money problem in Hackensack.
The school district in New Jersey recently discovered its facing a $15 million budget shortfall. So, where exactly did the money go?
That’s the question families have been asking after the Board of Education’s stunning announcement last week. Although short on details, the board’s president is blaming past leadership for the error.
“This news is deeply troubling and upsetting,” BOE President Jennifer Harris said. “This problem was not created overnight, rather it is a culmination of improper budgeting practices over the past several years.”
The news drew criticism and outrage at a recent public meeting by parents and community members.
“I feel completely blindsided,” one person said at a meeting last week.
“Who dropped the ball and how do we fix it?” one person asked the board.
In a recent letter to parents, Acting Superintendent Andrea Oates-Parchment said the following:
“This is a challenging moment for our entire school community, and I want to acknowledge the uncertainty and stress that financial news like this can bring, particularly when it involves our schools and our children… As a result of this $15 million budget gap, we will need to make difficult decisions that will impact our district and school operations.”
Concern is growing among the Hackensack community over whether teachers could be out of work amid so much financial uncertainty.
“This decision sends a message. It tells educators that their dedication is disposable – it tells students when money gets tight, they are the sacrifice,” another speaker at last week’s meeting said.
The board says it plans to present the full findings at the next meeting this Wednesday, Jan. 21. In the weeks ahead, they also promise to present a proposed corrective action plan.
NBC New York requested additional comment from the acting superintendent and mayor to better understand how the shortfall happened and what could be done to fix it. Neither shared a response before the weekend.
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