Warren school decisions tracker
One running file of every open and settled decision in Warren's two school districts, with the status, the number and the document behind it. New reporting updates this page instead of restating the same history. The single item to watch right now is the elementary reorganization: the Board of Education's ad hoc committee has recommended an Intermediate School Model, and the anticipated vote is September 28, 2026.
Open decisions
| Decision | Status | The numbers | Last document |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary reorganization Intermediate School Model |
Recommended, vote anticipated September 28, 2026. Implementation targeted 2027-28 | Three K-3 schools, one school for grades 4 and 5, Warren Middle unchanged at 6 through 8. The report carries no cost estimate | Board of Education ad hoc committee report. Reported August 25, 2026 |
| Watchung Hills regionalization | Under study. No board action taken on the report | Projected savings about $2,656,516 if all five districts regionalize, about $2,040,875 for the current constituents only. Warren gains under every apportionment method modeled, from $857,217 to $9.1 million a year. Watchung Borough faces increases under all scenarios | Rowan School Regionalization Institute feasibility report, presented publicly October 30, 2025. Reported November 14, 2025 |
Enrollment
Enrollment is the number that drives the reorganization question, so it sits on its own.
| Reading | K-8 students | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2020-21 actual | 1,537 | District enrollment record |
| 2025-26 actual | 1,692 | District enrollment record, up 10 percent in five years |
| 2026 planning baseline | 1,712 | Ad hoc committee report |
| October 15, 2026 advertised estimate | 1,734 | Tentative 2026-27 budget |
| 2031 projection | 1,980 | Ad hoc committee report, counting natural growth and Round 3 housing |
Budgets, settled
| District and year | Status | The numbers | Last document |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warren Township K-8 2026-27 |
Tentative budget approved March 23, 2026 for county submission. Public hearing April 27, 2026 | Fund 10 of $59,275,566, general fund tax levy $53,179,465, state aid $3,682,887. With Fund 20 special revenue of $446,209 and Fund 40 debt service of $8,861,779, the tentative grand total is $68,583,554 | Tentative budget. Reported March 27, 2026 |
| Watchung Hills Regional 2026-27 |
Adopted at public hearing April 28, 2026 | Operating revenue and expenditures $51,502,743, up 3.7 percent. Tax levy $37,659,870, up 3.9 percent. Warren's regional rate fell from $0.3597 to $0.3470 per $100, down 3.52 percent, and the average assessed Warren home still paid $58 more, $3,488 to $3,546, because the average assessment rose 5.38 percent to $1,021,852 | Adopted budget. Reported April 29, 2026 |
| K-8 capital referendum 2025 |
Approved by voters March 11, 2025, 822 to 424 on 1,246 votes cast. Financing authorized | $8.5 million project with $3.4 million in state funding, presented as no tax impact. Health and safety work, communication system upgrades and replacement of all elementary playgrounds. Temporary notes not exceeding $8,540,101 authorized April 28 | Board authorization. Reported March 12, 2025 |
The K-8 district and Watchung Hills Regional bill separately and their rates move independently. In 2026 the regional rate fell and the K-8 levy rose, which is why a Warren tax bill can go up in a year when a school rate goes down. The full reconciliation, including the different valuation bases the two budgets use, is on the property taxes page.
Calendar, 2026-27
| District | Opened | Last student day | Student days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Watchung Hills Regional | Wednesday, August 26, 2026 | June 11, 2027, graduation | 184, including 4 emergency days |
| Warren Township K-8 | Wednesday, September 2, 2026 | June 21, 2027, half day | 184, including 4 emergency days |
The two districts open a week apart, which matters to households with children in both. Board meeting dates and every other district date are on the Warren calendar, filterable to Schools and downloadable as a subscription file.
How the districts score
Ranking notes are kept here so a new ranking release updates one line rather than producing a new post that repeats the last three years.
- US News, 2026-27 rankings released August 18, 2026. Watchung Hills Regional moved up 30 places to 79th in New Jersey.
- Niche. Grade A for both Watchung Hills and the Warren Township K-8 district.
- State assessments, spring 2025. Warren grade 3 through 8 students were proficient at 69.6 percent in math against 41.0 percent statewide.
The full comparison, including where each source disagrees and what its method actually measures, is in the 2026 rankings report.
One thing this page will not do
It will not tell you which school to buy near. School attendance boundaries change, the reorganization on the table would change them again, and a house is not a seat in a building. The schools reference page lists the six schools and what each one is.
- Warren Township Schools Board of Education, ad hoc committee report on elementary reorganization, tentative 2026-27 budget, and March 2025 referendum authorization.
- Watchung Hills Regional High School District, adopted 2026-27 budget and approved 2026-27 calendar.
- Rowan School Regionalization Institute, feasibility report under the state School Regionalization Efficiency Program, presented October 30, 2025.
- US News Best High Schools 2026-27, released August 18, 2026. Niche district and school grades. New Jersey School Performance Reports, spring 2025 assessments.
- Warren Township Schools 2026-27 calendar, approved December 22, 2025.
Updated September 2, 2026. This page is the running file. When a board votes, a budget is adopted or a ranking is released, the line here changes and the reporting links to it.
Warren Township resident and full time broker, licensed in New Jersey since 2002. Warren, Local. is written from live Garden State MLS data, township records and primary sources. Every figure is traceable to a source listed above.