Warren
freeholders want vo-tech tuition
Thursday, October 13, 2005 • By
ANDREA EILENBERGER • The
Express-Times
WHITE TWP. -- Citing inadequate state
funding and a statewide trend, the Warren County freeholders
endorsed the county technical school's plans to charge
student tuition.
While the groups had been at odds over
the issue for some time, they said during Wednesday's
meeting they view the change as essential to retaining its
level of educational quality.
"I believe this has become a necessity,"
Freeholder John DiMaio said. "The state hasn't done a good
job of funding to (the) schools."
The vo-tech school only charges tuition
to out-of-district and adult students, but if the county
technical school's board of education approves the measure,
the school would charge tuition for all of its students. The
sending district would pay the tuition rate.
Most of the 19 technical schools that
have facilities currently charge tuition, he said. Those
that don't are in the process of switching or are "maybe two
years down the road" from it, he said.
"The average tuition cost (for technical
schools) is $5,300, and ours is nowhere near that," he said.
He declined to name a more exact figure.
School districts would see a flat fee for
the first three years, then an increase of about $100 in the
fourth and fifth year, he said.
"It is important to do this in a manner
that schools would be within a cap," Freeholder Director
Richard Gardner said.
Acting Superintendent of Warren County
Vo-Tech Alan Naimoli said school districts would still
maintain their budget caps with a tuition charge.
The technical school's board of education
is expected to vote on the plan at an Oct. 19 meeting, he
said.
This year, 130 freshman students enrolled
in the school, bringing the student body to about 400, he
said. School officials expect to see that number grow to
about 500 in the next few years, but they don't want it to
expand further.
Officials cut an assistant principal
position and have enlarged class sizes, but without extra
funding they say the level of service to students will
suffer.
"The county has been more than generous,"
Naimoli said. "The county supports more than half, but the
state is not keeping up."
The county technical school is not
required to have the freeholders' consent, but Naimoli said
they want to maintain positive relations with the
board.
Reporter Andrea Eilenberger can be reached at
908-475-8044 or by e-mail at aeilenberger@express-times.com.
© 2005 The Express-Times. Used with
permission.
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