ORANGE BOARD OF EDUCATION School District
State budget reportEssex 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.
Where the money comes from
- Local school tax levy2025-26: $13M → 2026-27: $13.6M (+4%)Essex County median +4.9% · New Jersey median +5%
- State school aid, K–122025-26: $133.6M → 2026-27: $136.6M (+2.2%)Essex County median +4.2% · New Jersey median +4.9%
- Equalization aid$115.5M → $117.8M
- Special education aid$6.8M → $7.5M
- Transportation aid$1,609,426 → $1,551,282
- Security aid$2,603,751 → $2,638,456
- Educational adequacy aid$7.2M → $7.2M
- State preschool aid2025-26: $11M → 2026-27: $11.4M (+3.8%)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: $1,632,446 → 2026-27: $1,626,500 (-0.4%)Essex County median +2% · 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: $0 → 2026-27: $1.7MPlanned amount, not what is left in reserve. Does not include capital or maintenance reserve withdrawals.
Teachers
- Students per teacher2021-22: 10.8 → 2024-25: 11.3Essex County median 11.4 · New Jersey median 10.7
- Median teacher salary2024-25: $70,519Essex County median $85,163 · New Jersey median $78,587
Medians are across districts whose budgets are comparable; services commissions and districts outside the state aid formula are left out.