P.O. Box 909  ●   Trenton, NJ 08605-0909  ●  Phone: 609.695.7600  ●  Fax: 609.695.0413  ●  Web: www.njsba.org

 

 

NEWS RELEASE

 

 

CONTACT:

Frank Belluscio (fbelluscio@njsba.org)    

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Mike Yaple (myaple@njsba.org)

(609) 278-5202              

 

 

 

BACKGROUNDER:  FACTS AND FIGURES ABOUT

THE 2009 ANNUAL SCHOOL ELECTION

 

TRENTON, April 13, 2009—The following statistics and information will be helpful to reporters writing or broadcasting stories about New Jersey’s Annual School Election on April 21. The material represents the latest information available from the New Jersey School Boards Association (NJSBA) and the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE).

ELECTIONS

 

Districts conducting board-member elections in 2009 – 552

Total school board seats statewide – 4,886

Number of school board positions on ballot statewide – 1,627

Districts conducting budget elections in 2009 – 550 *

* Total includes districts that elect board members but do not vote on budgets: South Orange-Maplewood and the state-operated districts of Newark and Paterson. Also, Camden does not have board-member elections this year.))

 

 

Polling hours – 5 p.m. ‑ 9 p.m. is mandatory, although additional hours are frequently scheduled. Polls may be open anytime between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m.

 

Average years of service of a N.J. local school board member in 2009 – 7.42 yrs.

                                                                       

Voter Turnout in Annual School Elections—

2008 – 14.3%

2007 – 13.9%

2006 – 15.7%

2005 – 13.2%

2004 – 15.8%

2003 – 15.2%

2002 – 14.2%

2001 – 13.3%

2000 – 12.5%

 

1999 – 13.4%

1998 – 14.2%

1997 – 17.3%

1996 – 18.0%

1995 – 15.5%

1994 – 15.3%

1993 – 12.8%

1992 – 16.8%

1991 – 18.6%

 

1990 – 15.8%

1989 – 14.7%    

1988 – 15.2%

1987 – 10.1%

1986 – 11.5%

1985 – 7.34%

1984 – 10.1%

1983 – 15%

 

 

 

Registered Voters – 5,378,792 as of November 2008 (Source: N.J. Division of Elections)

 

Budget election results (percentage of budgets approved by voters statewide)—

                        2008 – 73.5%

                        2007 – 78.3%                                         1991 – 55.9%

                        2006 – 53.4%                                         1990 – 52.0%

                        2005 – 70.7%                                         1989 – 62.1%    

                        2004 – 69.8%                                         1988 – 71.3%    

                        2003 – 62.2%                                         1987 – 74.1%    

                        2002 – 65.4%                                         1986 – 82.4%    

                        2001 – 81.3%                                         1985 – 86.5%    

                        2000 – 88.0%                                         1984 – 76.9%                

                        1999 – 82.8%                                         1983 – 74.8%                

                        1998 – 74.4%                                         1982 – 67.9%                

                        1997 – 76.2%                                         1981 – 63.8%                            

                        1996 – 67.8%                                         1980 – 70.1%    

                        1995 – 72.3%                                         1979 – 76.9%    

                        1994 – 51.4%                                         1978 – 82.4%    

                        1993 – 68.9%                                         1977 – 80.4%    

                        1992 – 73.4%                                         1976 – 44.4%    

                                                                                               

                                                                                               

Second-ballot finance question results¾percentage of second-ballot finance questions approved by voters statewide (and total number of second questions on the ballot statewide, in parentheses)—

                        2008 – 12.1% (33) *                                            2002 – 47.5%  (99)

                        2007 – 45.9% (87)                                              2001 – 65.6%  (91)

                        2006 – 33.0%  (72)                                             2000 – 79%  (100)

                        2005 – 41.8%  (74)                                             1999 – 72.8%  (92)                    

                        2004 – 52.0%  (75)                                             1998 – 55.8%  (104)                  

                        2003 – 33.7%  (89)                                             1997 – 66.5%  (176)

* First year of law requiring approval of 60% of participating voters for a second-ballot finance questions to pass. Had the supermajority requirement not been in place, 15 questions (45.5%) would have passed.      

                                                                                               

                                                                                                                                   

Ratio of candidates to available school board seats*—

                       

                        2009 – 1.33 to 1                                                2002 – 1.31 to 1

                        2008 – 1.30 to 1                                                2001 – 1.35 to 1

                        2007 – 1.34 to 1                                                2000 – 1.35 to 1           

                        2006 – 1.41 to 1                                                1999 – 1.23 to 1

                        2005 – 1.36 to 1                                                1998 – 1.43 to 1           

                        2004 – 1.34 to 1                                                1997 – 1.5 to 1                                                                    

                        2003 – 1.29 to 1                                                1996 – 1.48 to 1           

                        * Does not include write-in candidates

 

 

PUBLIC SCHOOL FACTS AND FIGURES

 

Enrollment statewide (Source: NJDOE)

 

2007-08 – 1,378,631

2006-07 – 1,387,963                                           1995-96 – 1,195,728

2005-06 – 1,394,779                                           1994-95 – 1,174,252

2004-05 – 1,391,169                                           1993-94 – 1,151,607

2003-04 – 1,386,919                                           1992-93 – 1,130,560

2002-03 – 1,367,249                                           1991-92 – 1,109,796

2001-02 – 1,336,927                                           1990-91 – 1,089,646

2000-01 – 1,313,394                                           1989-90 – 1,090,396

1999-00 – 1,289,221                                           1988-89 – 1,093,776

1998-99 – 1,264,259                                           1987-88 – 1,106,819

                        1997-98 – 1,240,920                                           1986-87 – 1,120,949      

                        1996-97 – 1,218,570                                           1985-86 – 1,116,194

                                                                                               

                                                                                               

Public school buildings in New Jersey, 2007 – 2,430 (Source: NJDOE)

State aid for public schools, 2009-2010 – $8.3 Billion (Source: NJDOE)

Number of full-time classroom teachers in New Jersey, 2007-2008 – 111,786 (Source: NJDOE)

 

 

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The New Jersey School Boards Association, a federation of district boards of education, advocates the interests of school districts, trains local school board members, and provides resources for the advancement of public education.

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