The Middlesex County Board of County Commissioners, in partnership with the Middlesex County Improvement Authority (MCIA), has unveiled a new countywide school financing program designed to help local school districts fund critical infrastructure and capital improvement projects.
The Lease for Educational Advancement and Renovation Needs (LEARN) Program offers school districts an innovative alternative to traditional financing methods for projects such as new school construction, building renovations, operational upgrades, and capital maintenance. The initiative is scheduled to officially open to participating districts in early 2027.
Through the LEARN Program, the MCIA will act as a conduit issuer to secure project financing, which participating school districts will repay over time through structured lease payments to the County. The model leverages the County’s financial standing and project management expertise to lower borrowing costs and streamline administrative processes.
“This program will strengthen our County’s educational system by helping districts address facility, operational, educational, and community needs through cost-effective financing,” Middlesex County Commissioner Director Ronald Rios said. “With the LEARN Program, school districts will be able to leverage the MCIA’s financing and project management expertise.”
MCIA Executive Director H. James Polos noted that regional, collaborative financing models provide long-term fiscal benefits across the county’s 25 municipalities.
“Working with the County, the MCIA will establish a transparent, efficient, and collaborative process to help school districts move needed projects from concept to completion,” Polos said. “Regional strategies such as the LEARN Program can create greater efficiencies and cost savings. They also reflect our belief that innovation and collaboration create opportunity.”
The program builds directly upon 2024 state legislation that expanded flexibility for New Jersey school districts seeking to finance major capital improvements and maintenance projects. Districts will be encouraged to align proposed upgrades with their Long-Range Facilities Plans and district learning goals.
The MCIA also announced the appointment of Seth Hahn as Program Director to lead the implementation of the LEARN initiative.
Hahn brings extensive state government and legislative leadership experience to the role. He previously spent six years in the New Jersey Assembly Majority Office, serving five of those years as Executive Director under Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin. During his tenure as chief staff negotiator across six state budgets, Hahn helped spearhead landmark legislative efforts including affordable housing reform, paid family leave expansion, and election transparency.
“Our goal is to help districts provide safe, functional, and future-ready facilities that support student achievement,” Hahn said.
Prior to the formal 2027 rollout, the County and MCIA will conduct a series of stakeholder roundtables involving superintendents, school board members, local education officials, financial advisors, and state leaders to refine program guidelines and maximize community impact.
