Hoboken Public Schools: 1 in 5 Employees Earn More Than $100K+ a Year in a District Where Less Than 1 in 10 Grade 7-12 Students are Proficient in Mathematics and 6 in 10 Are Not Reading at Grade Level

Figure 1: US NEWS AND WORLD REPORT 2021

According to recent data published by US News and World Report (see Figure 1), the Hoboken Public School District is a district where less than half the students in grades 7 to 12 are reading at grade level.  The Hoboken Public School District is also a district where less than 1 out of 10 of those same students are proficient in mathematics. Some people may think these scores are low, but in Hoboken administrators and district leaders win awards, gain recognition, and receive accolades regardless of these abysmal scores.   

The Hoboken Public School District is also a district where 87 employees of the district have salaries above $100,000 a year not including health benefits and pension. The number of employees at Hoboken Public School District in year 2019 was 360 (see link below). 

It would appear that middle and high school student performance and district employee compensation have little to do with each other. Perhaps if people weren't so busy tweeting and posting to social media about "accomplishments" some actual student learning of mathematics and the ability to read would be taking place. 

Niche.com Hoboken HS Ratings 

To be clear, I support quality teaching and believe it should be acknowledged, recognized, rewarded. For instance, while Assistant Superintendent I helped finalize a 14% raise for a 3 year contract for teachers but results were expected. Hoboken High School was independently recognized as the 2nd most improved school in NJ and the district was recognized in successive years by US News and World Report.  

As the 2021-22 school year approaches and the pandemic subsides, it will be interesting to see if the multi-year and pre-pandemic trend of unending praise, tweets, social media posts, and awards as well as salary increases and contract extensions for much less than mediocre results continue...or if there will be a recommitment to teach reading and mathematics in an effective manner within a District impacted not only by the pandemic but by the recent years of ineffective practices and policies. 

To view individual salaries please point your browser to: 

https://govsalaries.com/salaries/NJ/hoboken-public-school-district

This information was also Tweeted....here are the statistics: 

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