FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

A bond is a means of borrowing funds, and a referendum is a public vote on an issue. A school district that holds a bond referendum asks voters for permission to fund improvements by selling bonds and buying them back with interest over time. It’s similar to the way a homeowner might borrow for a renovation.

Schools use bonds for several reasons. Spreading out payments can make large-scale improvements more affordable for taxpayers. Projects that are voter-approved and bond-funded can qualify for up to 34% of funding from the state. This state aid is collected from taxes across New Jersey and is only distributed to districts with voter-approved referenda. This helps offset the cost for taxpayers by ensuring the project payments do not fall 100% on local tax bills.

Voters in Scotch Plains and Fanwood will consider three ballot questions. 

• Question 1: The purchase and renovation of La Grande Elementary School in Fanwood to serve students in grades pre-K through 5; this would ease overcrowding and maintain class sizes in SPF’s two middle schools and five other elementary schools.

• Question 2: Upgrades to heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) at all eight schools, as well as updated electrical systems and fire alarms. *Question 2 can only go into effect if Question 1 is also approved by voters.

• Question 3: Roof replacements at all eight schools to fix leaks and prevent costly damage. *Question 3 can only go into effect if Questions 1 and 2 are also approved by voters.

Our eight school buildings have been over capacity for years. The buildings can accommodate approximately 4,600 students, yet the district has had more than that number for at least a decade.

For the 2023-24 school year, the district has almost 5,700 students – an increase of approximately 150 students from last year. A demographic study conducted in November 2022 projected that enrollment will reach at least 5,727 students by the 2025-26 school year because of several factors, including new housing developments.

Space in the district is already at a premium. At the middle schools, temporary trailers were installed to provide eight additional classrooms and have already outlived their expected lifespan. At the elementary schools, music and art classes lack dedicated spaces, some occupational therapy/physical therapy services are provided in hallways, dividers are used to split areas for multiple purposes, and the number of lunch periods had to be expanded. Crowded schools will affect how SPF children learn. 

To ease crowding in the short term, the district’s administrative offices at Evergreen are being relocated to a rented space off-site; the offices will be converted into eight additional educational spaces for Evergreen to use at the start of the 2024-25 school year.

A more lasting solution is the bond proposal to purchase, renovate, and open La Grande Elementary School. This would relieve overcrowding across the elementary and middle schools and maintain the class sizes that our community values and expects. It would provide relief in the coming years and prepare us for further growth that the demographic study projected in Scotch Plains and Fanwood.

We take pride in maintaining our school buildings, and that requires investment in infrastructure. Through careful planning, the district has used its Capital Reserve fund to pay for partial roof replacements when needed. The referendum opens a new funding stream to partially or completely replace the roofs at all the district’s schools because the state would pay up to 34% of the costs. This strategy also ensures that the work is addressed more quickly, reducing the chances of costly emergency repairs, and keeps funds in the general operating budget available for academic programming and student services. When improvements are funded through the Capital Reserve, the state does not provide a subsidy.

Every school in the district has at least one space, such as a multipurpose room, that is air conditioned; however, the district has been working toward a goal of having air conditioning in all classrooms and other spaces at every school. Compared to years ago, more students and staff are acclimated to air-conditioned buildings and conditions can be especially uncomfortable and inhibit focus at the start and end of the school year without climate control. Air conditioning also provides important relief to those with allergies and asthma.

The referendum would bring air conditioning to all spaces in the district and would update the electrical systems at many of the schools to accommodate that.

If the referendum passes, La Grande Elementary School would open for students in pre-K through fifth grade for the 2027-28 school year. Fifth-grade students across the entire district would no longer attend Nettingham and Terrill, easing overcrowding in the two middle schools and eliminating the need for temporary trailers.

Pre-K through fifth-grade students would be split among the six elementary schools based on the population density around each school and how close the student lives to the school. These neighborhood schools would provide a sense of belonging and community and would be accessible without busing in many cases. This shift also means that all six elementary schools would have dedicated music rooms, art rooms, and new innovation spaces since space would no longer be as constrained.

Three years ago, the district collaborated with the community on a five-year Strategic Plan. One goal in the plan was to maintain and upgrade our facilities to provide innovative spaces that prepare students for the future – while still being fiscally responsible to the communities we serve.

As enrollment grew and projections showed that even more students are expected, our space needs became even more apparent. Last fall, we invited the community to participate in a survey to help guide the Board of Education’s next steps. We heard from the survey that instructional spaces should be added to manage class sizes and address student population growth. Purchasing or renovating a property ranked high on the list of solutions. Mechanical upgrades to HVAC were also a priority.

Since then, the Board of Education and administration worked with the district’s architectural and financial consultants to create a bond proposal that meets those needs. A September referendum would allow the district to purchase the 330 South Avenue property in Fanwood and make the improvements identified as district and community priorities.

The property at 330 South Avenue has long been used as a public and private school in Fanwood. If the referendum passes, the district will purchase and renovate this building to meet the standards set for all the district’s elementary schools. The new school would include a gym/multipurpose room, cafeteria, media center/library and classrooms for grades pre-K through 5. Smaller classrooms for special needs, small group instruction, and a dedicated music room and art room would be included. 

Not only would this ease overcrowding and maintain class sizes across the district, the renovated school would also be a source of pride as the only school in Fanwood. It would also allow us to move to a neighborhood schools model in which students attend a community school close to their homes.

If all three referendum questions pass, SPFHS would get a roof replacement, electrical improvements to add outlets, and HVAC upgrades in the auto and wood shops. These projects have long been a priority for the district, but only a referendum can provide the funding that is needed with the added benefit of up to 34% state aid to cover a portion of the costs. By doing these projects through the referendum, funds remain in the general operating budget and Capital Reserves to go toward academic programming and student support services at the high school.

The new elementary school would help relieve overcrowding, while also providing a way to bring the fifth-grade students back into the elementary schools. Each school would also get a dedicated music room, art room, and a new innovation space. These innovation spaces would provide flexible areas for students to create and build with their hands – without having to immediately take down their projects because of limited space or the next group of students needing the supplies. The space would feature areas for collaboration and technology that are considered standard in today’s learning environments.  

A new elementary school would allow the district to move fifth-grade students back into all elementary schools, easing the space constraints at the middle schools. The district would be able to eliminate the temporary trailers at Terrill and Nettingham, and would have space to provide additional programming in the digital arts and robotics to align with the high school’s curriculum. This would also help provide consistency through the fifth grade and offer students in grades 6-8 a true middle school experience.

Our goal with this referendum is to develop more in-district special education programs in our schools. Taking population out of the other schools will allow us to allocate space in the elementary schools for special needs programming. With more space for special education, there would be less distractions for students as we would no longer have to offer multiple special education programs in the same space simultaneously.

The district worked with its architectural consultants to determine whether purchasing and renovating a new building or putting additions on the existing schools would be the better option. The property at 330 South Avenue in Fanwood was found to be the more cost-efficient and effective choice to address the projected enrollment growth. For one thing, the state provides more funding for renovating an existing building rather than adding new space. The property was also already used as a school, making it simpler to renovate and update to meet the district’s needs. For these reasons, the purchase and renovation would mean less of an impact for taxpayers.

The way school districts educate children today is different than even a decade ago. Districts need more space for small group lessons to accommodate mandated support services, such as ESL (English Language Learners), physical therapy, speech therapy, psychological services, and special education. When districts cannot provide these services in their schools, they must pay tuition and transportation for students to attend schools in neighboring communities that do have these services.

Our building systems are an integral part of keeping things running smoothly for students and staff during the school day and community members who utilize the schools for athletics, activities, and events. While School One, Nettingham, and SPFHS are fully air conditioned, our other schools only have air conditioning in select common areas and not in many classrooms. The district is working toward a long-term goal of changing that and the referendum would expand the number of spaces with air conditioning and update the electrical systems at many of the schools to provide even more air-conditioned spaces in the future.

Updating our HVAC systems would improve air quality, heating and energy efficiency, and would create a better learning environment year-round. Adding air conditioning to our schools would improve the HVAC efficiency in the buildings and maximize our ability to use the space, for both educational purposes and community activities. All those reasons make it important to think about climate control as a year-round need.

Compared to years ago, more students as well as staff and community members are acclimated to air-conditioned homes, and modern security concerns prevent the opening of doors and windows to improve air flow.  Beyond that, people with asthma, allergies, or other conditions can be especially uncomfortable in rooms without climate control.  

There will be minimal changes to busing. In fact, the neighborhood elementary schools would allow many children to walk to school, rather than use buses.

The fire alarm systems at School One, Brunner, Coles, and Evergreen need to be replaced for the safety of our students and to meet modern standards for safety. The new fire alarm systems use a voice, rather than sound, to alert occupants of an emergency, and will include carbon monoxide monitoring.

The electrical systems at several schools are outdated and desperately need updating. In fact, for some of the systems, manufacturers no longer make replacement parts. Upgrading the electrical systems is also necessary for the district to make needed HVAC system improvements in the future if funds are available. More classroom outlets are also needed to meet modern demands for technology.

Unit ventilators bring fresh air into classrooms and heat or cool them as necessary. The plan calls for replacing unit ventilators in specific spaces. Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems draw air in and move it through the buildings. New energy-efficient HVAC systems would better distribute the heat and add air conditioning to all areas that don’t have it or rely on inefficient window units. 

When 330 South Avenue was listed for sale, the district saw an opportunity to hold a bond referendum to secure the funds that would be needed to purchase and renovate the building in Fanwood. The district worked closely with the seller on an agreement in which the property will not be sold to any other buyers, pending the outcome of the September vote. A $50,000 non-refundable deposit was paid to provide assurance to the seller. This is a typical practice in this type of arrangement.

Opening a new elementary school comes with additional costs to hire teachers and other staff, such as a nurse, custodians, office personnel, etc. For this reason, if the referendum passes, and the new school is purchased, the district will need to hold a second ballot question at some point in 2025 or 2026.

The referendum and second ballot question each address different needs and rely on different funding streams.

• September 2024 – Bond referendum asks voters to provide funding to purchase and renovate La Grande Elementary School.

• 2025 or 2026 – Bond funding can’t be used for staffing and other operational costs so a second question would ask for additional funding to support the school in the annual budget going forward.

Early estimates from the district’s financial advisers indicate that the second question would require a 1-2% tax increase for Scotch Plains and Fanwood homeowners.

To ease crowding in the short term, the district’s administrative offices at Evergreen are being relocated to a rented space off-site at 313 South Avenue in Fanwood. The offices will be converted into eight additional educational spaces for Evergreen to use at the start of the 2024-25 school year.

The district is conscious about finding ways to run our schools more efficiently, both for the environment and cost savings. The referendum could provide energy savings through replacing window air conditioning units and other HVAC components with more efficient systems. New roofs can also provide energy savings by not allowing heat and cooling to escape. The new La Grande Elementary School would be up to date with the latest energy efficient systems.

As part of the district’s long-term plan, the district plans to apply to the state’s Energy Savings Improvement Program (ESIP) to fund solar panels and other energy saving options. This program allows districts to pay for improvements over time using the energy savings that are realized.

The district worked with a team of architectural and financial advisers to determine that the projects outlined in the referendum would cost approximately $81 million for the La Grande purchase and renovations, $34 million for HVAC, electrical systems, and fire alarm systems, and $48 million for roofs at all eight schools. 

This brings the total to $163 million. The district does not yet know how much state aid would be allocated to reduce that number. The process involves significant state oversight, and the New Jersey Department of Education is currently reviewing SPF’s proposal to determine how much state aid the district would receive.

The realities of school funding make bond borrowing a responsible way to pay for large-scale improvements. That’s because the state collects tax revenue from across New Jersey and allocates some of it to schools that use bonds to pay for certain projects. In fact, state aid covers up to 34% of eligible project costs when they are approved by voters and funded by bond borrowing.

State aid makes it financially attractive to pay for certain projects through a bond instead of through the annual budget or Capital Reserve.  Without state aid, local taxes cover 100% of project costs.

Once the state Department of Education finishes its review of SPF’s referendum, it will determine how much aid the district will receive if the referendum passes. This website will be updated once the review is complete.

When a school district secures bond funding through voter approval, the bond is repaid through taxes. In its commitment to transparency, the district is sharing funding projections even though these numbers are expected to change. They will change because the State Department of Education is still reviewing SPF’s proposal to determine how much state aid the district would receive to lessen the tax impact.

Current projections are for a home assessed at the average of $126,191 in Scotch Plains and $469,385 in Fanwood indicate:

• • Question 1: La Grande

    • Scotch Plains: $33 - $36 per month 

    • Fanwood: $28 - $30 per month

  • Question 2: HVAC & More

    • Scotch Plains: $11 - $12 per month 

    • Fanwood: $9 - $10 per month

  • Question 3: Roofs

    • Scotch Plains: $15 - $16 per month 

    • Fanwood: $13 - $14 per month

SPF’s annual budget covers costs of day-to-day operations such as salaries, supplies, utilities, and educational programs. There simply is not enough room in the budget for the purchase and renovation of a new school, HVAC repairs and replacements, electrical repairs, roof repairs, and fire alarm systems. And, even if there was, the district would miss out on receiving state aid to cover a portion of the costs.

Because of this, a school district often aims to strategically schedule maintenance matters and facility upgrades under the umbrella of a bond referendum. Doing so leaves the operating budget available for core educational needs and often qualifies the referendum projects for 34% state aid.

If all three questions fail, then the district will have to find alternatives to deal with increasing enrollment. Some options could include increasing class sizes and reducing academic programming. 

Without upgrades to the roofs, the district would also have to find temporary fixes, which can often lead to costly repairs in the future. Without upgrades to the HVAC systems, the eight schools would not receive air conditioning to make spaces comfortable for students, staff, and the community who use those spaces. The district would also miss out on receiving up to 34% state aid to cover the costs of these projects, leaving taxpayers to pay for the full bill from the general operating budget if the repairs are made in the future. 

Bond-funded school improvement projects get significant oversight from the state Department of Education. It reviews all architectural plans and cost estimates, then continues monitoring actual construction and fees. If costs are less than anticipated, state law requires the district to return all unused bond proceeds to the taxpayer in the form of lower taxes. The district cannot use bond funding to pay for any projects other than the ones approved by voters.

One reason there is significant state oversight for bond-funded school improvement projects is to prevent costs from far exceeding estimates. From the early stages, those estimates are examined to be sure they aren’t too rosy. The estimates also include a contingency amount that accounts for spikes in things like material costs, gas prices, and interest rates. 

The estimates are rooted in two known factors: School leaders have relied on expert consultation to develop their plans, and state law prohibits the district from spending more than the amount on the ballot.

In the unlikely event that actual project costs exceed bond revenue, the district will search for more efficient means of achieving the referendum’s overall objective and/or reduce the scope of work. The Board of Education stresses cost efficiency with its professionals.

The State of New Jersey has a current program for property tax relief and a new version in development.

• • Known as the "Senior Freeze," the current program offers property tax reimbursements for senior citizens and people with disabilities who qualify.  More information is available on the Senior Freeze webpage or by calling (800) 882-6597. 

  • A second plan in development is called the Stay NJ Property Tax Credit Program. The plan is due to the Legislature by May 30, 2024, with a program start date of Jan. 1, 2026. Other current programs are the NJ $250 Senior Citizen Property Tax Deduction and the Affordable New Jersey Communities for Homeowners and Renters (ANCHOR).

District leadership and the Board of Education decided to form one question based on increasing enrollment, one question for HVAC upgrades, electrical improvements, and fire alarm systems, and one question for roof replacements. The three questions are contingent, meaning the first question must pass for two also to pass, and the first and second questions must pass for the third to pass.

While all the projects are important, the district wanted to focus first on the most significant priority: addressing current and future enrollment growth and maintaining class sizes. The 330 South Avenue property in Fanwood is currently on the market and fits the qualifications needed to address this priority. The district would not be able to save enough money in the general operating budget to cover the cost of the purchase and renovation of the building, and even if this was possible, the building would almost certainly not be available for purchase then. Question 1 on the ballot impacts every other operation in our district and sets our district up for future success by easing overcrowding at the elementary and middle schools.

The HVAC upgrades, electrical improvements, fire alarm systems, and roof replacements could be accomplished through the district’s annual operating budget, but this would likely take decades. The district would also miss out on receiving 34% state aid to offset the costs. This means that funds in the annual operating budget that would have gone toward academic programming and student support services would have to be diverted to infrastructure projects. 

All three questions together stand to prepare the district for a future of success.

Once the state’s review of SPF’s bond proposal is complete, the district will lead a multi-faceted campaign to reach all residents in Scotch Plains and Fanwood to inform them of the vote. This website will serve as a hub for all information on the referendum. The district will also reach out to residents through other communications channels, including social media and traditional news media, and at community events. Information sessions will be held as the vote date nears. Questions can be directed to future@spfk12.org. 

Anyone registered to vote with an address in Scotch Plains or Fanwood can participate in the September 17, 2024 bond referendum.

If your name or address recently changed, please check whether your registration is still valid here. If your registration is not valid, you may register online here. Print forms are also available on the “Vote” page of this website.

The district is still working with county officials to determine the poll times for September 17, 2024. Poll locations and times will be added here once they are confirmed.

Yes. If you have already requested a ballot to be mailed to you for a previous election and your address is unchanged, Union County election officials will send you a mail-in ballot automatically several weeks before the September vote date. To confirm your status, contact the Union County Clerk at 908-527-4996 or email ucvote@ucnj.org.

If you want to vote through the mail but are not yet signed up, you can fill out an application to receive a ballot here before September 10. Voters can also request a Vote By Mail ballot in person at the County Clerk’s Offices in Elizabeth or Westfield anytime up until 3 p.m. on the day before the referendum.

The actual mailed ballot must be postmarked for return on or before election day.

You can track your ballot using the state’s voter portal. Setting up an account is free. This is the only way to reliably monitor the status of your ballot online.