Manchester Township School District budget 2026-27

Manchester Township School District

Ocean County · 2026-27 budget, from New Jersey Department of Education files. Budgets are set for a whole district, so every school in it shares these figures.

Spending

Day-to-day spending2025-26: $67.1M → 2026-27: $71.9M (+7.2%)The general fund's current expense: salaries, benefits, supplies and services. Not building projects or debt.
Employee benefits2025-26: $14.8M → 2026-27: $18.6M (+26.3%)25.9% of day-to-day spending.Ocean County median +20.8% · New Jersey median +18.2%
Everything else2025-26: $52.3M → 2026-27: $53.3M (+1.9%)Ocean County median +1.2% · New Jersey median +0.5%

Where the money comes from

Local school tax levy2025-26: $56.1M → 2026-27: $60.6M (+8.2%)Ocean County median +5.4% · New Jersey median +5%
State school aid, K–122025-26: $6.3M → 2026-27: $6.7M (+6%)Ocean County median +6% · New Jersey median +4.9%
- Special education aid$3,704,705 → $3,719,438
- Transportation aid$1.9M → $2.3M
- Security aid$712,768 → $721,057
Equalization, special education, transportation and security aid together can rise by no more than 6% a year, and this district is at that limit: the formula alone would have given more. From the state's aid files: 2025-26, 2026-27
State preschool aid2025-26: $3.3M → 2026-27: $3.6M (+10%)Paid into a separate fund that can only be spent on preschool. From the state's preschool aid files: 2025-26, 2026-27
Federal special education grant (IDEA)2025-26: $846,988 → 2026-27: $836,924 (-1.2%)Ocean County median +1.6% · New Jersey median +1.7%Federal money for students with disabilities, ages 3 to 21. The 2026-27 award is the state's preliminary figure. From the state's IDEA award files: 2025-26, 2026-27
Surplus budgeted to balance the budget2025-26: $132,700 → 2026-27: $14,977Planned amount, not what is left in reserve. Does not include capital or maintenance reserve withdrawals.

Health insurance costs

Health benefits, audited2022-23: $8.5M → 2024-25: $10.3M (+20.5%)Ocean County median +20.2% · New Jersey median +18.1%What the district actually spent, from its audited annual financial reports: 2022-23, 2024-25

Teachers

Students per teacher2021-22: 9.8 → 2024-25: 9.5Ocean County median 11.2 · New Jersey median 10.7
Median teacher salary2024-25: $74,531Ocean County median $75,096 · New Jersey median $78,587

New Jersey School Performance Reports

Medians are across districts whose budgets are comparable; services commissions and districts outside the state aid formula are left out.