FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Voter approval of the first question means the district can: 

• Make critical upgrades to HVAC, electrical, and fire alarm systems, as well as universal air conditioning across all schools.

• Free up nine classrooms across the elementary schools and ease space constraints with the purchase of La Grande School and relocation of all pre-kindergarten classes to this building. Funds from the district’s Capital Reserve would cover costs of minor renovations to La Grande for this purpose.

• An expansion and complete renovation, as well as redistricting, would be off the table for now. Pre-kindergarten expansion would also not be possible at this point, as the district needs to prioritize maintaining class sizes and freeing up space for K-4. 

Voter approval of the second question means the district can:

• Fund the annual operating costs for La Grande School, including salaries and benefits.

The student population has been on the rise across our eight school buildings, making it increasingly difficult for the schools to operate effectively. The main factors contributing to that growth are new young families moving into Scotch Plains and Fanwood, the birthrate, and new housing developments. This is because our towns are highly desirable – with a key reason being the quality of our public schools.

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. Three out of the five elementary schools lack dedicated music rooms, only one elementary school has a dedicated Spanish room, and lunch periods are staggered over multiple hours in one cafeteria. As we strive to provide the same services and programming across all the elementary schools, an inequity has also arisen in which Evergreen has more space than the other buildings and School One has class sizes that are over the recommended amount in certain grade levels. Crowded schools will affect how SPF children learn. 

To ease this issue in the short term, the district’s administrative offices at Evergreen were relocated to rented space off-site; the offices were converted into eight additional educational spaces for Evergreen at the start of the 2024-25 school year. Administrators were also moved from SPFHS to the rented space at 313 South Avenue to create additional space in the high school.

Another short-term solution is the bond proposal before voters on January 28, 2025. Voter approval would allow the district to move pre-kindergarten students into one building, freeing up nine classrooms in the elementary schools. The district’s administrative offices could also be moved to the third floor of La Grande, saving money for the district by no longer having to pay for rented space. 

With La Grande secured as a community asset, the district could consider in the future whether to keep it as an Early Learning Center if enrollment is steady or expand it into a full elementary school if enrollment rises as projected.

If the referendum passes, La Grande School would be used for pre-kindergarten students on the first two floors of the building; the district could consider moving its Central Offices from temporary rented space to the third floor of La Grande.

This plan would free up nine classrooms across four of the five elementary schools. By moving pre-kindergarten into one building, the elementary schools would have nine open classrooms to use for art, music, and Spanish classes or special services like OT/PT and ESL. This would ease the space crunch in the short-term and help maintain class sizes.

McGinn is SPF’s only elementary school that doesn't currently have pre-kindergarten. By shifting some special education services from McGinn to other elementary schools, we could provide one extra classroom in McGinn to also ease space constraints.

Please visit the "Ballot Explained" page for a breakdown of how each school plans to use the additional space.

The outcome of the September referendum ruled out the option of an expansion at the La Grande site for a pre-K-grade five elementary school for the time being. This scaled-back proposal up for vote in January would provide short-term relief for our elementary schools and allow most students to remain in their current schools for the foreseeable future. 

The proposal before voters in September would have addressed the space constraints in both the middle and elementary schools; however, the plan didn’t pass, leaving the district to find an alternative option to provide short-term relief. The plan before voters in January will address the space constraints only in the elementary schools, not the middle schools. 

The district is going to continue to review options for space at the middle school and will gather community feedback before making any changes in the future.

SPFHS is not facing the same space challenges as the elementary schools. The district moved a handful of administrative offices out of the high school last summer to create additional flexible space. 

While space isn’t an issue at the high school, it does require infrastructure upgrades that can be funded through the bond referendum.

If the referendum in January passes, SPFHS would get electrical improvements 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 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 Reserve to go toward academic programming and other priorities.

The current owner of 330 South Avenue in Fanwood has agreed to hold the property for another three months and to reduce the purchase price from $10.6 million to $10.5 million. A renegotiated contract requires SPF to pay the owner $108,000 now. If the referendum passes, this amount would be applied to the purchase price, further reducing the cost for taxpayers.

This gives SPF a little breathing room to make that purchase at a reduced price, should voters agree on January 28. 

The 35,000-square-foot building on that 3.88-acre property has been used as a public and private school in the past. Minor renovations could transform it into an Early Learning Center for SPF’s current pre-kindergarten students.

The district’s administrative offices at Evergreen were relocated to rented space off-site at 313 South Avenue in Fanwood. The offices were converted into eight additional educational spaces for Evergreen to use at the start of the 2024-25 school year. This provided the space that Evergreen desperately needed but has since created inequity among the other elementary schools that do not have this additional space.

Also, the offices of a handful of SPFHS administrators were moved to 313 South Avenue to provide more flexible areas for SPFHS.

If the referendum passes, the district would consider moving Central Offices to the third floor of La Grande. 

The district has a Long-Range Facilities Plan that maps out the future facility needs across all the schools. This plan was created by the district’s architects who did a top-to-bottom review of the facilities and interviewed students, teachers, staff, and administrators to determine the most pressing needs. This plan, as well as our goals set through the Strategic Planning process and community feedback, will continue to guide our steps.

The proposal before voters on January 28 is part of that facilities plan and provides a short-term fix to the space issues across the elementary schools. While it won’t address the space issues at the middle schools, it will free up nine classroom spaces in four out of five of the elementary schools and secure La Grande as a community asset that could be used in the future if enrollment continues to increase. The district will further analyze options for the middle schools and watch enrollment numbers closely before making any future decisions in collaboration with the community.

September 2024 Proposal

• $115 million in improvements - $14.9 million in state aid

• Tax impact of $40-$47 per month

• Purchase, renovation and expansion of La Grande

• Redistribution of where students would attend elementary school

• Upgrades to the HVAC, electrical, and fire alarms were contingent on passage of the first ballot question

• Budget vote for operating costs in the future

January 2025 Proposal

• $44.8 million in improvements - $11.4 million in state aid

• Tax impact of $21-$24 per month

• Purchase of La Grande with minimal renovation and no expansion

• No change to student attendance boundaries

• Upgrades to the HVAC, electrical, and fire alarms included in one ballot question

• Budget vote for $1.1 million annually in operating costs to be held at the same time

The district currently has 9 pre-kindergarten classes serving 156 students. The district is required by law to provide pre-kindergarten for students with disabilities in the least restrictive environment possible, which often means having general education peers in the classroom. SPF’s current half-day, tuition-based pre-kindergarten program allows parents of general education students to enroll their children in the program through a lottery system. This helps the district provide the inclusive environment that is required for students with disabilities.

Even if the referendum passes and La Grande opens, the district does not anticipate expanding pre-kindergarten in the near future. The district would need significantly more space to accommodate universal full-day pre-kindergarten for the approximately 750 children of that age range in Scotch Plains and Fanwood. The priority remains to move the current pre-kindergarten program to La Grande to free up space in our elementary schools and maintain class sizes.

The plan that voters considered in September would have relieved our space crunch in the middle schools and provided music and art classrooms and innovation spaces in the elementary schools. The plan was a big financial ask, but one the Board of Education felt strongly warranted community consideration. However, the Board and administration heard through the election results and feedback from the community that the price tag was too high, even if the community values our schools and wants to maintain class sizes. 

After listening to this feedback, reviewing the election results, and renegotiating a better deal with the seller of 330 South Avenue, district leadership put forth a revised referendum less than half the price. This wasn't a plan that was already in the works, but instead one that arose through conversations with the community and seller after the September vote.

The revised plan would allow us to purchase the building for use as a pre-kindergarten school. It would become a district asset for the future should the district's enrollment continue increasing and the need arise in the future for a complete renovation and expansion.

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

While our fire alarm systems at School One, Brunner, Coles, and Evergreen are functioning, they 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 would include carbon monoxide monitoring. A key reason to include these in the referendum, rather than paying for them through the district’s Capital Reserve, is that the district can receive up to 34% state aid to help cover the costs if voters approve the referendum. This is guaranteed state aid that can help offset the local cost of these types of projects.

The district recently used Capital Reserve to replace the fire alarm systems at Nettingham, as these were in the worst condition, with parts no longer available to maintain the aging systems. 

Pre-kindergarten students with a disability who are required to have busing would still receive that service; general education pre-kindergarten students do not currently receive busing, and it would not be added under this plan.

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.

One reason to fund these projects through the referendum, rather than the district’s Capital Reserve, is that they qualify for 34% state aid to offset the local cost. 

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 has been working toward a goal of having air conditioning in all classrooms and other spaces at every school. 

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 and staff are acclimated to air-conditioned buildings. Hot and humid conditions can be especially uncomfortable and inhibit focus and ultimately academic performance at the start and end of the school year without climate control. The addition of air conditioning would, therefore, aid all students as well as provide important relief to those with allergies and asthma.

Through careful planning and saving, the district is in the unique position of having no school debt that taxpayers are paying from a previous bond referendum. Many school districts hold referenda every few years to ask taxpayers to fund school improvements that do not fit within the general operating budget, but SPF hasn’t taken this approach and has instead tried to work within the general operating budget. That changed, however, when the district was faced with rising enrollment and a need for more space that could only be addressed through a community investment in the schools.

Question 1 would cost $44.77 million for the improvements, with the state contributing $11.4 million. 

Voter approval of Question 1 means that the owner of a home assessed at Scotch Plains’ average of $126,191 would pay an estimated $181 per year ($15 per month) and the owner of a home assessed at Fanwood’s average of $469,385 would pay an estimated $156 per year ($13 per month). This is less than half of what the last referendum would have cost.  

Question 2 would cost $1.1 million for the annual operating budget for La Grande.

Voter approval of Question 2 means that the owner of a home assessed at Scotch Plains’ average of $126,191 would pay an estimated $109 per year ($9 per month) and the owner of a home assessed at Fanwood’s average of $469,385 would pay an estimated $94 per year ($8 per month). This would be a permanent increase of 1.14% to support La Grande in the future.

A bond referendum allows the district to generate the funds needed for upgrades and the purchase of La Grande – with the added benefit of $11.4 million in state aid to offset the local tax impact. That’s 26% of the total costs of the referendum that would be covered by the state through aid that is collected from all New Jersey taxpayers and only made available to districts that have voter approval of a referendum.  

A revised referendum would repeat the September referendum’s second question for HVAC, electrical, and fire alarm upgrades in SPF’s current schools. 

The Board’s reasoning is rooted in the September results. There were 3,871 votes in favor and 3,179 opposed for Question 2. It seemed clear that a majority of voters favored that question’s proposal to gain $11.4 million in state aid to offset local costs. The aid is collected from all New Jersey taxpayers and is only available to public school districts that have voter approval of a referendum. 

The state's formula would not allow aid for purchasing La Grande. However, minor renovation costs would be offset by the district's Capital Reserve.

Taxpayers of Scotch Plains and Fanwood would pay school debt taxes for 30 years for Question 1 of the bond referendum. 

For Question 2, they would pay a 1.14% increase permanently to support La Grande 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).

New Jersey state law includes a funding formula to determine how much each community pays in school districts that serve multiple municipalities. The formula is not controlled by the district. It considers two main factors – community wealth (the equalized value of taxable property within each municipality) and school enrollment – to determine each community’s share of the local school tax levy. The calculation is made each year based on current data. 

If the referendum passes, the state’s formula would be used to determine the percentage share that Scotch Plains and Fanwood property owners would pay for the new school debt.  

The State of New Jersey offers five dates for school elections. There are two opportunities before the January 28 date – the November 5 General Election and the special election date of December 10. 

SPF could not make the 74-day notification deadline for the November 5 General Election. The district could have rushed to make the 60-day notification deadline for the Dec. 10 date, but without much time for careful consideration and time to listen to the community. 

A special election date of January 28 allows a timeline that includes community feedback and conversation, as well as compliance with the renegotiated extension between SPF and the potential seller of La Grande.

If the January referendum doesn’t pass, the district would have to find alternatives to deal with current and projected enrollment increases. Some options could include increasing class sizes or reducing academic programming.

The district intended to separate these two questions in response to the overwhelming support for the HVAC upgrades in the September referendum. However, as part of the negotiations, the owner of 330 South Avenue is requiring the district to place only one question on the ballot. While unusual, the district felt this negotiation was acceptable based on the district’s strong need for La Grande.

The district is leading a multi-faceted campaign to reach all residents in Scotch Plains and Fanwood to inform them of the vote. This website serves 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. Two mailers will be sent to the community in December and January. Information sessions will also be held. 

Questions can be directed to future@spfk12.org.  

Anyone registered to vote with an address in Scotch Plains or Fanwood can participate in the January 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.

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 January 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 January 21. 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.