The Gloucester County School Board had the opportunity last Thursday evening to have a heart-to-heart discussion about budgeting needs with the Gloucester County Board of Supervisors.

Ben Kiser, Gloucester’s Superintendent of Schools, told supervisors during the meeting in the Gloucester High School auditorium that the county’s proposed budget is $181,511 less than the amount requested by the school board in its draft budget.

Conversation remained cordial between the two boards, which have been divided on the issue of categorical vs. lump-sum funding of the school system.

According to Kiser, the current plan on the table provides $7 million less than what was in the school board’s budget four years ago. Financial support per pupil, he said, has decreased from $9,991 in FY 2008-09 (with 5,924 students) to $8,915 (with 5,850 students). "And you can’t justify the reduction with just a loss of 74 students," Kiser said.

Meanwhile, Kiser said state...