Hoboken High School Scores in Bottom 5% of NJDOE District Factor Group on Combined SAT Scores for 2022-2023

The recently reported 2022-2023 SAT combined scores (math + reading) indicate that Hoboken High School is 42nd out of the 44 districts with high schools in their FG district factor group. District Factor Group is a designation by the NJDOE to categorize districts along 6 common socioeconomic features, specifically: 1) Percent of adults with no high school diploma; 2) Percent of adults with some college education; 3) Occupational status; 4) Unemployment rate; 5) Percent of individuals in poverty; 6) Median family income. 

In essence, the New Jersey Department of Education created district factor groups to compare "apples to apples" rather than "apples to oranges" when it comes to NJ school districts and NJ schools- especially high schools. 

These latest scores position Hoboken High School in the bottom 5% of their NJDOE District Factor Group. Of the 44 FG districts with high schools, the average combined SAT score was 1071.2 and the standard deviation was 53.2. Hoboken High School has a combined score of 972. The HHS score is almost 2 standard deviations below the norm for their DFG. 

HIGH SCHOOL	2023 SAT	DFG
Monroe Township High School	1221	FG
Haddon Township High School	1146	FG
Somerville High School	1145	FG
Point Pleasant Boro High School	1118	FG
Fort Lee High School	1115	FG
Matawan Regional High School	1112	FG
Dumont High School	1108	FG
Kingsway Regional High School	1107	FG
Old Bridge High School	1107	FG
Kittatinny Regional High School	1100	FG
Southern Regional High School	1098	FG
Middlesex High School	1096	FG
Cinnaminson High School	1096	FG
Hopatcong High School	1096	FG
Pompton Lakes High School	1095	FG
North Brunswick Township High School	1095	FG
Shore Regional High School	1094	FG
North Warren Regional School	1093	FG
Hasbrouch Heights High School	1092	FG
Point Pleasant Beach High School	1091	FG
Warren Hills Regional School	1091	FG
Woodstown High School	1090	FG
Lakeland Regional High School	1089	FG
Ocean Township High School	1086	FG
New Milford High School	1081	FG
Nutley High School	1080	FG
Hamilton East - Steinert	1074	FG
Burlington Township High School	1067	FG
South Plainfield High School	1064	FG
West Milford High School	1063	FG
Delran High School	1061	FG
Arthut L. Johnson High School	1054	FG
Vernon Township High School	1053	FG
Red Bank Regional High School	1046	FG
Washington Township High School	1045	FG
Hamilton North-Nottingham	1034	FG
Passaic Valley Regional High School	1029	FG
Dunellen High School	1020	FG
Pitman High School	1013	FG
Wood-Ridge Jr/Sr High School	1000	FG
Hamilton West-Watson	997	FG
Bergenfield High School	986	FG
Hoboken High School	972	FG
Collingswood High School	964	FG
Hoboken Charter School	919	FG
AVERAGE	1071.17778
STANDARD DEVIATION	53.2307536

The average SAT score for NJ's public schools was 525 for mathematics and 533 for reading/writing for a combined score of 1,058 out of a 1600 possible score. 

Hoboken High School Comes in 299th on 2022-23 New Jersey SAT Scores; District Factor Group Results Low

Newly released data for the 2022-23 school year shows Hoboken High School has a combined score of 972 with a 472 in Math and a 500 in Reading/Writing. Hoboken HS is ranked 299th in the state according to NJ.COM. Hoboken High School’s 2022-23 SAT scores are below average for its “FG” District Factor Group.

School districts in New Jersey are categorized into District Factor Groups, which describe the socioeconomic characteristics of the local district. Based on discussions with representatives from school districts and experimenting with various methods, the DFGs were calculated using the following six variables that have been found to be most closely related to SES:

1. Percent of adults with no high school diploma
2. Percent of adults with some college education
3. Occupational status
4. Unemployment rate
5. Percent of individuals in poverty
6. Median family income.

For overall comparison, the average SAT score for NJ students at the state’s public schools was 525 for math and 533 for the reading and writing section — for a combined score of 1,058 out of 1,600.  

For triangulation purposes, here are the 2023-24 US News and World Report scores for the NJ state testing results for Hoboken High School: 

CLICK TO ENLARGE

Note: New Jersey had 314 school districts supporting 426 high schools in the 2022-23 academic year. 

Petrosino and Colleagues Present at the American Educational Research Association Meeting in Philadelphia

The American Educational Research Association (AERA), a national research society, strives to advance knowledge about education, to encourage scholarly inquiry related to education, and to promote the use of research to improve education and serve the public good.

AERA's more than 25,000 members are faculty, researchers, graduate students, and other distinguished professionals with rich and diverse expertise in education research. They work in a range of settings from universities and other academic institutions to research institutes, federal and state agencies, school systems, testing companies, and nonprofit organizations. Based on their research, they produce and disseminate knowledge, refine methods and measures, and stimulate translation and practical application of research results.

Walking at the Boundaries: Learnings From an RPP (Research-Practice Partnership) Approach to Informal Math LearningFri, April 12, 11:25am to 12:55pm, Pennsylvania Convention Center, Floor: Level 100, Room 112B

Abstract: Research-Practice Partnerships (RPPs) are a collaborative approach to inquiry where university-based researchers and community-based practitioners share in the work of understanding educational problems and creating evidence-based solutions. Theoretically drawing upon boundary spanners, boundary practices, and boundary objects, we aim to understand how boundary crossing is promoted across nine informal learning partners. Initial findings suggest that informal mathematics learning is conceptualized differently across sites. Future research is needed to understand how the boundary crossings change over time.

Authors

Anthony J. Petrosino; Marc Sager, Southern Methodist University; Maximilian Sherard, Southern Methodist University; Candace A. Walkington, Southern Methodist University; Julianna Claiborne Washington, Southern Methodist University; Saki L. Milton, Southern Methodist University

Thursday Roundtable Session 9:00 am

Time: Thu, April 11, 9:00 to 10:30amPlace: Pennsylvania Convention Center, Floor: Level 200, Exhibit Hall B

“It Is Too Perfect for Nature”: Exploring Discussions About the Relationship Between Nature and Mathematics - Maximilian Sherard, Southern Methodist University; Marc Sager, Southern Methodist University; Saki L. Milton, Southern Methodist University; Koshi Dhingra, talkSTEM; Anthony J. Petrosino, Southern Methodist University; Candace A. Walkington, Southern Methodist University

Hoboken City Council Rejects Proposed 2024-25 Municipal Budget; Hoboken Board of Education Voices No Protest Over 2024-25 School Budget

The proposed Hoboken municipal budget tax will go from $70.255 million to $74.626 million, an increase of 6.2% or $4.371 million Meanwhile, the proposed Hoboken Board of Education tax levy will go from $58.716 million to $73.012 million which is an increase of 24.35% or $14.296 million. 

Picture: Congratulations to all the 2024 Inductees of the Hoboken High School Hall of Fame- Elks Club, Hoboken (April 7, 2024) 

Petrosino and Colleagues to Present at the Intl. Society of Learning Sciences (ISLS) conference in Buffalo, NY

Congratulations to my colleagues and the team of SMU Simmons faculty and students who have 6 papers accepted at the Intl. Society of Learning Sciences (ISLS) conference in Buffalo, NY in June.

The following are the references of the accepted papers by Dr. Walkington, along with other faculty members Drs. Anthony Cuevas, Anthony Petrosino, Kelsey Schenck, Prajakt Pande, post-doc researchers Drs. LeaAnne Daughrity, and Max Sherard, as well as Simmons Ph.D. students Saki Milton, Marc Sager, Julianna Washington, and Theodora Beauchamp:

Sager, M., Sherard, M., Milton, S., Walkington, C., & Petrosino, A. Learning math through a game-based personal excursion.

Schenck, K., Kim, D., Xia, F., Swart, M., Walkington, C., & Nathan, M.J. Exploring Interactive Technology for Supporting Embodied Geometric Reasoning.

Daughrity, L., Walkington, C., Sherard, M., Pande, P., Beauchamp, T., & Cuevas, A. From Abstract to Tangible: Leveraging Virtual Reality and GeoGebra for Playful Math Education.

Sherard, M., Walkington, C., Daughrity, L., Pande, P., Beauchamp, T., Petrosino, A., & Cuevas, A. Pedagogical Issues in Virtual Reality Mathematics Education.

Milton, S., Sager, M., & Walkington, C. Exploring STEM Identity and Belonging in Minoritized Girls at a Summer Camp.

Washington, J., Darwin, T., Beauchamp, T., & Walkington, C. A Qualitative Comparison of Mathematics Teachers’ and Students’ Experiences in a Virtual Reality Algebra Application.

Announcing the Winners of the 2024 Excellence in NJ Local News Awards - "Hoboken Schools Superintendent Didn’t Receive Doctorate Until Aug. ’22, Records Show"

Congratulations to John Heinis (@HeinisHardNews) and the team at Hudson County View for receiving this prestigious award and recognition for a story they investigated and uncovered dealing with the superintendent of the Hoboken School District and the Hoboken Board of Education.

The Center for Cooperative Media at Montclair State University is thrilled to announce the winners of the 2024 Excellence in New Jersey Local News Awards. This year, we received an astounding 85 submissions, the highest number in the history of our awards program.

“Journalism is printing something that someone does not want printed. Everything else is public relations.” George Orwell

The quality of the entries was truly exceptional, making the selection process especially challenging.

After careful consideration, we have selected the following 10 award winners who exemplify the vital role that local journalism plays in informing and serving New Jersey residents and communities:

Click to Enlarge 

John Heinis, Hudson County View

Heinis uncovered that a school superintendent lied about having a doctoratefor years. John’s diligent research and questioning revealed a troubling pattern of deception, promoting accountability in the school system.

Excerpt from the article: 

In all 75 of the board meetings she attended until last August, she was also referred to as Dr. Johnson.

At no time did she or the board discourage the use of the inappropriate title, video recordings of the meetings show.

Furthermore, in her response to HCV, Johnson indicated that she hadn’t submitted her dissertation before applying for the Hoboken job, saying only that she had completed the other work for the degree.

But in answering an Open Public Records Act request for information on Johnson’s background, Board President Sharyn Angley and Vice President Malani Cademartori asserted that Johnson had also finished all the work for the degree, including her dissertation before 2015, but didn’t receive her degree until she paid off her tuition.

“While finished with her requirements for her Doctor of Letters, the superintendent maintained matriculation in order to continue paying owed tuition. Once Dr. Johnson finished paying her tuition, her diploma for that particular degree was released,” they wrote in the January 18th email.

However, her dissertation raises doubts about this claim. Johnson’s dissertation, dated August 19th, 2022, indicates that it was researched and written several years after the board hired her, not before.

ASSA Reports Oct2022 and Oct2023 - Hoboken School District / Kindergarten Enrollment October 2019 to October 2022

Click to Enlarge 

There has been a great deal of hyperbole and (mis)information about enrollment in the Hoboken Public School District.  Here are some actual numbers taken from the annual Application for School State Aid (ASSA) Report also known as the "October 15th" report since all districts in NJ use this mechanism to report on official student enrollment. 

ACTUAL ENROLLMENT HOBOKEN DISTRICT

ASSA REPORT: Fall 2022: 2303 K-12 + 851 PreK [total includes 160 Choice students];

ASSA REPORT: Fall 2023: 2588 K-12 + 933 PreK [total includes 164 Choice students]

Watching the video of a recent BOE meeting (https://youtube.com/watch?v=vCxwPk4qwIY…), Christine Johnson's claims for a proposed 24.3% increase in the 2024-25 budget include: new staff; compensation for existing staff; "appreciation" money for the staff's response to the pandemic; vague "structural repairs" to the buildings; exhaustion of $5.8 million COVID money.

Approval of the Tentative 24.3% Increase for the Hoboken Public School District Budget for the 2024-2025 Fiscal Year (plus Video)

Meeting

Mar 19, 2024 - SPECIAL SESSION - ADOPTION OF THE TENTATIVE BUDGET

Type

Action (Consent)

Recommended Action

WHEREAS, the Superintendent and Business Administrator recommend to the members of the Hoboken Board of Education a Local Tax Levy of $73,012,635 to support the 2024-2025 General Fund Budget in the amount of $88,442,445; and

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Education hereby adopts the Hoboken Board of Education School Budget, Fiscal Year 2024-2025, hereto as a tentative budget for the purpose of submitting said budget to the Office of the Hudson County Superintendent of Schools as required by law and code, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the board of education hereby directs the Board Secretary / School Business Administrator to cause said budget to be advertised in the newspapers and made available on the school district website as required, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that subsequent to the County Superintendent’s approval of said tentative budget, the board will welcome community input at its regularly scheduled annual Public Budget Hearing on 07 MAY 2024 and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the Hoboken Board of Education will, after said public hearing, vote to formally adopt the Proposed School District Budget for the 2024-2025 fiscal year at a Public Meeting to be held on 14 MAY 2024.

TO BE ADOPTED BY THE HOBOKEN BOARD OF EDUCATION ON 19 MARCH 2024

Motion & Voting

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves a Consent Agenda.

Motion by Sharyn Angley, second by Chetali Khanna.

Final Resolution: Motion Carries

Yes: Sharyn Angley, Malani Cademartori, Alex De La Torre, Antonio Grana, Chetali Khanna, Thomas Kluepfel, Ailene McGuirk 

You can watch the 20-minute presentation of the initial budget: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCxwPk4qwIY

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Hoboken Property Owners Would Be Slammed with Average $632 Tax Hike Under Proposed School Budget- By Teri West | The Jersey Journal

On March 20, 2024, Terri West of The Jersey Journal reported that, Hoboken property owners are being slammed with a tax increase of more than $600 under the school district’s proposed budget for the 2024-25 school year, which gained initial approval Tuesday night.

Much of the 24.3% increase is a result of a growing staff, rising staff salaries and higher facilities costs, Superintendent Christine Johnson said Wednesday.

The tax levy for the owner of an average home would jump by $632, district Business Administrator Joyce Goode said. The $88.4 million budget is $14.8 million higher than the current school year’s budget of $73.6 million.

The 24.3% spike comes on the heels of a 6.3% increase — or roughly $115 per average homeowner — last year. Prior to this, the average tax levy increase over the previous five years was 5.1%, the superintendent said.

With the budget’s unanimous first passage Tuesday night, it is now sent to the county superintendent of schools for approval.

“This is quite a large tax increase, but as it’s broken down into the categories, you can see there’s basically no fluff in this budget at all and it’s truly streamlined,” Goode said.

The district’s growing enrollment and aging facilities have been key topics of concern for the Board of Education in recent years and were frequently referenced at Tuesday’s special Board of Education meeting as factors that inevitably impacted the budget.

While the district did not lose state aid for the first time in recent years, its $725,000 increase in state aid will be dedicated to special education and school choice, which allows non-Hoboken residents to attend Hoboken schools.

“Any increase is certainly better than any cuts in state aid, but the funds don’t cover the rises we are seeing in special education costs,” Johnson said. “They do not cover the cost that we were seeing associated with enrollment growth, and they certainly do not touch any of the cost that we are seeing that are associated with aging facilities.”

The budget includes a $1.6 million transfer of funds from the capital reserve to finance a project that would bring modular classrooms, or trailers, to Wallace Elementary School, to free up space at Brandt Elementary School, the superintendent said.

Choosing not to do the project would reduce the tax levy by 2.2%, but the district considers the project to be critical, Johnson said.

An addition of about 20 new staff positions represents 4.2% of the tax levy increase, and an increase in existing staff salaries and benefits represents another 7.6% of the tax levy increase, Johnson said.

“The original tax levy was a lot higher than this, so painfully we did reduce it down to this level,” Goode said, adding that the district will reduce it if any new funding becomes available during the budget process.

“I appreciate all the work that has been done on this budget,” said Board of Education President Ailene McGuirk. “School districts are not insulated from inflationary pressures or increases in utilities or insurance.”

District officials said they will continue to work on the budget in the coming days to see if it can be further trimmed.

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The proposed budget is either now or soon will be in the hands of the County Superintendent of Schools. Here is contact information should you have any questions or concerns: 

Hudson County Office

Melissa Pearce, Interim Executive County Superintendent

melissa.pearce@doe.nj.gov

Office Location:
Hudson County Office of Education
830 Bergen Avenue
Suite 7B
Jersey City, NJ 07306-4507
Directions
Phone: (201) 369-5290
Fax: (201) 369-5288