Camden School Superintendent Katrina T. McCombs unveils plans to close $91 million budget gap
As part of a move to close a $91 million budget deficit, 117 employees will lose their jobs, effective July 1, according to Superintendant Katrina T. McCombs.
Camden School Superintendent Katrina T. McCombs said Wednesday she was making “very, very difficult” but necessary cuts affecting nearly 300 positions to close a $91 million budget gap for the 2025-26 school year.
McCombs disclosed details of a sweeping plan for job cuts and restructuring, first reported by The Inquirer. The changes will be felt across the South Jersey school system, from the classroom to central administration.
She said 117 people would lose their jobs, effective July 1. The affected positions include teachers, counselors, clerks, custodians, security officers, and senior managers and directors.
» READ MORE: Facing a $91 million budget shortfall, Camden school district planning possible job cuts and layoffs
“These cuts were not taken lightly by me,” McCombs said at a news conference. “Behind every number is a person. I understand the human impact of these decisions.”
Camden would decrease its full-time employees from 1,613 this year to 1,329 for the upcoming school year, with 52 vacancies anticipated, McCombs said.
News about the possible cuts began leaking this week. The district had to notify affected employees by May 1.
“We are losing some really experienced and dedicated administrators,” said Davida Coe-Brockington, president of the Camden City Principals and Supervisors Association.
Although the state has increased aid to the district by 6% for the upcoming school year to $369.6 million, McCombs said there was still a shortfall.
The budget deficit was “not the result of sudden mismanagement or a lack of support by the state,” McCombs said. She cited the loss of millions in COVID relief funds and the growth of charter schools and Renaissance schools, alternatives to traditional public schools in Camden.
Maggie Garbarino, a spokesman for Gov. Phil Murphy, said the state was closely reviewing Camden’s budget submission to finalize a balanced budget “that meets the needs of Camden’s students and the community.”
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McCombs said state officials told her to take action “to right-size” the district and that led to the expansive plan that includes reductions in force, reassignments, eliminating vacancies and changes at Morgan Village Middle School and the Camden High school complex.
Besides the budget constraints, McCombs attributed the district’s fiscal problem to declining enrollment due to more city students choosing charter and Renaissance schools. Renaissance schools have 6,602 students, charters 3,257.
Since the state takeover enrollment in the traditional public schools has dropped nearly 50%, from 11,660 students in 2013-14 to 5,904 currently, she said. Payments to charter and Renaissance schools during that period have increased also, from $54.9 million to $198 million.
Here are some other takeaways from McCombs’ announcement:
McCombs said the district will save $23.8 million in personnel costs by cutting the 117 positions, bumping 33 employees into other positions, reassigning 38 others and eliminating 97 vacancies. Four employees will not be renewed for performance.
The district took other action to reduce contracted services, slash overtime expenses, change the use of title funding and changing building usage fees, saving $46 million, McCombs said.
The additional state aid reduced the deficit to $70 million, McCombs said. The district could not seek emergency relief from the state, which can only be requested for the current school year, not in advance.
Restructuring planned at the Camden High campus and Morgan Village, the district’s only middle school, will save about $2.7 million, McCombs said.
The leadership team at the Camden High complex will be reduced from four principals to one.
Creative High principal Davida Coe-Brockington will also oversee Charles Brimm Medical Arts, the Big Picture Academy and Camden High.
McCombs said students who currently attend Morgan Village will return to neighborhood family schools. Morgan Village has about 202 students in sixth through eighth grades.
The superintendent said she doesn’t believe the changes will derail efforts to return the district to local control. The state took over Camden schools citing poor test scores and graduation rates and a high dropout rate.
» READ MORE: Top Camden officials are seeking to oust school Superintendent Katrina McCombs, report says
McCombs called her transition “bittersweet,” but rebuffed charges that she was leaving the district in disarray. She has worked in the district for 30 years, the last seven as superintendent.
“This district will continue to move forward. No district is based on one person and their effort,” McCombs said.