Kids First's campaign claim of "continued educational improvement for all children in the district" translates to Hoboken High School being ranked 344th of 352 High Schools in NJ; designation by the NJDOE as a "District in Need of Improvement" for the first time in history; and Connors Elementary School being ranked 1,418 out of 1,438 elementary schools in the State of NJ

Kids First incumbents seeking Re-Election
based on their claim of "continued educational
improvement for all children in the district"

Rhetoric is easy. So is clapping at Board of Education meetings at any morsel of "good news" that gets presented by district leaders. Public Relations is easy as well. Take the good news and present it to people wanting to believe they are making the right decision in entrusting the future of their children to you. It is also fairly easy to encourage and welcome one or two articulate parents to get up at a Board meeting to praise all the "wonderful" things taking place in the schools. 

Some things are challenging and difficult. One thing that comes to mind is being evaluated by independent outside entities with no particular agenda or grudge. This has happened yet again to the political group known as "Kids First" and an outside evaluation of their stewardship of the Hoboken Public Schools. In this case, secondary education, specifically taking place at Hoboken High School. New Jersey Department of Education data was obtained by the Newark Star Ledger along a number of criteria including state assessments, national assessments, and some additional factors to derive a grading system for all the high schools in the state of New Jersey. Similar, but different, from the very popular rankings done by US News and World Report. 

Under Kids First's self proclaimed "continued educational improvement for all children in the district" and boldly stating that "the progress is real" during their leadership, Hoboken High School fell 26 positions from 2008 to 2012 on the Newark Star Ledger High School grading index. 

As the data indicates, Hoboken High School was the only high school in Hudson County to report a drop in the Newark Star Ledger High School grading index from 2008 to 2012. Every other high school made gains from North Bergen H. S. (.4 points) to Henry Synder H.S. (62.5 points). 

Hoboken High School's combined SAT score of 1159 ranks it 326 of 352 high schools in NJ. More disappointing perhaps is that combined SAT scores have declined while Kids First have been leading the district (down as much as 20 points since the 06-07 school year). 

The percentage change in 2008 to 2012 scores ( -3.7%) ranks Hoboken High School 344 of 352 high schools in NJ on the Newark Star Ledger High School grading index.

Hoboken High School's Grade of "D" was assigned to 21.5% of high schools in NJ and to 2 other high schools in Hudson County. According to the Newark Star Ledger, a grade of D indicates, "Parents beware of these schools. Test scores are below average, and there is little academic growth."

County	School	SAT	'08 Score	'12 Score	Pct. Change	Grade
HUDSON	Henry Snyder H.S.	1093	160	222.5	39.10%	C
HUDSON	University Academy Cs	1157	182	237.5	30.50%	C
HUDSON	Lincoln H.S.	1079	189.1	238.8	26.30%	C
HUDSON	Liberty High	1166	224.2	270.3	20.60%	C
HUDSON	Harrison H.S.	1274	240.1	288.3	20.10%	C
HUDSON	James J. Ferris H.S.	1148	212.2	242.8	14.40%	C
HUDSON	William L. Dickinson H.S.	1219	241.7	268.9	11.30%	C
HUDSON	Kearny H.S.	1375	267	292.1	9.40%	C
HUDSON	Memorial H.S.	1257	253.8	275.9	8.70%	C
HUDSON	Mcnair Academic H.S.	1716	362.3	392.8	8.40%	B
HUDSON	Bayonne H.S.	1361	279	300.5	7.70%	C
HUDSON	Secaucus H.S.	1474	297	311.8	5.00%	C
HUDSON	County Prep High School	1391	311.5	325.2	4.40%	A
HUDSON	Weehawken H.S.	1452	298.6	310	3.80%	D
HUDSON	High Tech High School	1672	347.6	349	0.40%	A
HUDSON	North Bergen H.S.	1334	288.6	289	0.10%	D
HUDSON	Hoboken H.S.	1159	244.3	235.3	-3.70%	D

What makes these results even more discouraging is that it was only a few years ago under different Board of Education leadership that Hoboken High School was recognized as the second most improved high school in the state of New Jersey by New Jersey Monthly and received back to back Bronze Medal Awards from US News and World Report. Both New Jersey Monthly and US News and World Report, like the Newark Star Ledger, are independent, outside entities with no particular political agenda (note: unfortunately, by August of 2012, Hoboken High School dropped to the bottom 50 high schools in New Jersey according to the SAME New Jersey Monthly magazine). 

So, in less than 5 years under the leadership of the Kids First political group, Hoboken High School has gone from national recognition and exceptional statewide improvement to being ranked 344th out of 352 high schools in New Jersey. How could this happen? Teachers are the same. Can't blame them. The kids are more or less the same, can't blame them. What has changed? Well, under the Board leadership of Kids First, Hoboken High School has seen 4 different principals since February of 2010. Two of them were first year principals and another was a retired interim. Dr. Lorraine Cella, the one with the Columbia University doctorate was treated in a very unprofessional manner and eventually a lawsuit was settled out of court. Instability in school leadership is potentially a problem. Concurrently, the Hoboken School District has had 3 superintendents in the same time period. Instability in district leadership is potentially a problem. Other decisions by Kids First including elimination of the Demarest Alternative School, elimination of the Saturday U gifted and talented program, deemphasis on the nationally recognized International Baccalaureate Program were also likely contributing factors. 

Some may argue that these are only test scores and there is much more to education than simply state scores. I agree wholeheartedly. That is why it is also discouraging to see that the graduation rate at Hoboken High School ranks among the lowest in Hudson County. Its also discouraging that on the latest NJ School Report Card which attempts to give a comprehensive analysis of a school we read

This school's academic performance significantly lags in comparison to schools across the state. Additionally, its academic performance lags in comparison to its peers. This school' college and career readiness lags in comparison to schools across the state. Additionally, its college and career readiness is about average when compared to its peers. This schools's graduation and post-secondary performance lags in comparison to schools across the state. Additionally, its graduation and post-secondary readiness lags in comparison to its peers. - NJ Dept of Education

More evidence? Well, a few months ago in February 2013 the latest Quality Single Accountability Continuum (QSAC) results were released for the Hoboken School District. Unfortunately, Instruction and Program continues to be a problematic area for the district- this time receiving a failing score of 68%, down from 69% over a year ago (80% is passing). This is especially disconcerting since the first full QSAC assessment after my curriculum writing assignment was completed in the school district led to a score of 87% in Spring 2010. Again, going from 87% to 68% stretches the limits of "continued educational improvement for all children in the district" to the point of uncomfortableness for me. I believe it boarders on misrepresentation and ignorance at best and outright deception and lying at worst. 

After 53 months in total control of the Hoboken Schools, an independent rating organization now ranks Connors Elementary School 1,418 out of 1,438 elementary schools in the State of New Jersey under the leadership of Kids First.  Apparently, little improvement has been made since the December 2011 CAPA Report conducted by the NJ Department of Education on Connors. The CAPA Report was completed 31 months after Kids First took control of the Hoboken Board of Education.

Kids First also states in their political literature that "the progress is real" a (not so) subtle insinuation that perhaps progress in the past was not real. To this end, a letter was written to the Hoboken Reporter in November of 2012 concerning allegations and rumors referenced by some Kids First members at public debates and at Board meetings. To date, there has been no official response to refute any aspect of the letter. 

At this point in the game, the dubious record of Kids First is beyond reasonable debate. The only people who could defend their leadership at this point are a minority of core political allies, uncritical friends, and family members. The only strategy for Kids First is to convince people they inherited a failed school district (they didn't, the data is indisputable in this area) or to distance themselves from the many educational decisions they made via the district leaders they hired.

"Brownie, you're doing a heckuva job..."

Photo: Published in an online story by The Jersey Journal/NJ.COM by Charles Hack, September 21, 2013