Barnegat BOE Monthly Meeting April 28, 2026 (Edited)

The Barnegat Board of Education held its monthly meeting on April 28, 2026, where key discussions focused on the approval of the 2026-2027 school year budget. The finance committee reported on various expenditures including bill lists and purchases such as uniforms for new sports programs. The buildings and grounds committee highlighted ongoing maintenance and upcoming summer projects, while transportation updates included the implementation of new routing software and efforts to address a driver shortage. The budget presentation emphasized maintaining educational programs without cuts, managing rising costs related to special education, transportation, and aging facilities, and achieving a 5% tax levy increase with no staff or program reductions. The board also discussed strategies for cost savings, including bringing out-of-district transportation runs in-house to generate revenue and reduce reliance on external co-ops. Public comments addressed transportation efficiency and the consideration of electric vehicles and third-party transportation providers. The meeting concluded with the opening and closing of the public hearing on the budget, which was approved by the board members present.