Send a Letter for New Jersey Education Funding Reform

I have drafted a letter that anyone who has an interest in reforming how we fund education in New Jersey can share with our elected representatives. It shares many of the insights gathered from the Education Law Center and asks, as of February 2026, to commit to transparency, equity and accountability in how New Jersey funds its schools.

Our children's education is too important to leave it to the arbitrary and unfair process it follows today. We need our elected leaders to

• Commit to ending the routine use of so-called budget language that overrides the SFRA or any successor
• Revisit the state’s share of education spending
• Ensure that underfunded districts like Montclair receive their full formula allocation
• Provide transparency so communities understand how funding decisions are made

Montclair is located in New Jersey's 27th district. Our representatives are, as of February 2026

Senator John F. McKeon (D)
Address: 555 Northfield Avenue, Suite C West Orange, NJ 07052
Phone: ((862) 930-7071
Email: SenMcKeon@njleg.org

Assemblywoman Rosaura "Rosy" Bagolie (D)
Address: 651 Old Mt. Pleasant Avenue Livingston, NJ 07039
Phone: (973) 535-5017
Email: Aswbagolie@njleg.org

Assemblywoman Alixon Collazos-Gill (D)
Address: 39 South Fullerton Avenue 2nd Floor, Suite 3 Montclair, NJ 07042
Phone: (973) 509-0388
Email: AswCollazos-Gill@njleg.org

Dear Governor Sherrill, Senator McKeon, Assemblywoman Bagolie, and Assemblywoman Callazos-Gill,

I am writing to urge you to address the inequities in New Jersey’s school funding system and the specific harm they cause Montclair and New Jersey.

[Personalize it here…who are you…how many kids do you have] [For example: I am a parent of a graduate of Montclair’s public schools and a current student. We “moved here for the schools,” and they have been great for our children. I cannot say the same about New Jersey.]

According to the Education Law Center, Montclair receives only 83% of the state aid required under the School Funding Reform Act (SFRA) — a $2 million shortfall this year alone. This directly affects classrooms, staffing, programming, and the quality of education we provide to our children. It is also deeply connected to the current fiscal crisis facing our district.

Montclair is often described as a “wealthy town” that should shoulder more of the burden. But that narrative does not withstand scrutiny. Millburn receives 108%, Ridgewood 111%, and Summit 128%.

If Montclair is funded at 83% while similarly situated or wealthier communities are funded above 100%, funding decisions appear arbitrary and unfair.

Meanwhile, FY2026 is the first year the state has ever “fully funded” the formula — and even that term is generous. It doesn’t follow the formula, and the state’s share of total education spending has declined from 38% in 2008 to 32% today. To match the 2008 share, New Jersey would need to invest approximately $2 billion more, and that may not be enough.

These problems do not only affect Montclair. New Jersey needs a transparent, stable funding framework that adheres to the law, distributes aid equitably, and restores the state’s commitment to its fair share of education funding.

School funding in New Jersey is broken, and I respectfully ask you to:

• Commit to ending the routine use of so-called budget language that overrides the SFRA or any successor
• Ensure that underfunded districts like Montclair receive their full formula allocation
• Revisit and grow the state’s share of education spending
• Provide transparency so communities understand how funding decisions are made

Our children deserve a system that reflects the values we claim to hold about public education. New Jersey residents deserve clarity and fairness in how their tax dollars are allocated. I would welcome the opportunity to discuss this urgent issue further.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]
[Your Address]
Montclair, NJ