Why Bergen County Families Are Leaning on Local Education Foundations Right Now

If you’ve followed New Jersey school funding news this year, you’ve probably seen the headlines: the state’s 2026–27 aid formula increased funding for most districts statewide, but Bergen County’s picture looks different. Despite Bergen County taxpayers contributing more to the state than almost any other county, local districts here continue to receive a comparatively small share of state aid in return — a gap that ultimately falls on local property taxpayers to cover.

At the same time, many districts across the state are describing this year as something of a perfect storm: aid increases on paper, but rising costs — especially employee health insurance, which some districts have seen spike by double digits — are eating into any real budget relief. The result, for a lot of New Jersey school communities, is a budget picture that feels tighter than the topline numbers suggest.

This is exactly the environment where organizations like the Midland Park Public Education Foundation matter most. We’re not a substitute for adequate public funding — no local foundation could be. But we exist precisely because there’s a real and persistent gap between what a school budget can cover and what makes a school system genuinely excellent: enrichment programs, updated technology, creative classroom materials, and the “extras” that don’t fit neatly into a line item but make a lasting difference for students.

When state and local budgets are under pressure, community-funded grants become even more valuable — not less. Every dollar raised through MPPEF is a dollar that reaches a Midland Park classroom without waiting on a funding formula in Trenton.

Curious how your support fits into the bigger picture? Learn more on our Who We Are page.