Clark, NJ: SPED grew 'dramatically'

May 4, 2017, Clark (NJ) TapInto: Clark BOE Passes 2017-2018 School Budget; Parents Voice Concerns Over Cuts https://www.tapinto.net/towns/clark/articles/clark-boe-passes-2017-2018-school-budget-parents Business Administrator Paul Vizzuso said that the projected school tax based on the 2016-2017 school year would be increased by about $122 per household (based on the average assessed value of $121,000) depending on the value of the home. Before getting into the specific budget numbers, Superintendent Ed Grande reviewed a few key aspects of school budgeting to explain the district’s current financial status. … Special Education “When you look at the 2015-2016 school year, our special ed students… grew dramatically, much more than we anticipated," board member Robert Smorol said. "And we took a significant hit financially based on the growth in special ed. To send one special ed student out-of-district runs us somewhere between $50,000 to $90,000 per student.” … “We have to deliver a better product in the school systems to keep our students here,” added board member Thomas Lewis. “Let’s make special ed better.”