Camden Parent Student Union Meeting Centers on $91 Million Public School Deficit
Photo by Frank Soto
EDITOR’S NOTE: This story was produced as part of the Center for Cooperative Media at Montclair State University’s South Jersey Information Equity Project fellowship and supported with funding from the Independence Public Media Foundation, the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation and the NJ Civic Information Consortium.
PHOTOS and STORY BY FRANK SANTOS | South Jersey Information Equity Project
On Saturday May 31st the Camden Parent Student Union, led by organizer Ronsha Dickerson, hosted a community meeting focused on the growing concerns surrounding the Camden City School District and the financial storm it’s now facing. Residents gathered inside a Camden High School classroom not just to listen, but to be heard.
The meeting started with a round of discussion about life in Camden. People spoke about what they love most: the feeling of community, the pride that exists in each neighborhood, and how even those who leave the city often find their way back. But those warm reflections quickly gave way to more pressing concerns.
Residents talked about housing that’s becoming harder to afford, healthcare that’s out of reach, and a growing number of unhoused neighbors in every part of the city. Others raised issues around public transportation, the rising cost of living, climate change, and how difficult it’s become to register to vote or enroll children in public schools.
Education remained at the center of the conversation. Dickerson laid out the numbers: a projected $51 million deficit for the 2024–2025 school year and an even steeper $91 million shortfall the year after. As a result, the Camden City School District is cutting over 100 positions — including health and service coordinators, crisis counselors, family engagement staff, dropout prevention workers, and at least 20 teachers.
This comes on top of an already understaffed system. There were 97 vacancies before the cuts. Now, families are bracing for what schools will look like come fall.
One resident summed it up sharply: “This is a band-aid over a bullet wound.”
Dickerson, standing before the classroom, didn’t hold back
“What we’re doing is creating a school-to-prison pipeline,” she said, explaining how students will lose the very resources designed to keep them supported and safe.
Attendees questioned how money is being spent. Out of the district’s $417.6 million general fund, only 17 percent is going to traditional public schools. Meanwhile, 39 percent goes to renaissance schools and another 15 percent to charters. That means over half of the total budget is now being directed outside the public school system.
Families also voiced frustration with One Camden, the online platform that’s supposed to make enrollment easier but has instead made it harder for some parents to choose public schools. Some felt pushed toward charter or renaissance options from the start. The conversation grew more tense when it was revealed that One Camden’s CEO, Tameeka Mason, earns $300,000 per year through her partnership with the district.
As the meeting wrapped up, Ronsha turned attention to the upcoming June 10 election. Residents were encouraged to stay informed, ask questions, and make their voices heard at the polls.
The conversation inside that classroom didn’t solve the school district’s budget crisis. But it did something else. It made clear that families in Camden are watching. They’re organizing. And they’re refusing to let these decisions be made without them.
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