NJ Department of Education's Letter Rejecting the Elysian Charter School's Request to Add 24 Students

In February of 2020, the Hoboken Board of Education protested Elysian Charter School's request to add 24 students to the school. 

In May of 2020, the Hoboken Board of Education over estimated projections for the 2020-21 school year by over 265 students, costing the taxpayers of Hoboken over $3.7 million dollars. 

To date, the Hoboken Board of Education continues to argue against an equitable distribution of PILOT funds to all public schools in Hoboken. 

Also, recall, the Hoboken School District attempted to petition the State of New Jersey to rescind the charter of the Hola Charter School leading to a lengthily and costly lawsuit which the district eventually lost. 

Recent results from state testing and reported independently by US News and World Report, indicates only 8% of Hoboken High School students are proficient in mathematics. 

Clearly, the Hoboken Board of Education seeks to stifle public charter schools while providing a lackluster education to the parents and children they serve.

Elysian CS of Hoboken by Tony Petrosino on Scribd

Hoboken High School Students Need More Than Encouraging Social Media Posts

Advanced Placement (AP) Exams begin this week (week of May 17, 2021) at Hoboken High School with AP US History tomorrow and AP Psychology and AP US GOVT on Wednesday and AP Spanish Language on Friday. There are a number of posts from Board members and district officials wishing the students the best of luck. Such enthusiasm and support is certainly welcomed. But perhaps it may also prove fruitful to actually teach these students in an effective and impactful manner. Recent data from the 2021 US NEWS AND WORLD REPORT indicate only 19% of students pass AP exams and the high school has an abysmal 8% proficiency score in mathematics...a STEM discipline critical for success. 

Hoboken Board of Education Severely Misprojected 2020-21 K-12 Enrollment by 1500% Costing Taxpayers Over $3.7 Million Dollars as Part of a 10% Local Tax Levy Hike During Recession and Pandemic

When not busy denying Elysian Charter School a request to increase enrollment (see official letter) or going to court to revoke the charter of the award winning and recognized Hola Dual Language Charter School, or arguing about previously approved PILOT payments for charter schools, the Hoboken Board of Education requests money. A lot of money. And in 2020-21 it requested $3.7 million more than it should have requested.   

In a May 27, 2020 interview, Hoboken Board of Education Trustee and President Sharyn Angley was quoted as saying that the enrollment for the Hoboken School District for the 2020-21 school year would be 2514 for grades K-12 and that this projected increase was the reason for a 7.95% tax levy hike in the midst of the pandemic. 

The Board President also indicated that Hoboken’s "dramatic" enrollment growth allowed the NJDOE “to provide the district with an additional enrollment adjustment tax levy waiver of 7.95% [on top of the allotted 2%] in order to educate these new students with additional teachers, instructional supplies, technology, and special education needs" This additional 7.95% to the tax levy for the projected enrollment of 2514 for K-12 had a price tag of $3.7 million dollars. Incredibly, she projected a nearly 300 mid pandemic student enrollment increase for the 2020-21 school year. 

So, how did these projections work out?.... 

.....not so good. 

ACTUAL K-12 enrollment for the 2020-21 school year was closer to 2238 students (plus 17 special education students) NOT the 2514 students that Board Trustee Angley and the Board assured in May 2020. That is an increase of about 20 students or an underestimate of 276 students. This projected overestimate has cost the Hoboken taxpayers millions of dollars.

Moreover, the Hoboken School District gained an additional 18 “Choice” students in 2020-21 (offsetting the possible addition of 17 special education students) going from 147 Choice students to 165 choice students. The district RECEIVES money for choice students...over $2,500,000 (see picture below). BTW, "Choice" was a program I helped bring to the district in 2009. 

From Hoboken Board of Education "Budget at a Glance" 
Click to Enlarge 

"School Choice" students are a money making proposition for the district and basically keep the high school open since Hoboken High School enrollment would be around 270 students without School Choice students 

From: https://hudsoncountyview.com/after-more-state-aid-cuts-hoboken-boe-oks-83-8m-budget-with-9-95-school-tax-levy-hike/

Instead of 2514 K-12 students for 2020-21 as projected by the Hoboken Board of Education, the New Jersey Department of Education has reported an enrollment of only 2238 K-12 students for 2020-21. Cost? $3.7 million dollars. 

At the Hoboken Board of Education Meeting  on May 11, 2021 where the budget for 2021-22 was voted on and approved unanimously, there were no comments from Trustee Langley about last year's enrollment projections. 

Even if an enrollment adjustment WAS allowed by the NJDOE....why did the Board of Education decide to take such an adjustment in the middle of a pandemic, recession, and widespread economic turmoil? 

LONG LASTING IMPACT: As has been mentioned before...this extra money for the wrong projections will now stay IN the Board budget going forward...adding close to $48 million extra dollars over the next decade and the Board's continued attacks, lawsuits, and efforts to curb the success of Hoboken's charter schools at all costs: 

* in millions of dollars 

	WITH 7.95% INCREASE*	WITHOUT 7.95% INCREASE*	DIFF*
2019	48.3	48.3
2020	53.1	49.266	3.834
2021	54.162	50.25132	3.91068
2022	55.24524	51.2563464	3.9888936
2023	56.3501448	52.2814733	4.06867147
2024	57.4771477	53.3271028	4.1500449
2025	58.6266906	54.3936449	4.2330458
2026	59.7992245	55.4815177	4.31770672
2027	60.995209	56.5911481	4.40406085
2028	62.2151131	57.7229711	4.49214207
2029	63.4594154	58.8774305	4.58198491
2030	64.7286037	60.0549791	4.67362461
2031	66.0231758	61.2560787	4.7670971
			$51,420,000

Hoboken Board of Education- May 11, 2021 Detailed Agenda

The following is the detailed agenda for the May 11, 2021 Hoboken Board of Education Meeting. If one looks at the posted agenda below, the assumption would be that the meeting will occur at 7PM in the Demarest Auditorium on May 11th. 

Update: Link to the Meeting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndTwDkZqGp4

Among items of interest is the lack of specificity in the naming of appointments such as: 

9.09 Approval of Appointment of Non-Tenured Certified Administrators and Principals for the 2021-2022 School Year

9.10 Approval of Appointment of all Non-Tenured Certificated Hoboken Education Association Employees for the 2021-2022 School Year

9.11 Approval of Tenured Non-Certified HEA Staff for the 2021-2022 School Year

And it appears that there is a contract agreement with the teachers that lacks any specificity or posting of details: 

9.17 Approval of Memorandum of Agreement Between The Hoboken Board of Education and Hoboken School Employees Association

And the new budget will be voted upon... (see text below)

Also....Hopefully, there will be some discussion of the 1800% gap between the increased enrollment projections for the 2020-21 school year (296 students) and the actual 2020-21 enrollment increase (under 16 students). Read more about that HERE. 

HBOE Detailed Agenda May 2021 by Tony Petrosino on Scribd

 

Subject

 

10.12 Approval of the 2021/2022 Budget

Meeting

May 11, 2021 - AGENDA

 RESOLVED that, upon the recommendation of the Superintendent and the Business Administrator, the Board of Education approves the 2021-2022 school district budget.  The budget includes sufficient funds to provide curriculum and instruction which will enable all students to achieve the New Jersey student learning standards and is in compliance with N.J.S.A. 18A and N.J.A.C. Title 6 and 6A; and

BE IT RESOLVED, the Board adopts the following proposed budget for the 2021-2022 school year:
 

	General Fund		Special Revenue		Debt Service		Total
2021-22 Total Appropriations	$	66,532,441	$	21,260,632	$	-	$	87,793,073
Less: Anticipated Revenues		12,356,130		21,260,632		-		33,616,762
Taxes to be raised	$	54,176,311	$	-	$	-	$	54,176,311

 

APPROPRIATIONS
GENERAL FUND
General Fund-Current Expense	$	54,356,545
General Fund-Capital Outlay		897,650
General Fund-Special Schools		280,980
General Fund-Charter Schools		10,997,266
TOTAL GENERAL FUND	$	66,532,441
SPECIAL REVENUE FUND	$	21,260,632
Transfer to Preschool from Local Funds		(344,820)
TOTAL APPROPRIATIONS	$	87,448,253
REVENUES
GENERAL FUND
Budgeted Fund Balance	$	2,273,942
Tuition from Individuals		0
Miscellaneous Local Revenues		1,358,621
State Aid		8,521,282
Federal Aid (SEMI & Impact Aid)		202,285
Local Tax Levy		54,176,311
TOTAL GENERAL FUND	$	66,532,441
SPECIAL REVENUE FUND
Local Sources	$	109,792
State Sources		16,337,042
Federal Sources		4,468,978
TOTAL SPECIAL REVENUE FUND	$	20,915,812
TOTAL REVENUES	$	87,448,253

 

WHEREAS, in addition to the New Jersey student learning standards adopted by the State of New Jersey, Hoboken Public Schools, as a former Abbott district and by current regulations, is required to offer various programs not required of other New Jersey school districts which will not be deferred or incrementally completed over a longer period of time;

WHEREAS School district policy and N.J.A.C. 6A:23A-7.1-7.3 et seq. provides that the board of education shall establish in the annual school budget a maximum expenditure amount that may be allotted for such travel and expense reimbursement and the 2021-2022 budget includes a maximum travel appropriation of $80,000; now

 

THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the School Business Administrator shall track and record these costs to insure that the maximum amount is not exceeded; and

 

WHEREAS N.J.A.C. 6A:23A-5.2(1), the proposed budget provides for a maximum expenditure amount that is annually established for each type of professional service including public relations, with appropriate notification to the Board of Education if it becomes necessary to exceed the maximum; now

 

THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED upon such notification, the Board of Education may adopt a dollar increase to the maximum amount through board action.