At the same time, the community deserves the full story.
When I served as assistant superintendent (2007-09), Hoboken became one of New Jersey's first districts to join the Interdistrict Public School Choice Program in 2009. The purpose was simple: welcome students from neighboring communities while maintaining a diverse and academically strong school system. At the time, the program was not built around recruiting only the highest-performing students.
That has changed.
In recent years, the district's approach has shifted, particularly at the high school level. CHOICE applicants with the strongest grades and test scores have increasingly been the students selected for admission. That is an important policy decision, and it has consequences. When a school enrolls more academically accomplished students, it should surprise no one that AP enrollment rises, AP Scholar recognition increases, and average AP scores improve.
None of this diminishes the achievements of Hoboken High's students or teachers. They have earned recognition for their work. But honest leadership requires acknowledging all of the factors that contribute to success. Celebrating outstanding AP results while ignoring the impact of increasingly selective CHOICE admissions presents only part of the picture.
The district has every reason to be proud of these results. It should also be transparent about how changes in student recruitment and admissions have helped shape them.
