Cherry Hill school board approves budget that will increase property taxes and cut 70 positions
Despite pleas from the public, Cherry Hill approved a $307 million budget that calls for drastic cuts.
Students, parents, and teachers pleaded with the Cherry Hill school board Tuesday to avoid making drastic cuts to balance the budget for the upcoming school year.
Students, some flanked by their parents, were given the first chance to address the board in the crowded gym at the administration building.
Hunter Cohen, 9, a fourth-grader at Bret Harte Elementary, said he was devastated to learn that the school’s computer science program would be cut.
He praised his computer teacher, Miss Woods, as “a computer mastermind, expert and genius.” Losing her, he said, is like “taking a puppy away from his mom.”
“Every week I walked into the class I looked forward to seeing the best teacher in the world,” Cohen said.
But their pleas didn’t change the plan. After hearing hours of public comment at a packed meeting Tuesday, the board voted 7-1 to approve a $307 million budget for the 2026-2027 school year that will eliminate 70 positions, increase some class sizes, and raise property taxes.
Superintendent Kwame Morton said the district — the largest in South Jersey — was forced to make cuts in the wake of a $29 million budget deficit.
“We don’t desire to cut any positions,” Morton said. “The reality of a $29 million budget deficit puts us in a position where difficult decisions have to be made.”
Cherry Hill, which has about 11,000 students, has struggled to close the projected budget gap, caused partly by a decline in state aid for the third straight year. Cherry Hill was among 13 South Jersey district to get an aid decrease.
With the staffing cuts, the district said it would save about $6.5 million, with the majority, about 76%, made through attrition. The remaining staffing reductions would be made districtwide, including positions at the central office.
The district said it needed the 7.4% tax increase in addition to slashing millions in spending. That hike would increase property taxes by $420 for a home assessed at the township average of $227,000.
Even with the cuts, Morton said the district would maintain its programs. He has not provided specifics on what positions would be cut. The superintendent said some plans will be finalized in the summer.
» READ MORE: Cherry Hill schools weighing $14.5 million in cuts and layoffs to close budget gap for 2026-27
Changes made to save elementary school Spanish
The district’s elementary Spanish program, initially targeted for restructuring, apparently has been saved, said Waleska Batista-Arias, president of the Cherry Hill Education Association. Five Spanish teachers represented by her unit have been told that they would not be reassigned, she said.
Batista-Arias said there has not been a reprieve for elementary computer science teachers who would be reassigned. The district has said it is “restructuring” how the subject is taught.
The union was advised that eight teachers and two noninstructional staff members would be laid off, Batista-Arias said. Previously, the district had said 18 people would be impacted, she said.
“This budget is incredibly challenging,” board president Gina Winters said. “We could not close the gap, even with all the cuts.”
Because of a $10 million increase in healthcare costs, Cherry Hill was allowed to exceed the 2% property tax cap to cover some of those expenses. Transportation and special education costs also increased.
Irena Amato, a reading interventionist at Clara Barton Elementary, said her position was being cut along with those at the district’s five Title 1 schools. The schools receive federal funds to assist at-risk schools.
“You eliminated so many positions it’s going to have an impact,” Batista-Arias said. “It’s going to hurt these kids.”
Larger class sizes on the way
Parent Kris Rothman, whose two children attend Thomas Paine Elementary, said she was worried about the impact of larger class sizes. Morton has said class sizes would increase at the district’s elementary schools by two students in first through eighth grades.
Rothman held up a rendering that showed how a classroom would appear with additional students. Some classes that currently have three teachers would lose a teacher, she said. Time set aside for students to sit on the floor for reading would be cut, she said.
Addie Chertok, 8, a third-grader at Woodcrest Elementary, said she was worried about possibly losing a first-grade inclusion classroom that her younger sister needs.
“If she can’t go I just can’t imagine,” she said.
Board members listened intently during the meeting, which was also watched by hundreds virtually. A message on the gym wall read “Sometimes you win. Sometimes you learn.”
Board members expressed their own frustrations with the grim budget outlook.
“It sucks,” said board member Kurt Braddock.
“This stinks,” said board member Melissa Manzao.
» READ MORE: Cherry Hill schools weighing $14.5 million in cuts and layoffs to close budget gap for 2026-27
Winters encouraged residents to lobby state lawmakers to approve a supplemental funding grant and change the school funding formula. Cherry Hill funds nearly 90% of its budget through property taxes.
“I know you’re angry. I’m angry, too,” Winters told the crowd. “The simple answer is that we can’t fix this without more money.”
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