TOMS RIVER – The Board of Education is likely to join in on a lawsuit among districts that feel they have been shortchanged by a reduction in state aid.
The decision will be made at the Oct. 17 meeting, and Board President Russell Corby said they probably have enough votes among board members to join in the suit.
Recently, the Brick Board of Education started the suit, retaining the Weiner Law Firm of Parsippany and Red Bank. Toms River, if they agree, would join that suit. The cost to Brick was not to exceed $10,000.
According to Brick officials, that district was looking at a loss of $1,913,022 this year alone. Compounded over the course of several years, it would be a total loss of $42 million.
Toms River is in a similar boat. They are looking at a loss in aid of $2,357,955 this year. After seven years, the total loss would be $70,685,260.
The loss of aid stems from a new funding formula that took aid from districts that are considered to have more of an ability to pay, and have shrinking enrollment, and giving the aid to districts with less wealth and growing enrollment.
