Hoboken High School Resident Student Enrollment is Just 275 Students- Down -54% During "reform" Era (2009-2019)

HHS - 10 Years Under Kids First/Reform Control and Leadership

Amid claims by the Hoboken Board of Education that student enrollment is increasing, some surprising numbers have emerge from Hoboken High School. Keeping in mind that the building was built in the early 1960's with an enrollment capacity of 1501 students-- the current student enrollment according to the 2019-2020 ASSA report(see Figure 1) is 375 total students (resident and non resident/"Choice") for Grades 9, 10, 11, and 12 (see Figure 1). 

Figure 1: 2019-20 ASSA Report of Student Enrollment
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This would be surprising enough. But what is REALLY surprising is that the enrollment of Hoboken resident students (students who actually live in Hoboken) is now down to 275 students. More than 25% of the school is attended by non-Hoboken residents via the NJDOE "choice" program (see Figure 2).

Figure 2: 2018-19 Hoboken "Choice" Distribution by Grade
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In fact, I was part of the administration that brought the "Choice" program to the district in 2009. At that time, we saw it as a supplemental way to bring in 10-20 students. However, under "reformers", the Choice program has become a major money making proposition for the Board of Education and is likely keeping the High School open. There are currently 158 Choice students in the Hoboken School District (see Figure 2) of which 100 are enrolled in grades 9-12 (see Figure 2 for NJDOE breakdown of Choice students for the Hoboken School District).

375 Total HHS Students (Resident + Choice) - 100 HHS Students (Choice) = 275 Hoboken Resident Students

Why are only 275 Hoboken resident students attending Hoboken High School? That seems to be a good question and something concerned citizens, taxpayers, and families should be asking the Board and the district administrators. When "reformers" took full control of the Hoboken School District in 2009 (before the Choice program was enacted), there were 601 Hoboken resident students attending Hoboken High School (see Chart 3). This is a -54.2% decrease in resident student enrollment in Hoboken High School.

Figure 3: 2009-10 Hoboken Enrollment
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The Kids First and Kids First legacy Board of Education majority has spent over a half a billion dollars on the Hoboken School District (omitting charter school "pass through" money) during the past decade in which they have had full control of the Hoboken Board of Education and its schools. One result is a -54% decrease in the resident enrollment of Hoboken High School.

You can contact the trustees of the Hoboken Board of Education at the following addresses: 

Sharyn Angley
President
sangley@hoboken.k12.nj.us

Thomas Kluepfel
Vice President
tkluepfel@hoboken.k12.nj.us

Malani Cademartori
Board Member
mcademartori@hoboken.k12.nj.us

Sheillah Dallara
Board Member
sdallara@hoboken.k12.nj.us

Alex De La Torre
Board Member
adelatorre@hoboken.k12.nj.us

Jennifer Evans
Board Member
jevans@hoboken.k12.nj.us

Chetali Khanna
Board Member
ckhanna@hoboken.k12.nj.us

Ailene McGuirk
Board Member
amcguirk@hoboken.k12.nj.us

Melanie Tekirian
Board Member
mtekirian@hoboken.k12.nj.us