A Letter from the Superintendent

Dear Cherry Hill Public Schools Community,

I want to begin by thanking so many of you who have taken the time to contact our local legislators and advocate on behalf of our students and our schools. Your voices matter, and your engagement has been an important part of ensuring that the realities facing our district are clearly understood at the state level.

We continue to be actively engaged in advocacy efforts on behalf of Cherry Hill Public Schools. Earlier this week, CHPS Business Administrator Mr. Schimpf, BOE President Mrs. Winters, BOE Vice President Mr. Greenbaum, and I participated in a constructive meeting with Dr. Lily Laux, Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Education, that brought together representatives from the Department of Education, the Governor’s Office, our local legislative delegation, and municipal leadership. Senator Beach, Assembly Majority Leader Greenwald, Assemblywoman Kane, and Mayor Fleisher and their respective teams were all present for this conversation, along with Deputy Commissioner Joseph Howe and members of the Commissioner’s senior staff.

The discussion focused on the financial realities facing Cherry Hill and districts similar to ours. We addressed the state funding formula and its misalignment with the current needs of a large, suburban, and economically diverse community like ours. We also emphasized that rising property values do not necessarily reflect residents’ ability to absorb continued increases in local tax burden.

In addition, we shared the significant cost pressures the district is facing, many of which are outside of our control, including increases in health care costs. At present, approximately 90% of our budget is funded through local property taxes, and this marks the third consecutive year of substantial state aid reductions. We also discussed the broader regional context and the disproportionate impact that districts in South Jersey have experienced under the current funding formula.

As a next step, Dr. Laux will be visiting Cherry Hill Public Schools to continue this conversation and to gain firsthand insight into our schools, our students, and the challenges we are navigating. We are in the process of coordinating this visit to ensure it provides a meaningful and accurate view of our district.

While this work is ongoing, sustained advocacy remains critical. We encourage continued engagement from our community as we work collectively to ensure that Cherry Hill receives fair and adequate support from the state. For more information, please reach out to Zone PTA’s Fair Funding Committee at fairfundingchps@gmail.com.

Thank you again for your partnership, your advocacy, and your continued commitment to our students and our schools.

Sincerely,

Dr. Kwame R. Morton, Sr.

Superintendent