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

CONTACT:      Frank Belluscio (fbelluscio@njsba.org)
                      Mike Yaple (myaple@njsba.org)
                      (609) 278-5202

BACKGROUNDER:  FACTS AND FIGURES ABOUT
THE 2011 ANNUAL SCHOOL ELECTION

TRENTON, April 11, 2011—The following statistics and information will be helpful to reporters writing or broadcasting stories about New Jersey’s Annual School Election on Wednesday, April 27. The material represents the latest information available from the New Jersey School Boards Association (NJSBA) and the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE), unless otherwise noted.

ELECTIONS

Districts conducting board-member elections in 2011 – 541
Total school board seats statewide – 4,747
Number of school board positions on ballot statewide – 1,612
Districts conducting budget elections in 2011 – 538 *
* Total includes the districts that elect board members but do not vote on budgets:
 South Orange-Maplewood and the state-operated districts (Newark, Paterson).

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 2011 – 7.11 yrs.

Voter Turnout in Annual School Elections—

2010 – 26.7%
2009 – 13.4%
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%

Registered Voters – 5,193,965 as of March 2011 (Source: N.J. Division of Elections)

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

2010 – 41.4%
2009 – 73.3%
2008 – 73.5%
2007 – 78.3%
2006 – 53.4%
2005 – 70.7%
2004 – 69.8%
2003 – 62.2%
2002 – 65.4%
2001 – 81.3%
2000 – 88.0%
1999 – 82.8%

1998 – 74.4%
1997 – 76.2%
1996 – 67.8%
1995 – 72.3%
1994 – 51.4%
1993 – 68.9%
1992 – 73.4%
1991 – 55.9%
1990 – 52.0%
1989 – 62.1%
1988 – 71.3%
1987 – 74.1%

1986 – 82.4%
1985 – 86.5%
1984 – 76.9%
1983 – 74.8%
1982 – 67.9%
1981 – 63.8%
1980 – 70.1%
1979 – 76.9%
1978 – 82.4%
1977 – 80.4%
1976 – 44.4%

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

                        2010 – 0%      (6) *                                 2003 – 33.7% (89)
2009 – 0%      (11) *                               2002 – 47.5% (99)         
2008 – 12.1% (33) *                                2001 – 65.6% (91)                     
2007 – 45.9% (87)                                  2000 – 79% (100)          
2006 – 33.0% (72)                                  1999 – 72.8% (92)         
2005 – 41.8% (74)                                  1998 – 55.8% (104)                               
2004 – 52.0% (75)                                  1997 – 66.5% (176)                               

* From 2008 to 2010, state law required approval of 60% of participating voters for a second-ballot finance questions to pass. The requirement is not in place in 2011.          
           
Ratio of candidates to available school board seats*—
2011 – 1.38 to 1                                    2003 – 1.29 to 1
2010 – 1.29 to 1                                    2002 – 1.31 to 1
2009 – 1.33 to 1                                    2001 – 1.35 to 1                       
2008 – 1.30 to 1                                    2000 – 1.35 to 1                       
2007 – 1.34 to 1                                    1999 – 1.23 to 1                       
2006 – 1.41 to 1                                    1998 – 1.43 to 1                       
2005 – 1.36 to 1                                    1997 – 1.5 to 1                                     
2004 – 1.34 to 1                                    1996 – 1.48 to 1                                                                              
* Does not include write-in candidates

 

PUBLIC SCHOOL FACTS AND FIGURES

Enrollment statewide

2009-10 – 1,383,706                               1997-98 – 1,240,920
2008-09 – 1,377,728                               1996-97 – 1,218,570                              
2007-08 – 1,378,631                               1995-96 – 1,195,728                              
2006-07 – 1,387,963                               1994-95 – 1,174,252                                          
2005-06 – 1,394,779                               1993-94 – 1,151,607                                          
2004-05 – 1,391,169                               1992-93 – 1,130,560                              
2003-04 – 1,386,919                               1991-92 – 1,109,796                  
2002-03 – 1,367,249                               1990-91 – 1,089,646                  
2001-02 – 1,336,927                               1989-90 – 1,090,396
2000-01 – 1,313,394                               1988-89 – 1,093,776
1999-00 – 1,289,221                               1987-88 – 1,106,819      
1998-99 – 1,264,259                               1986-87 – 1,120,949      

Schools in New Jersey, 2010-2011 – 2,485

Certificated staff (teachers, administrators, etc.), 2009-2010 – 142,459

Non-certificated staff (clerical, paraprofessionals, etc.), 2009-2010 – 69,510

Proposed state aid for public schools, 2011-2012 – $8.1 billion

State aid for public schools, 2010-2011 – $7.9 billion

State aid for public schools, 2009-2010 – $8.97 billion

(Source for Public School Facts and Figures: NJDOE)

 

 

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The New Jersey School Boards Association is a federation of 588 local boards of education and includes 44 charter school associate members. NJSBA advocates the interests of school districts, trains local school board members, and provides resources for the advancement of public education.

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