Hardwick Township School District among 13 'nonoperating' districts eliminated Wednesday

Most schools are out for summer. Hardwick Township School District is out completely.

The school-less district in northwest Warren County was among 13 nonoperating districts in New Jersey that ceased to exist Wednesday, with another 13 on the chopping block for next summer.

Gov. Jon S. Corzine signed legislation Tuesday to establish procedures for merging nonoperating districts with larger, neighboring districts where children already attend classes.

The Hardwick district had a board of education and a part-time board secretary. But without a school of its own, it paid tuition to send its students to Blairstown Township. They'll continue to go there next school year, when the neighboring district takes control through a state order.

"This is an important step forward in Gov. Corzine's efforts to share services and make government more efficient," New Jersey Department of Education Commissioner Lucille Davy said in a prepared statement.

"These districts don't operate any schools many of them have only a handful of students, yet they have boards of education and many hire staff to fulfill their duties."

Officials say the changes will not impact the quality of education. Hardwick school board President Margaret McLain said her district and Blairstown have gotten along for decades.

"I think things are going to be fine for Hardwick and Blairstown together," McLain said. "We've always worked well together."

Closure a surprise

However, the change still came as a surprise, McLain said. There had been talk six months ago that the move was possible, she said, but the board didn't hear anything further until last week.

"If they can guarantee us that the taxes are not going to change, our board did not feel it was going to be a problem," she said. "It would have been nice if we had a little more notice."

In a letter to the school district, Davey details the plan to fully incorporate Hardwick into the Blairstown district.

The Hardwick school board was officially disbanded as of Wednesday. The Blairstown board will remain as is until next year's election, when anyone from both municipalities will be able to run, the letter said.

Taxes will not change in the first year, and all of the Hardwick district's assets will be liquidated.

In New Jersey, a 1969 legislative study called for eliminating districts without schools. But it wasn't until a 2007 law that lawmakers made it mandatory.

The nonoperating districts were to be merged with bigger districts by last year. Not only was the deadline blown, but three more districts have closed their schools since then and joined the ranks of the eliminated.

Fewer districts in 2010

The law passed last week seeks to clarify how tiny school districts should be merged with their larger neighbors. The New Jersey School Boards Association objected, saying voters should have a choice on whether to merge.

The new law gives the state education commissioner authority to decide whether towns sending students to other districts should pay based on school enrollment, property value -- or some of both. It also phases in any changes over five years.

The move reduces New Jersey's total school districts from 616 to 603. By next summer, when 13 other districts are eliminated, the total will drop to 590.