Woodcliff Lake is again exploring its options for exiting the Pascack Valley Regional High School District.
This time, a new law signed by Gov. Phil Murphy that encourages regionalization is the unlikely inspiration for Woodcliff Lake, inspiring fresh talk of severing ties with the four-town high school district.
But to take a step forward, Woodcliff Lake needs a partnering town's approval.
Bill S-3488, signed by the governor in January, creates incentives for districts to consolidate and includes grant programs for conducting regionalization studies.
Woodcliff Lake is one of the four towns that make up the regional school district. Hillsdale and River Vale students attend Pascack Valley High School; Woodcliff Lake and Montvale students attend the district's other high school, Pascack Hills.
Each town has its own elementary district.
Woodcliff Lake Councilman Richard Schnoll says an argument can be made that dividing the regional district could actually lead to more consolidation.
"There is the regional district for the high school, so you have five districts that encompass the four towns, and you have five superintendents," Schnoll said.
He said it would be worthwhile to consider a study looking at a regionalized district between Woodcliff Lake and Montvale that incorporates the elementary-level school districts.
"We have a regional district, but it is not fully regionalized," Schnoll said. He said a K-12 district encompassing Pascack Valley High School would be a natural transition.
The borough has recently discussed the idea at work sessions and council meetings.
However, Mayor Mike Ghassali of Montvale said, "At this point we don't have any plans for that."
Schnoll acknowledged, "I don’t believe that at this point Montvale has any interest in going forward with the study, so there is no way for us to do the study on our own."
Woodcliff Lake has long argued that it is burdened by the highest per-pupil costs in the Pascack Valley district and contributes an outsize share of the overall tax levy, although it has the fewest students of the four towns.
However, because property tax values, not the number of students, determine the tax bill, Woodcliff Lake has little recourse other than leaving the district.
Home values are highest in Woodcliff Lake — nearly $767,963, according to a 2021 Pascack Valley school budget presentation, as compared with $473,237 in Hillsdale, $593,981 in River Vale and $525,925 in Montvale.
"Woodcliff Lake gets a much heavier burden per student." Schnoll said.
The borough over the years has tried various ways to reduce the taxes it pays to the district. In 2017, that took the form of a referendum, which Schnoll said was unsuccessful because it needed the approval of the other three towns. "And why would they approve us getting out if they have such a good deal from us?" he said.
The study would be the first step to determine whether there would be savings to taxpayers by forming a regional K-12 district. The study would be only a first step in a process that involves approval by residents in Montvale and Woodcliff Lake.
Shaylah Brown is a local reporter for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
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