Vernon Township School District budget 2026-27

Vernon Township School District

Sussex 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: $73.5M → 2026-27: $78.1M (+6.2%)The general fund's current expense: salaries, benefits, supplies and services. Not building projects or debt.
Employee benefits2025-26: $13.2M → 2026-27: $15.7M (+18.2%)20.1% of day-to-day spending.Sussex County median +15.6% · New Jersey median +18.2%
Everything else2025-26: $60.3M → 2026-27: $62.4M (+3.6%)Sussex County median -0.5% · New Jersey median +0.5%

Where the money comes from

Local school tax levy2025-26: $52.1M → 2026-27: $55.2M (+5.8%)Sussex County median +4% · New Jersey median +5%
State school aid, K–122025-26: $18.6M → 2026-27: $19.6M (+5.8%)Sussex County median +4.9% · New Jersey median +4.9%
- Equalization aid$10.8M → $12M
- Special education aid$5M → $4.8M
- Transportation aid$2M → $2.1M
- Security aid$584,817 → $574,311
- School choice aid$204,682 → $182,245
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: $4M → 2026-27: $4.8M (+19.2%)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: $848,121 → 2026-27: $901,616 (+6.3%)Sussex County median +3.1% · 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: $2.5M → 2026-27: $2.4MPlanned amount, not what is left in reserve. Does not include capital or maintenance reserve withdrawals.

Health insurance costs

Health benefits, audited2022-23: $7.7M → 2024-25: $10.3M (+34.5%)Sussex County median +7.8% · 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: 11.5 → 2024-25: 11.4Sussex County median 10.3 · New Jersey median 10.7
Median teacher salary2024-25: $91,589Sussex County median $74,947 · 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.