Sayreville’s $172M School Budget: What It Means for Your Taxes, Your Kids, and Your Community
Hi Neighbor,
We took a deep dive into the $172 million budget for the 2025–2026 school year. That’s up nearly $20 million from last year and if you’re a parent, taxpayer, or homeowner, this affects you.
Here's what you need to know:
🧾 How Much Are You Paying?
Estimated total school tax rate: 3.2235
*An estimated school tax rate of 3.2235 means a property owner pays $3.2235 in school taxes for every $100 of assessed value.
This includes regular school taxes plus payments toward school construction debt.
📌 The biggest source of school funding? Property taxes, with Sayreville residents contributing $76.5 million through the local tax levy.
👨🏫 What’s in the Budget for Students?
For roughly 6,300 students, here’s where the money goes:
$52.9M for classroom instruction
$34.3M for general education
$12.6M for special education
$3.5M for basic skills programs
$8M for student transportation
$9.5M for building maintenance
$17.6M for construction and facility upgrades
$1.2M transferred to local charter schools
📌 These numbers affect class sizes, support services, school buses, and the upkeep of school buildings your kids walk into every day.
💵 Where’s the Money Coming From?
🏫 General Fund – $147.7M
Local property taxes: $76.5M
State aid: $50.9M
Most of that is general school funding and special education aid
Savings/reserve withdrawals: $17.6M+
Federal funding (Medicaid, etc.): ~$31K
🎓 Special Revenue Fund – $13.7M
Mostly Preschool Aid and federal education grants (Title I–IV, IDEA, etc.)
🏦 Debt Service Fund – $10.6M
Used to pay off past construction loans and school improvements;
🧮 What’s the Cost Per Student?
Average cost per student: $19,738
$11,839 for instruction
$3,469 for support services
$1,981 for administration
$1,831 for facilities
📌 Sayreville’s per-pupil cost is in line with other similarly sized districts, but one major budget driver is the cost of employee benefits, which equals nearly 39% of salaries.
🤝 Where Sayreville Saves: Shared Services
To save money, Sayreville schools share services with the Borough and outside agencies:
Salt, garbage removal, plowing, and sewer handled by the Borough
School Resource Officers and police support at events
Fuel purchased from the Borough at lower cost
Special ed and out-of-district transport coordinated through ESCNJ
Joint supply purchasing programs to cut costs
📌 These efforts help avoid classroom cuts while keeping costs stable.
🏷️ Who Gets Paid What?
The budget includes full transparency on leadership pay:
Superintendent Richard Labbe: $260,438
Assistant Superintendents: ~$181K
Directors and coordinators: $127K–$174K
Most contracts include:
Paid vacation/sick days
Health/dental insurance
Retirement payouts (typically capped)
🏦 What’s Left in Reserves?
Estimated funds as of June 2026:
General Fund (unrestricted): $1.66M
Capital Reserve: $76K
Maintenance & Emergency Reserves: ~$220K
Student Activity Fund: $280K
These reserves help cushion unexpected expenses—but they’re not bottomless.
🔍 Why Should You Care?
Whether you’re a parent, taxpayer, or just someone who cares about your community, this budget:
✅ Shapes your property taxes
✅ Decides classroom resources and staffing
✅ Affects the quality of Sayreville schools—now and for years to come
To review the full 30 page budget document, click here
📢 Let’s Keep This Going
The Sayreville Insider is now at 330 subscribers and growing every week.
We break down complex topics like school budgets, council meetings, and redevelopment in a way that’s easy to follow—and totally free.
👉 If this helped you, forward it to a friend or post it in a local Facebook group.
Thanks for reading,
Joe Murray
Founder, The Sayreville Insider
*This is an independent newsletter not affiliated with The Borough of Sayreville or Board of Education