Stafford Township School District budget 2026-27

Stafford 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: $49.8M → 2026-27: $53.8M (+8%)The general fund's current expense: salaries, benefits, supplies and services. Not building projects or debt.
Employee benefits2025-26: $14.1M → 2026-27: $17.1M (+20.8%)31.8% of day-to-day spending.Ocean County median +20.8% · New Jersey median +18.2%
Everything else2025-26: $35.7M → 2026-27: $36.7M (+2.9%)Ocean County median +1.2% · New Jersey median +0.5%

Where the money comes from

Local school tax levy2025-26: $36.7M → 2026-27: $40.2M (+9.6%)Ocean County median +5.4% · New Jersey median +5%
State school aid, K–122025-26: $5.2M → 2026-27: $5.5M (+6.4%)Ocean County median +6% · New Jersey median +4.9%
- Equalization aid$0 → $149,891
- Special education aid$2.7M → $2.9M
- Transportation aid$1,456,423 → $1,452,985
- Security aid$443,280 → $438,168
- School choice aid$511,473 → $563,456
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. Equalization aid is based on the gap between what the state's formula says a district needs and the share it expects local taxes to raise. From the state's aid files: 2025-26, 2026-27
State preschool aid2025-26: $6.7M → 2026-27: $7M (+4%)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: $724,587 → 2026-27: $756,486 (+4.4%)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. $32,981 of it is set aside for students with disabilities whose parents placed them in private schools. From the state's IDEA award files: 2025-26, 2026-27
Surplus budgeted to balance the budget2025-26: $6.6M → 2026-27: $6.8MPlanned amount, not what is left in reserve. Does not include capital or maintenance reserve withdrawals.

Teachers

Students per teacher2021-22: 12.4 → 2024-25: 12.7Ocean County median 11.2 · New Jersey median 10.7
Median teacher salary2024-25: $66,456Ocean 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.