Watchung Hills Regional High School District
State budget reportSomerset 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: $49.2M → 2026-27: $50.6M (+2.9%)The general fund's current expense: salaries, benefits, supplies and services. Not building projects or debt.
- Employee benefits2025-26: $8.1M → 2026-27: $9M (+11.2%)17.9% of day-to-day spending.Somerset County median +17.9% · New Jersey median +18.2%
- Everything else2025-26: $41M → 2026-27: $41.6M (+1.3%)Somerset County median +1.9% · New Jersey median +0.5%
Where the money comes from
- Local school tax levy2025-26: $36.2M → 2026-27: $37.7M (+3.9%)Somerset County median +6.3% · New Jersey median +5%
- State school aid, K–122025-26: $2.7M → 2026-27: $2.8M (+1.9%)Somerset County median +0.9% · New Jersey median +4.9%
- Special education aid$1,623,635 → $1,615,515
- Transportation aid$901,260 → $953,637
- Security aid$183,642 → $190,928
- Federal special education grant (IDEA)2025-26: $367,772 → 2026-27: $375,057 (+2%)Somerset County median +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. $22,062 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: $889,221 → 2026-27: $663,590Planned amount, not what is left in reserve. Does not include capital or maintenance reserve withdrawals.
Health insurance costs
Teachers
- Students per teacher2021-22: 11.6 → 2024-25: 11.6Somerset County median 10.3 · New Jersey median 10.7
- Median teacher salary2024-25: $102,608Somerset County median $83,002 · 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.