Chatham Schools Get Cheaper Still

The New Jersey Department of Education released its 2009-10 school report cards this week.

The School District of the Chathams continued its trend of falling increasingly below the average per pupil cost in the state. In the 2008-09 school year, Chatham spent $1,902 less per pupil than the state average. In the 2009-10 school year that number increased to a difference of $2,144 between what Chatham spends per student and what the state pays as an average to educate its students.

The district increased its percentage of revenue derived from local sources from 90 percent to 92 percent, compared to the state average of 51 percent.

The district's student-to-teacher ratio was above the state average at 12.9 compared to the state average of 10.1.

Chatham High School students have a greater accessibility to computers than their peers throughout New Jersey, as the report card showed a ratio of students to computers of 2.2 compared to a statewide average of 3.1.

The school also enjoyed a 98.7 percent graduation rate, compared to 90 percent throughout the state, and enjoyed an average Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) score of 1770 compared to a statewide average of 1516.

School Superintendent Jim O’Neill said Monday night that he had not yet seen the report card. He understood that the per-pupil cost had gone down, and said that “the additional kids we got actually reduced the cost” of educating students in the Chathams.

“It’s an excellent district, it’s a model of how to spend dollars well,” O’Neill said.

A chart with more complete information from the district and information regarding Chatham High School may be found below.