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

Johnson and Hoboken Board of Education Propose a 24.3% School Tax Increase Despite Receiving Millions from the State for Choice Students

 The Hoboken School District receives $2,911,656 (figure 1) for 164 Choice students (figure 2- lower right-hand corner of page) attending the district from outside the physical perimeters of the City of Hoboken. This information may be relevant as the City of Hoboken grapples with an historical increase in the local school tax levy of over 24%. 

Figure 1: NJ State Aid 2024-25

2024-25 ASSA Report - Hoboken 

According to NJ.com, 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.

In 2010 a bill was passed in NJ essentially limiting/eliminating the need for a school budget vote if the proposed budget is 2% or lower than the previous year's budget. 

Petrosino and Sager Present Research in Denver, CO at the National Association for Research in Science Teaching - March 17, 2024 - March 20, 2024 - "Urban Farming within a Transdisciplinary Research Practice Partnership"

NARST is a global organization of professionals committed to the improvement of science teaching and learning through research. Since its inception in 1928, NARST has promoted research in science education and the communication of knowledge generated by the research. The ultimate goal of NARST is to help all learners achieve science literacy. NARST promotes this goal by: 1) encouraging and supporting the application of diverse research methods and theoretical perspectives from multiple disciplines to the investigation of teaching and learning in science; 2) communicating science education research findings to researchers, practitioners, and policy makers; and 3) cooperating with other educational and scientific societies to influence educational policies.

The following is an ABSTRACT of a paper my PhD student and I are presenting at NARST 2024 in Denver, Colorado entitled Urban Farming within a Transdisciplinary Research Practice Partnership

Abstract

One way to create more sustainable transdisciplinary research networks is through establishing research practice partnerships (RPPs) between an urban farm, a faculty and staff from a Historically Black College, and researchers at a medium-sized private university. We investigate student-workers’ resiliency at an urban farm situated on the campus of a Historically Black College. This study draws from literature that explores tensions between informal learning environments and formal spaces, equitable food and farming systems, and the resiliency of farm works, and is grounded in the theory of situated cognition. Utilizing a participatory design research approach, we conducted semi-structured interviews and deductively analyzed the data using critical food systems education. Our findings revealed what socio-scientific topics are discussed on an urban farm: 1) how participants were eager to engage with the local community; 2) how the participants demonstrated resiliency while working on the urban farm; 3) how power dynamics played a pivotal role to inform the direction of the urban farm; 3) how participants consider the community’s access to healthy foods an important mission for the farm. Our findings help deepen our understanding of the socio-scientific issues within an informal science education space. 

2024-25 APPLICATION FOR STATE SCHOOL AID - 17 HUDSON / 2210 HOBOKEN CITY

The ASSA is the data collection used to gather the resident and nonresident

pupil counts required to calculate a school district’s state aid entitlement.

For a school district to receive state aid for a pupil, the student must be

enrolled on October 13 in a program that will meet for at least 180 days

during the school year.

A district is required to report the number of pupils enrolled full-time or

shared-time in each school by grade or special education category. In

addition, a district must also report the number of pupils that are sent and

received and the number of pupils enrolled as follows on October 13:

• LEP pupils (ELL)

• Low income pupils (pupils eligible for free meals/free milk or reduced

meals)

• Shared-time county vocational school district pupils

• County special services school district pupils

• Regional day school pupils

• Pupils in certain State-operated programs

• Accredited adult high school pupils

• Pupils in approved private schools for the disabled

Here is a FAQ put out by the State of NJ concering the ASSA report: https://www.nj.gov/education/finance/sf/assa_faq.shtml

2024-25 APPLICATION FOR STATE SCHOOL AID - 2210 HOBOKEN CITY by Tony Petrosino on Scribd

 

Does Hoboken Public School District Limit Comments on "X" (formally Twitter) ?

Recently, a post on Twitter ("X") came to my attention. First, the Hoboken School District posted a few pictures of a class trip to Boston to visit colleges. But, it was pointed out that the Hoboken School District limits comments of their Twitter account. I was not aware of this. 

Here is the comment: Do they let children in with 8% math proficiency? Notice how the Public School district in #Hoboken does not allow public comments. Their public relations firm wants to control the narrative, instead of telling residents the truth.

Here are the latest test scores, 8% of students are proficient in Mathematics, over half of the school is reading below grade level, and 1% of students are proficient in Science. These are NJDOE assessments that are aligned with the curriculum. Is this proper preparation for college? Is this a proper education in general? Decide for yourself: 

Limited Comments Allowed? 

Hoboken Dual Language Charter School - Top 4% in BOTH Elementary and Middle School NJ Rankings

 

The Hoboken Dual Language Charter School is a charter school located in Hoboken, NJ, which is in a large suburb setting. The student population of Hoboken Dual Language Charter School is 417 and the school serves K-8. At Hoboken Dual Language Charter School, 58% of students scored at or above the proficient level for math, and 71% scored at or above that level for reading.

The school’s minority student enrollment is 46%. The student-teacher ratio is 26:1, which is the same as that of the district.The student population is made up of 47% female students and 53% male students. The school enrolls 11% economically disadvantaged students. There are 16 equivalent full-time teachers and 1 full-time school counselor.

See Full US NEWS AND WORLD REPORT summary of Hola:

https://www.usnews.com/education/k12/new-jersey/hoboken-dual-language-charter-school-232484

The Hola Dual Language School's Charter in Hoboken is Renewed for Five More Years

HOBOKEN, NJ — (Hoboken Patch Feb 26, 2024- Caren Lissner) The state of New Jersey has renewed a charter for one of Hoboken's three public charter schools, which will continue to expand slightly. "The charter for Hoboken Dual Language School (HOLA) was renewed on Jan. 31, 2024, for a period of five years through June 30, 2029," said a spokesperson for the state Department of Education on Monday. "A request was also granted for an expansion of 12 seats by the 2025-2026 school year." 

 In Hoboken, the first two charter schools — Hoboken Charter School and Elysian Charter School — were founded in the late 1990s after charters became legal in New Jersey. In 2010, Hola — a K-8 dual language school where students are taught in English and Spanish — was founded initially as a K-5 school . All three charter schools hold a lottery each January to determine which students can enroll, with extra weight for those receiving public assistance, and preferences given to students for having a sibling in the school and for living in Hoboken.

The Hola Dual Language School is a free public school that was founded by individuals who were independent of the existing public school system, and included local citizens, researchers,  and educators. Originally, Hola was intended to be a part of the Hoboken Public School system but this proposal was voted down by some members of the Hoboken Board of Education including Theresa Minutillo, Rose Marie Markle, and Carrie Gilliard in Feb of 2009. 

Hola was granted the right in 2015 to expand to seventh and eighth grade, although the expansion was initially challenged by the Hoboken Board of Education.

In 2017, they also received permission to add six students per grade. This year, the expansion was included as they re-applied. According to information from the state Department of Education, each grade will have 50 students by the 2025-2026 school year:

CLICK TO ENLARGE

The state said, "HOLA submitted its renewal application on October 13, 2023 and has been evaluated by the New Jersey Department of Education (Department) on its academic performance, fiscal viability and operational stability. Through the renewal process, HOLA requested to increase its maximum enrollment from 438 seats to 450 seats by the 2025-2026 school year." On Jan. 31, Hola announced that it was pleased to have had its charter renewed for the third time, saying, "We are happy to share fantastic news with all of you — the NJ Department of Education just officially renewed our charter. This is the third consecutive renewal and a significant achievement for our entire community ... In New Jersey, a charter renewal is a significant process, including a review of a school's financial performance, operations, governance, and academic achievement."

In the past, the proposed expansion of charter schools in Hoboken, and proposals for new schools, was met with frustration and lawsuits by some who argued that they might be taking funding and resources away from other schools in addition to fallacious claims of "white flight." . You can read more about the controversy and lawsuits here.

The Fires: Hoboken 1978–1982 in partnership with the Hoboken Historical Museum, Diaspora Solidarities Lab, and New Jersey Council for the Humanities from February 1–April 15, 2024

"The Fires: Hoboken 1978–1982," in partnership with the Hoboken Historical Museum, offers a poignant lesson in resilience, community strength, and the power of collective response to urban challenges. The project sheds light on the devastating fires that swept through Hoboken during the specified period, serving as a historical lens into a community's ability to overcome adversity.

Through this collaboration, we learn the importance of documenting local history, as it preserves the collective memory of a community and fosters a sense of identity. The fires, while destructive, became a catalyst for community mobilization, demonstrating the capacity for solidarity in times of crisis.

The project also underscores the need for proactive urban planning and fire prevention measures. Understanding the historical context allows for informed decision-making to create safer and more resilient urban environments.

Ultimately, "The Fires" emphasizes the enduring spirit of community and the lessons it imparts about the shared responsibility of preserving and learning from our collective past for a more resilient and informed future. -Dr. Petrosino

CENTRO, The Center for Puerto Rican Studies at Hunter College, has announced the opening of the exhibition, The Fires: Hoboken 1978–1982 in partnership with the Hoboken Historical Museum, Diaspora Solidarities Lab, and New Jersey Council for the Humanities from February 1–April 15, 2024. CENTRO is the largest university-based research institute, library, and archive dedicated to the Puerto Rican experience in the United States.

Centro's Directora is Dr. Yomaira C. Figueroa-Vásquez, an Afro-Puerto Rican writer, teacher, and scholar who was born and raised in Hoboken. In addition to serving as CENTRO's Directora, she is a Professor of Africana, Puerto Rican & Latino Studies at CUNY Hunter.

The exhibition, first installed at the Hoboken Historical Museum, features the work of Christopher López, a Puerto Rican Lens-Based Artist, Educator, and Public Historian.

Dr. Figueroa-Vásquez expounds, "The Fires: Hoboken 1978-1982 is a multidisciplinary show that surfaces the living histories of the fires and arsons that transformed the city of Hoboken from the 1970's-1980's. Through a violent cocktail of intimidation, greed, corruption, and indifference, over 50 Hoboken residents, mostly children, lost their lives in fires that ravaged the city during the era of post-industrial urban renewal. Arriving four decades after the apex of the fires, photographer Chris López, a Bronx native of Puerto Rican parentage, critically engages the afterlives of arson, displacement, and dispossession. Unlike the historic and well documented history of fires in the Bronx, very few photographers captured images of the arsons in Hoboken and even fewer scholars have studied the phenomenon. The existing archive is deeply indebted to the work of journalists, the painstaking work of community organizers, and a few documentary filmmakers who captured the terror, uncertainty, and destruction of that time period. In this context, The Fires represents the first exhibit of its kind to visit this history alongside those who were most deeply impacted."

We encourage everyone to visit this powerful exhibit, which will be displayed at the Silberman School of Social Work in El Barrio, located at 2180 3rd Ave. Visiting hours are Mondays-Fridays 10am-5pm.

Petrosino to Serve on Committee at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

Associate Dean at the Simmons School of Education and Human Development invited to serve on Board on Science Education committee for PreK-12 STEM Education Innovations

Associate Dean for Research and Outreach at Simmons School of Education and Human Development, Anthony Petrosino, has recently been invited and has accepted the invitation to serve as a member of the Board on Science Education committee on PreK-12 STEM Education Innovations. This board is a part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and seeks to identify and understand any “research gaps or factors that impede or facilitate widespread implementation of new initiatives at local, regional, and national levels.”

Dr. Petrosino’s board appointment will last until April 2025.

Description

An ad hoc committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine will conduct a consensus study to: 

1. Review the research literature and identify research gaps regarding the interconnected factors that foster and hinder successful implementation of promising, evidence-based PreK-12 science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education innovations at the local, regional, and national level;
2. Present a compendium of promising, evidence-based PreK-12 STEM education practices, models, programs, and technologies;
3. Identify barriers to widespread and sustained implementation of such innovations; and
4. Make recommendations to the National Science Foundation, the Department of Education, the National Science and Technology Council’s Committee on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education, state and local educational agencies, and other relevant stakeholders on measures to address such barriers.

Seeing the World through a Mathematical Lens: A Place-Based Mobile App for Creating Math Walks

Dr. Anthony Petrosino's grant with the National Science Foundation receives recognition.

Dr. Anthony Petrosino and colleagues have received recent recognition for a $2,448,189 NSF grant (# 2115393) with the National Science Foundation. Petrosino (Co-Principal Investigator) along with colleagues Candace Walkington (Principal Investigator), Cathy Ringstaff (Co-Principal Investigator); Koshi Dhingra (Co-Principal Investigator); and Elizabeth Stringer (Co-Principal Investigator) are involved in work developing an application for learning math outside of school.

CLICK TO ENLARGE

Math is everywhere in the world, but youth may see math as disconnected from their everyday experiences and wonder how math is relevant to their lives. There is evidence that informal math done by children is highly effective, involving efficiency, flexibility, and socializing. Yet, more is needed to understand how educators can support math engagement outside of school, and the role these out-of-school experiences can play relative to the classroom and lifelong STEM learning. 

This Innovations and Development Project seeks to conduct research on a location-based mobile app for informal mathematics learning. This research takes place at 9 informal learning sites and involves iteratively designing an app in which learners can view and contribute to an interactive map of math walk stops at these sites. Learners will be able to select locations and watch short videos or view pictures with text that describe how mathematical principles are present in their surroundings. For example, learners could use the app to discover how a painting by a local Latino artist uses ratio and scale, or how a ramp in downtown was designed with a specific slope to accommodate wheelchairs. 

Research studies will examine the affordances of augmented reality (AR) overlays where learners can hold up the camera of their mobile device, and see mathematical representations (e.g., lines, squares) layered over real-world objects in their camera feed. Research studies will also examine the impact of having learners create their own math walk stops at local informal learning sites, uploading pictures, descriptions, and linking audio they narrate, where they make observations about how math appears in their surroundings and pose interesting questions about STEM ideas and connections they wonder about. 

Deadline Fast Approaching for Hoboken's PUBLIC (free) Charter School Lotteries

For all those interested in entering the lottery for Hoboken's Public (free) Charter Schools. Keep in mind, the reason why there is a lottery is because the demand exceeds the seating capacity of each of these charter schools. 

CLICK TO ENLARGE

 Hoboken families are encouraged to learn more and apply to enter the lottery for the city’s public charter schools – Hoboken Dual Language Charter School (HoLa), Elysian Charter School and Hoboken Charter School. The three public schools are free, open to all Hoboken residents and do not have any entrance testing requirements. Because demand exceeds available seats, students are randomly selected for entrance to the schools through a lottery system. All three schools offer a weighted preference for Hoboken families who live in public or subsidized housing or receive public benefits. The collective deadline to apply to the three public charter school lotteries ends January 11th, 2024 at 5pm. 

Learn more below:

Elysian Charter School: www.ecsnj.org

Hoboken Charter School: www.hobokencs.org

Hoboken Dual Language Charter School: www.holahoboken.org

Hoboken's HoLa Dual Language School Exceeds at Brown University's Science Olympiad Invitational AND is Recognized by the New Jersey School Board Association with a School Leader Award for 2023; Hoboken District Schools Continue to Flounder Under Johnson

Congratulations to these middle schoolers from the Hola Dual Language School in Hoboken, NJ. These students brought home 13 medals including several top-three finishes at the Brown University Science Olympiad Invitational.

Earlier this week, Hola was recognized by the New Jersey School Board Association with a School Leader Award for 2023. The award is formal recognition for HoLa as a leader in dual-language programs in New Jersey. 

HoLa continues to enjoy diverse and independent recognition for school success. Unfortunately, it is too bad the rest of the Hoboken Public School district is rather disappointing. As an example, some might remember recent revelations that Superintendent Johnson professionally and personally misrepresented herself about having a doctorate for well over a decade. Others might recall a recent US News and World Report showing that over half of the high school students are reading below grade level; only 8% of all students were proficient in Algebra; and 1% of students were found to be proficient in Science.