A Feasibility Study to Determine the Impact of Terminating the Sending/Receiving Relationship Between the Jamesburg and Monroe Township School Districts

CONSULTING SERVICES ASSOCIATES

LEONARD H. ELOVITZ, Ed.D. ROBERT L. GORDON RICHARD ROSENBERG MEL KLEIN ALAN MARKOWITZ, Ed.D.

October 2011

Table of Contents

Introduction Page 2

Chapter 1 Programmatic Impact Page 4

Chapter 2 Ethnicity Impact Page 17

Chapter 3 Enrollment Impact Page 21

Chapter 4 Fiscal Impact Page 26

Chapter 5 Summary & Conclusions Page 40

Appendix A Proposal Page 42

Appendix B Agreement Page 54

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Introduction

The Jamesburg Board of Education issued a request for proposals in the spring of 2011. That request sought consultant services for a feasibility study to terminate the sending-receiving relationship with the Monroe Board of Education for students in grades 9-12 who reside in Jamesburg. The submission deadline for proposals was June 23, 2011. Subsequent to that date the Jamesburg Board awarded a contract to Consulting Services Associates (CSA) to complete the study.

CSA is an LLC consisting of retired superintendents of schools and other senior administrators who possess ample experience in matters relating to the governance and operation of public school districts. In the proposal CSA indicated that the following principal partners, all former superintendents, would work on this contract: • Len Elovitz • Bob Gordon • Mel Klein

Also contributing to the overall effort would be CSA associate Richard Rosenberg, former New Jersey Assistant Commissioner for Finance and Deputy Commissioner of Education.

The proposal (attached herein in the appendix of the report) summarized the consultants’ qualifications and experience with emphasis on projects completed in the past that focused on issues similar to those that confront the Jamesburg Board of Education. Those related projects included analyses of sending-receiving relationships (with recommendations), demographic studies, and matters relating to consolidation and/or regionalization of New Jersey School districts. CSA’s proposal also incorporated a comprehensive listing of references from current and recent clients. The proposal noted that CSA has been doing business as an entity in this state since 1998. Many of the company’s clients have contracted with CSA for “repeat business” following the completion of an initial task.

Among the services to be rendered (enumerated in the attached proposal) was an analysis and impact review of the educational program that would include the Monroe Board of Education as well as one other school district that could serve as the recipient of Jamesburg’s high school students. That district would be selected by the Jamesburg Board of Education. The contract between the Jamesburg Board and CSA also allows the board to select one or more other schools to be analyzed, but at an additional cost as specified in the contract.

As of early September 2011, CSA representatives had already conducted on-site meetings with senior administrators at both Jamesburg and Monroe with additional visits to be scheduled as needed. During all site visits, relevant documents were collected for later review by the consultants who also made extensive use of the information available on the websites of the two school districts and the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE). Data obtained from the NJDOE website were the most current available at the time that the report was completed. In all

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matters, the administrators from both districts were extremely courteous and forthcoming in response to the questions posed by the consultants.

Rationale for Study:

From all indications garnered by the consultants, the long-standing relationship between Jamesburg and Monroe has been amicable and educationally productive. Monroe officials appear to be happy with the arrangement and supportive of the educational and co-curricular needs of Jamesburg adolescents who attend Monroe High School. Jamesburg’s overriding concern with the status quo has to do with the tuition costs associated with the relationship. To that end, the two school districts entered into a formal agreement signed by both parties on March 15, 2011 in which the parties memorialized the “gradual dissolution of the sending- receiving relationship” subject to the approval of the Commissioner of Education. The agreement was initiated by Jamesburg as that district has cited the fact that rising tuition costs to be paid to Monroe, coupled with additional charges for debt service associated with Monroe’s new high school (opened in September 2011) are causing extreme financial hardship to the sending district that has resulted in the severe curtailment of the curricular and co-curricular offerings for Jamesburg children in grades pre-K through 8 who are educated in their home school system. While the sending-receiving relationship between the two school systems has endured since 1979, the costs incurred by Jamesburg to send high schoolers to Monroe have escalated to the point where Dr. Gail Verona, Jamesburg’s Superintendent of Schools, declared to the consultants that, “We can no longer afford to send our kids there,” citing among other factors the recent elimination of all non-mandated co-curricular activities in grades pre-K-8 as one means of attempting to offset continuing rising fees for children of high school age. It should be noted that despite the program reductions mentioned above, State programming requirements were all met.

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Chapter 1 Programmatic Impact In this section, the impact of the termination of the current sending/receiving relationship between Jamesburg and Monroe Township on the educational program is assessed.

Jamesburg: Materials provided by Jamesburg officials reveal that this school district is designated as a district factor group (DFG) DE on a New Jersey Department of Education scale that ranges from A-J with A representing the most economically disadvantaged communities and J the wealthiest placing this Middlesex County school district below the mid-point of the range. Information provided by Jamesburg and confirmed by the NJDOE shows that the following census data are used by the department in assigning a DFG:

• Percentage of each district’s population with no high school diploma • Percentage with some college education • Poverty level of the district • Unemployment rate of the district • Residents’ occupations • Residents’ income

The materials supplied by Jamesburg cited the following (local) examples of other DE districts:

• Sayreville • Spotswood • Woodbridge

Jamesburg operates two public schools including the John F. Kennedy School for youngsters in grades pre-k through 5 and the Grace M. Breckwedel Middle School that accommodates enrollees in grades 6-8.

The school district’s administrators indicated that following completion of the eighth grade in Jamesburg most of the middle school’s graduates opt to attend Monroe Township High School rather than choosing other alternatives such as the county’s technical high school or private high schools that are available in the immediate area. The SBA also indicated that some Jamesburg students who attend private parochial schools for their elementary years opt for Monroe Township High School, which adds to tuition costs.

According to Jamesburg’s website the following information summarizes the educational philosophy in place at the middle school:

“ Grace M. Breckwedel Middle School is one of two schools in the Jamesburg School District. Approximately 198 students attend classes in heterogeneous groups with a focus on

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data-driven, differentiated and high-level instruction. Our highly qualified and dedicated staff provides opportunities for regular and special education students to interact in traditional and nontraditional settings with an emphasis on high achievement for all students. For the current school year, we continue to offer an Algebra 1 class for qualified 8th grade students. Board approved District Goals for this school year are: 1.To build an educational environment that will meet mandated NCLB and NJQSAC standards, challenge all students to do their personal best, and provide opportunities for every child to reach his or her potential; 2. To provide the social and emotional support to students within a safe and healthy environment to develop age appropriate social skills, integrity, and compassion for others; 3. To provide opportunities to parents, community members, and school staff to partner for the development or enhancement of home-school connections and community involvement programs.”

The Jamesburg Schools also attract numerous students whose families speak Spanish as their native language. Consequently, some of the critical documents on the website are available to residents in both English and Spanish versions.

While student performance on standardized tests is enumerated elsewhere in this report it is noted here that district officials reported the following results on the NJ ASK 8 for the total student population for Jamesburg’s eighth grade as follows (Spring 2010):

• Language Arts/Literacy 67.6% proficient/advanced proficient • Mathematics 60.5% proficient/advanced proficient • Science 80.3 % proficient/advanced proficient

The interview with school officials coupled with an analysis of the provided materials and the information revealed on the district’s website show that the Jamesburg Schools are providing middle school youngsters and their parents with the resources necessary for a smooth transition to a comprehensive high school such as the one located in Monroe. That assessment is borne out by comments made by school administrators in Monroe including the high school principal.

Monroe:

Three members of the CSA team visited the Monroe Schools on August 16, 2011. A morning session was held in the district’s central office with Superintendent Kenneth Hamilton and School Business Administrator Michael Gorski. An afternoon meeting was held at the new Monroe Township High School where the principal, Robert Goodall was interviewed. The district leaders indicated that the new high school has a student capacity of about 1850 students in grades 9-12. At the time of the visit the building had yet to be dedicated for its formal opening in September 2011. As is quite common the “old” high school in Monroe now operates as the district’s middle school.

Dr. Hamilton advised that Monroe continues to be a growing community with an influx of new residents and concomitant increases in enrollment across the grades. He pointed to what he referred to as a “district growth” number of 156 new students. He added that in light of changing demographics he anticipated that the school system’s district factor group (DFG)

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would “move up” from and F to a G consistent with NJDOE criteria that assess residents’ overall education and economic factors as well as other indicators.

The superintendent and business administrator commented favorably on the history of the sending-receiving relationship with Jamesburg that has been in place since 1979. Neither official cited any difficulties or problems associated with having Jamesburg’s high school age youngsters in attendance at Monroe Township High School on a tuition basis. They added that the long- standing relationship with Jamesburg has been a friendly one and that that community’s adolescents have been thoroughly assimilated into the fabric of their high school. They understood, however, that Jamesburg is facing severe financial constraints as a result of the tuition formula and state funding restrictions. Nonetheless, Dr. Hamilton observed that the high school facility at present has room for the Jamesburg students and that while revenue obtained from that school district helps to support program offerings, nothing would be eliminated should Jamesburg students enroll in a different high school.

The superintendent said that he and his board understand Jamesburg’s motivation for exploring alternative arrangements for their high school population and he added that the board has agreed not to legally contest the sending district’s gradual withdrawal from Monroe Township High School with the possibility that potential Jamesburg freshmen might attend elsewhere in September 2012 with all of the Jamesburg students being phased out over a four year period.

High School Principal Robert Goodall said he personally found it “upsetting” that the Jamesburg youngsters might be phased out as attendees at his school. He said the tuition students are fully integrated into the life of Monroe High and he would hate to see them leave. He said this year represents his seventh as principal at Monroe H.S. following a two-year stint as one of the school’s vice principals. He added that one of the tasks he most enjoys is visiting the Jamesburg Middle School where he talks to eighth graders about the opportunities and options offered to them at Monroe.

In addition, Mr. Goodall maintains communications with the Jamesburg representative on the Monroe Board of Education to make sure that individual is fully informed about matters pertaining to the high school.

Regarding the students themselves, Mr. Goodall described the tuition students as fully integrated “in the flow” of the school with Jamesburg youngsters participating in the many athletic and co-curricular activities offered there. He said that, by and large, the residency status of enrollees is “invisible” to staff and all are viewed simply as Monroe Township High School students irrespective of the community in which they reside. He said that given the geographic configuration and the close proximity of the two towns he did not believe that bus rides were any longer (to and from school) for the Jamesburg students versus the Monroe youngsters.

Mr. Goodall assured the CSA representatives that the loss of Jamesburg students would not have an adverse effect on the academic or co-curricular programs at Monroe High School. He was quick to point out that we were talking about 2 or 3 students per classroom, whose loss would not result in the elimination of any programs like AP classes or any sports or co-curricular

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activities. He went on to confirm that Monroe was experiencing an increase in enrollment that would replace the student numbers lost by the severing of the sending/receiving relationship. Asked whether the students segregate themselves by town of residence, the principal said they did not. He noted that students from both towns sit together at lunch and work well together in the classroom and on the athletic fields reiterating that Jamesburg residents are well represented in all of the after school teams and activities.

He concurred that “ideally” the school would enroll about 1850 students, noting that he expected to open this year with approximately 1800 in grades 9-12. He said he was not aware of any significant difference in academic performance of the two populations based on the results of the High School Proficiency Assessment (HSPA) and other standardized tests. In response to questions about the school’s program, Mr. Goodall advised CSA that that the administration has employed and alternating day “A-B” block schedule. Students are heterogeneously grouped except for mathematics where past performance is a consideration. For the most part special education students enjoy in-class resource support and are mainstreamed to the greatest extent possible. The principal said some special education youngsters are scheduled for core subject resource classrooms.

The school operates on a relatively early daytime schedule that commences at 7:27 a.m. and ends at 2:00 p.m. when co-curricular activities may commence. This calculates to a 6 hour: 33 minute day, which is 20 minutes less than the state average of 6 hours: 53 minutes as recorded in the 2009-10 New Jersey Report Card. However, the instructional time of 6hours: 13 minutes exceeds the state average of 5 hours: 56 minutes.

The new building is large and airy and, although not quite ready for opening at the time of the CSA visit, it revealed a welcoming atmosphere with ample space available for all core services. The principal said the school is served by about 180 certificated staff yielding a very manageable student: staff ration of about 10:1. However, the following table listed in the 2009- 10 New Jersey Report Card shows that the class sizes at each grade level exceed the state averages.

Table I-1. Average Class Size

GRADE MONROE HIGH SCHOOL STATE Grade 9 28.6 19.5 Grade 10 27.6 19.8 Grade 11 25.1 19.6 Grade 12 21.3 19.7 Total School 25.4 18.2

Due to the anticipated increase in enrollment of Monroe resident students, the principal said that he didn’t anticipate any staff reductions if Jamesburg students enrolled elsewhere. Currently according to the 2009-10 New Jersey Report Card, Monroe falls below the state average computer/student ratio of 3.1with an average of 2.8, However, the principal happily reported that, thanks to a hi-tech sponsor every student will receive an iPAD this fall and each teachers will get an iPAD and a laptop courtesy of the same company.

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The school leader said that Monroe Township High Schools transitioning to an academy approach with all freshmen becoming members of a “freshman academy.” Following the completion of the ninth grade students will get to choose from several career-themed academies where they will be grouped with others who have similar interests. That approach and other aspects of the school’s program are discussed below. Information was gleaned from the interview, a review of the Monroe website and from two key publications supplied by the principal: Capture the Spirit (student handbook) and 2011-12 Program of Studies.

District Goals:

Jamesburg 2011-2012 District Goals:

The following are as posted on the school district’s website:

1. To cultivate a learning community where all students are engaged in their learning, strive for excellence, and are supported to achieve to their fullest potential by meeting high NCLB and NJQSAC standards, including state mandated AYP benchmarks in language arts literacy and mathematics.

2. To provide a safe, equitable, and healthy learning environment that supports responsible citizenship, personal responsibility and resilience, compassion, and mutual self-respect.

3. To build and improve upon interactions and communications within the school community to support constructive partnerships between the schools and families. Board Approved: July 28, 2011

These goals are consistent with the approach to education that has been adopted by the Monroe Township Schools as made available to readers in that district’s high school Program of Studies manual and which are incorporated in a message from Superintendent of Schools Kenneth Hamilton. Excerpts are as follows:

Monroe District Goals:

• Raise achievement for all students paying particular attention to disparities between subgroups. • Systematically collect, analyze, and evaluate available data to inform all decisions. • Improve business efficiencies where possible to reduce overall operating costs. • Provide support programs for students across the continuum of academic achievement with an emphasis on those who are in the middle. • Provide early interventions for all students who are at risk of not reaching their full potential.

The same manual includes a message from the high school principal who concluded his statement by indicating:

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“Our goal at Monroe Township High School is to create autonomy through boundaries allowing the teachers and students to learn new ways of thinking and learning together and focus on the resources needed to translate high standards into effective instruction and strong student performance. Our mission is to connect students to the curriculum developing critical and analytical skills through the use of authentic pedagogy in a community environment that facilitates individualized learning.”

During the in person on-site interview Principal Robert Goodall made it readily apparent that all aspects of daily life at Monroe Township High Schools well as the full energies of administration, faculty and staff at this institution apply equally to all enrollees irrespective of community of residence or the identity of the entity that supports the cost of the individual student’s education at the secondary school level.

The foreword to the Program of Studies manual also makes it clear to students and their parents that the program here “exceeds the mandates of the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards” and “includes all the courses necessary to obtain a state-endorsed diploma.” In ensuring that all high school students are well served and supported, the building administration includes three assistant principals. There are also district supervisors overseeing the following areas:

• Social Studies and Sciences • Guidance • Grants Testing and special Projects • Applied Arts and Career Technology • Special Education • Physical Education, Health, Athletics and Activities • Language Arts. Media and World Languages

In addition, serving the high school are coordinators for the following departments:

• World Languages • Science • Physical Education and Health • Social Studies • Mathematics • Special Education • Art, Industrial Arts, Business, Music, Family and Consumer Science • Language Arts

Besides the district supervisor there are six high school guidance counselors serving the total school population along with one student assistance counselor (SAC). The following mission statement is incorporated in the Program of Studies document:

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Mission Statement

As an evolving, educational community, Monroe Township High School will design, develop and deliver an educational program, which fosters intellectual and personal growth by providing all students with an equal opportunity to acquire the knowledge, skills and strategies needed to become productive, responsible citizens contributing to society.

MTHS Beliefs Statements:

• The education of students is our primary responsibility and is cooperatively shared by students, educators, parents and community. • Every student has the right to a quality education and equal access to appropriate learning opportunities. • Learning is a dynamic, life-long process. • Education must be relevant and responsive to an ever-changing world. • Co-curricular activities are an integral part of the educational community. • Students are worth the investment in educational excellence. • All students and staff are entitled to a clean, comfortable, healthy and safe environment. • Since students learn in different ways, a variety of strategies and materials are needed for learning to be maximized. • Higher expectations result in better performance. • Consistent effort, long-term commitment, and a positive attitude are essential for success. • Creativity and flexibility are elements of the educational process. • Professional autonomy provides incentive for teacher creativity. • Education should provide positive role models for students. • Responsive leadership is a necessary component of a quality education program. • An educated citizenry is essential to the success of a democratic society.

All of the above are commendable and appropriate underpinnings for a forward thinking secondary school. In applying the aforementioned beliefs and philosophies the Program of Studies document cites the fact that all statements apply to “every child” noting there are no “disposable students” at this institution.

Staffing:

Clearly, this high school is adequately staffed to support its total student population including those who attend on a tuition basis from Jamesburg. Faculty support is ensured by the cadre of administrators, supervisors, department chairpersons, guidance counselors and others as enumerated above. Overall the professional staff to student ratio is about 10:1 enabling teachers and others to attend to the individual needs of all youngsters.

According to the 2009-10 NJDOE School Report Card for Monroe Township High School the following were referenced for the 2009-10 academic year:

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Table I-2. 2009-10 Monroe Township High School Personnel Data

SCHOOL STATE AVERAGE Student/Administrator Ratio 320.3 178 Student/Faculty Ratio 9 10.8 Faculty Mobility Rate 1.10% N/A

As can be seen from the above, students here benefit from an enviable ratio of students per teacher. However, the ratio of students to administrator is quite high. Although no reference number is listed for comparison the very low faculty mobility rate shown indicates that the teaching roster is very stable with instructors tending to remain at Monroe Township High School from year-to-year.

Most of the faculty members at Monroe Township High School(57.5%) held bachelor’s degrees, 38.2% held master’s degrees and 3.9% held doctorates in 2009-10. None of the Monroe faculty held National Board Certification.

According to the NJDOE 2009-10 Survey, all of the Monroe Township High Schoolteachers in core academic subjects were “highly qualified” in all subjects taught and all classes were taught by “highly qualified” teachers. Faculty attendance rate of 95% in 2009-10 was lower than the state average of 96%.

State Testing:

The results of the 2009-10 HSPA as recorded in the 2009-10 New Jersey Report Card are listed below: Table I-3. 2009-10 HSPA Language Arts Literacy Results (%)

N PARTIAL PROFICIENT ADVANCED Monroe High School 375 6.4 76.5 17.1 DFG 11,710 8 76.2 15.9 State 96,852 12 69.3 18.7

The percentage of Monroe Township High School students passing the 2009-10 HSPA exceeded that of the state and in Language Arts Literacy. However, the percentage of Monroe students scoring Advanced Proficient exceeded the DFG but was a little lower than the state.

Table I-4. 2009-10 HSPA Math Results (%)

N PARTIAL PROFICIENT ADVANCED Monroe High School 376 20.7 54.5 24.7 DFG 11,702 22.1 56.7 21.2 State 96,761 25 50.7 24.3

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The percentage of Monroe Township High School students passing the 2009-10 HSPA exceeded that of the state in Math, as did the percentage of Monroe students scoring Advanced Proficient.

Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT):

The results of Monroe Township High School students on the SATs as reported in the 2009-10 New Jersey Report Card are presented below:

Table I-5. 2009-10 Average SAT Scores N % MATH VERBAL ESSAY Monroe 287 75% 523 499 504 DFG 8163 71% 514 494 494 State 65673 66% 520 496 499

Monroe students exceeded both reference groups on all sections of the SAT in 2009-10.

Advanced Placement Tests (AP):

There were 367 Monroe Township High School students enrolled in AP classes in 2009- 10. Participation in grades 11 and 12 was 22.8%, which exceeded the state rate of 19.9%. Of the 323 tests taken, 228 (70.6%) scored 3 or higher.

Graduation Requirements:

Current requirements for the class of 2012 and 2013 call for the completion of a minimum of 125 credits including the “successful completion” of specific required subjects such as 15 credits in sciences (biology, chemistry, and physics).

Those requirements are being increased for the class of 2014 and 2015 who will have to accrue at least 130 credits. Some new course requirements have been added, notably economics and personal finance.

The graduation rate for the class of 2010 as listed in the 2009-10 New Jersey Report Card was 98.2%, which exceeded the state rate of 94.7%. Of those students, 88.3% were graduated having passed the HSPA, which exceeded the state percentage of 82.5%. Monroe Township High School had a low dropout rate 0f 0.7% in 2009-10. The state average that year was 1.7%.

Post-Graduation:

The administration and pupil personnel departments emphasize college planning as a desirable post-secondary goal. The document notes, for example, that “extremely competitive” colleges look for completion of 18-22 Carnegie units including such specifics as 4-5 years of college prep mathematics and 3-5 years of world language study.

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According to the 2009-10 New Jersey State Report Card, 77.5% of the Monroe class of 2010 indicated that they would be continuing their education.

Other Student Data Found in the 2009-10 New Jersey State Report Card:

• The student attendance rate at Monroe Township High School for 2009-10 was 94.1%, which was lower than the state average of 94.6%. • The student mobility rate of 4.2% was lower than the state average of 9.7% in 2009-10. • The percentage of students with disabilities was listed as 14.6%, • The percentage of students listed as Limited English Proficient (LEP) was 0.4% and English was the primary language in 97.0% of the homes. • The school’s suspension rate of 16% exceeded the state average of 14% and there were no expulsions.

Program Changes:

As previously indicated, Monroe Township High School is gradually introducing a smaller learning communities (SLC) template for secondary education modeled after some successful programs in place in various parts of the United States as well as in New Jersey. During the on-site interview, for example, Principal Goodall said he and others had visited and been in communications with professional personnel at Red Bank Regional High School which offers a long-standing and productive career-themed academy approach form its students. Like Red Bank, Monroe is instituting a freshman or ninth grade academy as a prelude to the selection of offerings (beginning in the sophomore year) to be found under the following major headings:

• Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) • Business, Law and Government • Fine, Practical and Performing Arts

The ninth grade academy is seen as a “transition year” from middle school to high school and is designed to foster collegiality and collaboration among “common students in common subject areas.” Freshmen are to receive ample orientation and guidance to make informed decisions about their future academic choices while they are engaged in “rigorous core courses” and exploratory electives.

While there are only three major “clusters” of communities, within each there is planned a variety of course sequences that may be selected based on the students’ individual interests which may be somewhat informed by the completion of interest inventories that are made available to all. For example under the general heading of Business, Law and Government are found the following sub-specialties each with its own array of course offerings:

• Business Management and Administration • Accounting and Finance • Marketing Sales and Service

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In implementing such a system, the school’s administration recognizes that interest in potential career pathways commences for many students during the high school years. This administration also appears to recognize that such an organizational template must include sufficient flexibility to accommodate those whose interests and outlook may change early in the high school years.

Senior Option:

Consistent with the philosophy embedded in the smaller learning community template, this high school offers seniors a variety of options to be undertaken during the final year of high school and which may serve as a prelude to college study and preparation for a specific career pathway. According to the manual options include, but are not limited to the following:

• Dual credit in college courses • Mentorship programs with elementary teachers • Apprenticeship • Job Shadowing • Community service • In-School work experience • Internship • Senior seminar • Laboratory service • Cooperative work experience

The program of studies manual provides ample information on each of the options as well as an indication of the possible number of high school credits associated with each.

Course Offerings:

The consultants thoroughly examined the program of studies guide as published and promulgated by the Monroe Board of Education. In so doing, CSA representatives found that Monroe Township High School supports a wide array of courses and sequences that one would expect to find in a modern, competitive academic secondary school. Some examples are as follows:

• The availability of a forensics course linking science to criminal justice • A solid framework to support transition to adult life for special education students • The inclusion of courses designed to facilitate independent living for all • The availability of classes in electronics and robotics technology • The inclusion of numerous advanced placement (AP) classes • The availability of a wide variety of choices for students interested in the fine and performing arts • The presence of numerous honors and AP courses in the sciences • The inclusion of an option to study the holocaust and genocide in the modern world

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• The offering of Spanish, French, Italian, Latin and Japanese in the world language department

Agenda/Handbook

CSA also examined the agenda/handbook (Capture the Spirit) made available to staff and students alike.

In addition to supplying a convenient appointment calendar for the user, this handy booklet provides relevant policies and procedural guidelines for the user. Some sample sections include:

• Affirmative Action Statement • Sexual Harassment Statement • Vision Statement • District Beliefs • High School Alma Mater • HS Mission and Beliefs • Governance of the School • Policy relating to computer and software use • Overview of guidance department • Graduation requirements • Grading policy • Information on class rank, report cards and related matters • School day for students • Policies on visitors, use of bicycles, student drop-off, etc. • Discipline • School dances • Substance abuse • Aggressive behavior, guns, weapons etc. • Attendance • Co-curricular activities

In addition to the above as well as other topics and summaries, the manual includes the bell schedule and a listing of faculty and staff.

Summary:

Notwithstanding concerns regarding costs and finances, Monroe Township High School represents a “good fit” for the accommodation of high school aged youngsters who reside in Jamesburg.

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Geographically, the communities are in close proximity and the bus rides to and from school appear to be similar to those experienced by Monroe residents. The principal of the high school expressed very positive views of the Jamesburg enrollees mentioning his personal visit and outreach to the latter community’s eighth graders as a prelude to the commencement of their high school experiences. He described the community of residence as being “invisible” to faculty and staff and indicated that Jamesburg resident pupils are fully integrated into the academic and co-curricular life of the school with most choosing to participate in one or more after school activities, often in leadership positions.

Finally, Monroe Township High School is well managed and forward looking and offers an abundance of academic choices for all. The transition to a freshman academy with career- themed smaller learning community options to follow commencing in grade 10 is, indeed, a positive step.

Lastly, the brand new facility is airy and inviting with ample space and staffing to support the needs of the youngsters who attend from Jamesburg.

Conclusion:

As indicated above, Jamesburg students are well integrated into the student population of Monroe High School. Monroe provides an excellent program that one would expect to find in a modern, competitive New Jersey high school. It should not be difficult for the Jamesburg Board of Education to find a comparable facility in terms of educational program and co-curricular offerings proximate to the district with a considerably lower tuition rate. Monroe’s agreement to the proposed phase-out will not result in the disruption of studies for any of the Jamesburg students who will be attending Monroe Township High Schooling 2011-12. Therefore, it is clear that the removal of Jamesburg students would not result in a substantial negative impact on Jamesburg high school students. In fact, the move is positive in that it will provide the budgetary relief to permit Jamesburg Board of Education to reinstate some of the program reductions made to the elementary educational program in order to pay the extremely high tuition rate at Monroe.

It is clear that the removal of Jamesburg students would not result in a substantial negative impact on the educational program at Monroe Township High School. Senior administrative officials at Monroe agree that no programs or activities will be in any way curtailed as a result of the severance of the sending/receiving relationship. In fact, the move is positive in that it delays the overcrowding of the new facility.

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Chapter 2

Ethnicity Impact

In this section, a determination is made on the impact on the ethnic composition of Monroe Township High School if Jamesburg students are enrolled in another district. The proposed plan calls for the phasing out of Jamesburg students beginning with the 2012-13 freshmen class. It is anticipated that there would be no more Jamesburg students in Monroe Township High School at the start of the 2015-16 school year. Data were obtained from the 2010 U.S. Census and NJDOE Websites.

The ethnic composition of Jamesburg and Monroe Township as recorded in the 2010 U.S. Census is presented in the table below:

Table II- 1. Ethnic Composition as Reflected in the 2010 U.S. Census

MONROE JAMESBURG TOWNSHIP Number Percent Number Percent White 4,371 73.9 31,913 81.6 Black or African American 523 8.8 1,533 3.9 American Indian and Alaska Native 50 0.8 33 0.1 Asian 268 4.5 4,930 12.6 Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0 0 4 0 Some Other Race 557 9.4 244 0.6 Two or More Races 146 2.5 475 1.2 Total population 5,915 100 39,132 100

Hispanic or Latino (of any race) 1,324 22.4 1,673 4.3

The school populations reflect the diversity of the communities.

The following table lists Monroe Township High School’s ethnic distribution for 2010-11 as reported by the NJDOE:

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Table II- 2. Monroe Township High School Enrollment by Ethnicity 2010-2011

Two or Native Hawaiian More White Black Hispanic Asian American Native Races Total Grade 9 303 27 43 74 0 0 1 448 Grade 10 301 29 27 76 0 1 0 434 Grade 11 282 25 36 57 0 0 0 400 Grade 12 265 26 20 62 0 0 0 373 Total 1151 107 126 269 0 1 1 1655 69.5% 6.5% 7.6% 16.3% 0.0% 0.1% 0.1% 100.0%

The next table lists a straight-line projection of the ethnicity of Monroe Township High School for 2015-16, the proposed first year that Jamesburg students will all be enrolled somewhere else. Students are moved up in a straight-line projection with the 2010-11 4th graders becoming freshmen and 7th graders becoming seniors in 2015-16, etc.

Table II- 3. Projected Monroe Township High School Enrollment by Ethnicity 2015-16 Without Jamesburg

Two or Native Hawaiian More White Black Hispanic Asian American Native Races Total Grade 9 288 17 22 98 1 0 2 428 Grade 10 321 11 22 104 0 0 0 458 Grade 11 296 27 11 101 1 0 0 436 Grade 12 311 19 27 88 0 1 2 448 Total 1216 74 82 391 2 1 4 1770 68.7% 4.2% 4.6% 22.1% 0.1% 0.1% 0.2% 100.0%

The following table lists the enrollment by ethnicity of the high school aged students from Jamesburg in 2015-16:

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II-4. Projected Jamesburg High School Aged Enrollment by Ethnicity 2015-16

Two or Native Hawaiian More White Black Hispanic Asian American Native Races Total Grade 9 34 7 23 1 0 0 0 65 Grade 10 29 6 21 2 0 0 0 58 Grade 11 30 6 22 1 0 0 0 59 Grade 12 41 4 21 4 0 0 0 70 Total 134 23 87 8 0 0 0 252 53.2% 9.1% 34.5% 3.2% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 100.0%

The following table shows the projected ethnic distribution for Monroe Township High School in 2014-15 if the Jamesburg students remain:

Table II- 5. Projected Monroe Township High School Enrollment by Ethnicity 2015-16 With Jamesburg

Two or Native Hawaiian More White Black Hispanic Asian American Native Races Total Grade 9 322 24 45 99 1 0 2 493 Grade 10 350 17 43 106 0 0 0 516 Grade 11 326 33 33 102 1 0 0 495 Grade 12 352 23 48 92 0 1 2 518 Total 1350 97 169 399 2 1 4 2022 66.8% 4.8% 8.4% 19.7% 0.1% 0.0% 0.2% 100.0%

The following table summarizes the impact on ethnic balance of the enrollment of Jamesburg students in a different high school.

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Table II- 6. Projected Monroe Township High School Enrollment by Ethnicity 2015-16

Two or Native Hawaiian More White Black Hispanic Asian American Native Races Total With Jamesburg 66.8% 4.8% 8.4% 19.7% 0.1% 0.0% 0.2% 100.0% Without Jamesburg 68.7% 4.2% 4.6% 22.1% 0.1% 0.1% 0.2% 100.0% Difference 1.9% -0.6% -3.8% 2.4% 0.0% 0.1% 0.0% 0.0%

As a result of losing the Jamesburg students, the majority White student population increases slightly by 1.9 percentage points. The Black student population decreases by 0.6 percentage points and the Hispanic by 3.8 percentage points. However, the proportion of Asian students increases by 2.4 percentage points.

Conclusion

The enrollment of Jamesburg students in another high school would not result in a significant negative impact on the ethnic balance of Monroe Township High School.

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Chapter 3 Enrollment Impact

A cohort survival methodology was employed to determine enrollment projections. Self-contained special education classes were not included in the calculations. The following tables list the enrollment histories of the 2 school districts as recorded on the NJDOE Website.

Table III-1. Jamesburg Enrollment History

2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11

Pre-K 42 46 47 47 68

K 65 69 68 82 62 1 76 68 70 71 77 2 66 61 61 66 66 3 67 65 57 64 63 4 84 60 63 58 65 5 79 73 67 60 58 6 54 71 69 76 59 7 61 48 71 68 70 8 53 64 44 71 69

Elementary 605 579 570 616 589

9 51 60 59 39 76 10 61 55 60 64 41 11 63 59 56 47 61 12 57 50 59 49 47

High 232 224 234 199 225

Sp. Ed. 10 5 8 5 5

Total 889 854 859 867 887

The 9 through 12 enrollments included are those students that attended Monroe Township High School.

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Table III- 2. Enrollment History Monroe Township

2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11

Pre-K 42 33 60 54 1*

K 334 326 395 336 306 1 400 384 428 490 433 2 391 418 406 444 501 3 424 400 441 419 450 4 384 440 425 441 428 5 373 397 438 435 458 6 400 379 397 440 436 7 342 411 385 400 448 8 327 352 407 389 411

Elementary 3375 3507 3722 3794 3871

9 395 374 405 428.5 448 10 357 409 374 413.5 434 11 387 362 398 377 400 12 330 383 351 382.5 373

High 1469 1528 1528 1601.5 1655

Sp. Ed. 37 57 88.5 43 119*

Total 4923 5125 5398.5 5492.5 5646

* It is believed that Pre-K students were counted as Special Education in 2010-11. These counts were not included in high school projections.

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The following table lists the enrollment projections for Monroe Township High School with Jamesburg still attending:

Table III- 3. Monroe Township High School Enrollment Projections With Jamesburg

GRADE 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 9 448 462 511 506 535 512 10 434 456 470 520 515 544 11 400 430 452 466 515 510 12 373 391 420 442 455 503

TOTAL 1655 1739 1853 1934 2020 2069

The table above calculates to an additional of 414 students, which is an increase of 25% from 2010-11 to 2015-16. The chart below is the enrollment projection for Jamesburg only:

Table III- 4. Jamesburg High School Age Enrollment Projections

GRADE 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 9 76 69 70 56 54 60 10 41 80 73 74 59 57 11 61 38 74 68 69 55 12 47 56 35 68 62 63

TOTAL 225 243 252 266 244 235

The above table projects the number of Jamesburg students who would attend Monroe Township High School in the next 5 years. The projections result in an increase of 41 students (18.2%) for whom tuition would have to be paid in 2013-14. The enrollments then go down for the next 2 years but are still higher than 2010-11.

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The Table below lists the Monroe Township High School enrollment projections without Jamesburg students:

Table III- 5. Monroe Township High School Enrollment Projections Without Jamesburg Students

GRADE 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 9 372 393 441 450 481 452 10 393 376 397 446 456 487 11 339 392 378 398 446 455 12 326 335 385 374 393 440

TOTAL 1430 1496 1601 1668 1776 1834

It is anticipated that Jamesburg students would begin phasing out of Monroe Township High School with the freshman class in September 2012. By the 2015-16 school year, the process will be complete, leaving a projected enrollment of 1,834.

Projected enrollments during the 4-year phase-out beginning in 2012-13 are shown in the table below:

Table III- 6. Monroe Township High School Enrollment Projections With Jamesburg Phase-Out

GRADE 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 9 448 462 441 450 481 452 10 434 456 470 446 456 487 11 400 430 452 466 446 455 12 373 391 420 442 455 440

TOTAL 1655 1739 1783 1804 1838 1834

It is important to note that with the projected increases of Monroe Township students, the high school population continues to grow even though Jamesburg students are phasing out.

Monroe officials have communicated that the capacity of the new high school is about 1850 students. If the sending/receiving relationship were to remain in place, Monroe Township High School would exceed capacity by 2012-13.

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Table III- 7. Monroe Township High School Utilization with Jamesburg Students

YEAR 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 Capacity 1850 1850 1850 1850 1850 Projected Enrollment 1739 1853 1934 2020 2069 Capacity - Enrollment 111 -3 -84 -170 -219 Percentage of Utilization 94.0% 100.2% 104.5% 109.2% 111.8%

The following table shows the projected utilization of Monroe Township High School with the phase-out of Jamesburg students beginning in 2012-13:

Table III- 8. Monroe Township High School Utilization With Jamesburg Students Phasing-Out

YEAR 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 Capacity 1850 1850 1850 1850 1850 Projected Enrollment 1739 1783 1804 1838 1834 Capacity - Enrollment 111 67 46 12 16 Percentage of Utilization 94.0% 96.4% 97.5% 99.4% 99.1%

At the end of the phase-out period, Monroe Township High School is essentially at capacity. Indications are that the Monroe Township student population will continue to grow beyond 2015-16, which could lead to overcrowding which would only be exacerbated if Jamesburg students stayed.

Conclusion

It is clear that the removal of Jamesburg students would not result in a substantial negative impact on Monroe High School’s enrollment. In fact, the move is positive in that it delays the overcrowding of the new facility.

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Chapter 4

Fiscal Impact

In this section the fiscal impact of the termination of the sending/receiving relationship between Jamesburg and Monroe Township is addressed. The 2010-11 advertised budgets of the two districts as presented on the NJDOE website are presented below.

TABLE IV-1. JAMESBURG ADVERTISED REVENUES

2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 Budget Category Account Actual Revised Anticipated OPERATING BUDGET Revenues from Local Sources: Local Tax Levy 10-1210 6,547,012 6,625,544 6,650,854 Unrestricted Miscellaneous 10-1XXX 49,374 25,000 14,423 Revenues SUBTOTAL 6,596,386 6,650,544 6,665,277 Revenues from State Sources: Extraordinary Aid 10-3131 100,101 50,000 40,000 Categorical Special Education 10-3132 459,574 470,053 330,839 Aid Equalization Aid 10-3176 3,869,217 4,027,087 4,012,963 Categorical Security Aid 10-3177 116,743 137,771 0 Categorical Transportation 10-3121 244,322 289,438 0 Aid SUBTOTAL 4,789,957 4,974,349 4,383,802 Adjustment for Prior Year 0 4,220 0 Encumbrances Actual Revenues 768 0 0 (Over)/Under Expenditures TOTAL OPERATING 11,387,111 11,629,113 11,049,079 BUDGET GRANTS AND ENTITLEMENTS Revenues from Local Sources 20-1XXX 44,079 0 0 Revenues from State Sources: Preschool Education Aid 20-3218 0 54,780 64,740 Other Restricted Entitlements 20-32XX 56,718 30,574 1,344 TOTAL REVENUES FROM 56,718 85,354 66,084 STATE SOURCES Revenues from Federal Sources: Title I 20-4411-4416 177,077 152,853 163,349 Title II 20-4451-4455 0 0 25,522 Title III 20-4491-4494 0 0 5,000 Title IV 20-4471-4474 0 0 2,848 I.D.E.A. Part B (Handicapped) 20-4420-4429 195,572 182,943 193,062

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Other 20-4XXX 48,262 0 0 TOTAL REVENUES FROM 420,911 335,796 389,781 FEDERAL SOURCES TOTAL GRANTS AND 521,708 421,150 455,865 ENTITLEMENTS REPAYMENT OF DEBT Revenues from Local Sources: Local Tax Levy 40-1210 257,181 277,250 338,559 TOTAL REVENUES FROM 257,181 277,250 338,559 LOCAL SOURCES Revenues from State Sources: Debt Service Aid Type II 40-3160 124,907 134,653 129,085 TOTAL LOCAL 382,088 411,903 467,644 REPAYMENT OF DEBT Actual Revenues 1 0 0 (Over)/Under Expenditures TOTAL REPAYMENT OF 382,089 411,903 467,644 DEBT TOTAL 12,290,908 12,462,166 11,972,588 REVENUES/SOURCES DEDUCT REVENUES INCLUDED IN MULTIPLE FUNDS DUE TO TRANSFERS: TOTAL REVENUES/SOURCES NET 12,290,908 12,462,166 11,972,588 OF TRANSFERS

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TABLE IV-2. JAMESBURG ADVERTISED APPROPRIATIONS

2009-10 2008-09 Rev. 2010-11 Budget Category Account Expenditures Approp. Appropriations GENERAL CURRENT EXPENSE Instruction: Regular Programs 11-1XX-100-XXX 2,331,676 2,358,322 2,206,947 Special Education 11-2XX-100-XXX 599,092 688,096 713,295 Basic Skills/Remedial 11-230-100-XXX 177,367 127,638 82,098 Bilingual Education 11-240-100-XXX 88,306 91,807 94,200 School-Spon. Co/Extra- 11-401-100-XXX 25,412 30,790 7,980 Curr. Activities School Sponsored Athletics 11-402-100-XXX 17,194 17,850 0 Support Services: Tuition 11-000-100-XXX 4,194,975 4,323,864 4,145,459 Health Services 11-000-213-XXX 131,354 134,964 143,135 Speech, OT, PT, Related & 11-000-216,217 138,487 143,006 93,166 Extraordinary Services Guidance 11-000-218-XXX 58,440 69,103 67,586 Child Study Teams 11-000-219-XXX 129,432 148,137 207,106 Improvement of 11-000-221-XXX 3,848 7,600 1,425 Instructional Services Educational Media Services 11-000-222-XXX 136,815 145,474 3,765 - School Library Instructional Staff Training 11-000-223-XXX 11,754 10,505 10,250 Services General Administration 11-000-230-XXX 191,441 197,725 195,386 School Administration 11-000-240-XXX 311,339 326,216 327,137 Central Svcs & Admin Info 11-000-25X-XXX 0 280,734 263,798 Technology Deposit to Maintenance 10-606 90,000 0 0 Reserve Operation and Maintenance 11-000-26X-XXX 777,343 646,979 580,557 of Plant Services Student Transportation 11-000-270-XXX 622,151 713,065 703,146 Services Other Support Services 11-000-290-XXX 263,411 0 0 Personal Services - 11-XXX-XXX- 1,051,846 1,147,934 1,202,643 Employee Benefits 2XX Total Support Services 8,022,636 8,295,306 7,944,559 Expenditures TOTAL GENERAL 11,351,683 11,609,809 11,049,079 CURRENT EXPENSE CAPITAL EXPENDITURES 12-XXX-XXX- Equipment 16,124 0 0 73X TOTAL CAPITAL 16,124 0 0 EXPENDITURES

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Summer School: Instruction 13-422-100-XXX 19,304 0 0 Total Summer School 19,304 0 0 Other Special Schools: Instruction 13-4XX-100-XXX 0 19,304 0 Total Other Special Schools 0 19,304 0 TOTAL SPECIAL 19,304 19,304 0 SCHOOLS OPERATING BUDGET 11,387,111 11,629,113 11,049,079 GRAND TOTAL SPECIAL GRANTS AND ENTITLEMENTS 20-XXX-XXX- Local Projects 44,079 0 0 XXX Preschool Education Aid: Instruction 20-218-100-XXX 20,809 20,809 22,809 Support Services 20-218-200-XXX 33,421 33,971 41,931 TOTAL PRESCHOOL 54,230 54,780 64,740 EDUCATION AID Other State Projects: 20-XXX-XXX- Nonpublic Textbooks 572 572 572 XXX 20-XXX-XXX- Nonpublic Nursing Services 772 772 772 XXX Nonpublic Technology 20-XXX-XXX- 400 0 0 Initiative XXX 20-XXX-XXX- Other Special Projects 744 29,230 0 XXX Total State Projects 56,718 85,354 66,084 Federal Projects: 20-XXX-XXX- Title I 177,077 152,853 163,349 XXX 20-XXX-XXX- Title II 0 0 25,522 XXX 20-XXX-XXX- Title III 0 0 5,000 XXX 20-XXX-XXX- Title IV 0 0 2,848 XXX I.D.E.A. Part B 20-XXX-XXX- 195,572 182,943 193,062 (Handicapped) XXX 20-XXX-XXX- Other Special Projects 48,262 0 0 XXX Total Federal Projects 420,911 335,796 389,781 TOTAL GRANTS AND 521,708 421,150 455,865 ENTITLEMENTS REPAYMENT OF DEBT Repayment of Debt - 40-701-510-XXX 382,089 411,903 464,553 Regular TOTAL REPAYMENT OF 382,089 411,903 464,553 DEBT

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Total Expenditures 12,290,908 12,462,166 11,969,497 DEDUCT AMOUNTS INCLUDED IN MULTIPLE FUNDS DUE TO TRANSFERS: TOTAL EXPENDITURES 12,290,908 12,462,166 11,969,497 NET OF TRANSFERS

TABLE IV-3. JAMESBURG ADVERTISED PER PUPIL COST CALCULATIONS

2007- 2008- 2009-10 2009-10 2010-11 08 09 Original Revised Proposed Actual Actual Budget Budget Budget Total Comparative Per Pupil Cost 9,426 10,343 10,581 9,848 9,214 Total Classroom Instruction 5,836 6,356 7,096 6,600 6,376 Classroom-Salaries and Benefits 5,608 5,966 6,746 6,275 6,159 Classroom-General Supplies and Textbooks 175 344 303 282 174 Classroom-Purchased Services and Other 53 46 47 44 43 Total Support Services 1,130 1,222 1,084 1,015 810 Support Services-Salaries and Benefits 909 1,025 859 799 572 Total Administrative Costs 1,318 1,468 1,288 1,198 1,160 Administration-Salaries and Benefits 1,084 1,187 986 917 891 Legal Costs 0 0 34 32 24 Total Operations and Maintenance of Plant 1,057 1,351 1,035 962 855 Operations & Maintenance of Plant-Salary & 494 497 458 426 334 Ben. Total Food Services Costs 0 0 0 0 0 Total Extracurricular Costs 86 84 78 72 12 Total Equipment Costs 26 26 0 0 0 Employee Benefits as a % of Salaries 27.6 24.2 25.4 25.4 29.1

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TABLE IV-4. MONROE ADVERTISED REVENUES

2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 Budget Category Account Actual Revised Anticipated OPERATING BUDGET Budgeted Fund Balance - 10-303 0 6,406,718 5,179,342 Operating Budget Revenues from Local Sources: Local Tax Levy 10-1210 70,254,233 73,791,326 79,074,528 Tuition 10-1300 2,944,125 3,121,846 2,982,273 Transportation Fees from 10-1420-1440 196,579 206,200 212,620 Other LEAs Interest Earned on Capital 10-1XXX 8,150 3,248 649 Reserve Funds Other Restricted 10-1XXX 838,215 0 0 Miscellaneous Revenues Unrestricted Miscellaneous 10-1XXX 0 504,121 524,286 Revenues SUBTOTAL 74,241,302 77,626,741 82,794,356 Revenues from State Sources: Extraordinary Aid 10-3131 212,422 0 0 Categorical Special 10-3132 2,716,199 2,226,642 238,696 Education Aid Categorical Security Aid 10-3177 133,256 398,375 0 Categorical Transportation 10-3121 1,579,507 2,043,966 0 Aid SUBTOTAL 4,641,384 4,668,983 238,696 Revenues from Federal Sources: Medicaid Reimbursement 10-4200 0 9,759 21,255 SUBTOTAL 0 9,759 21,255 Adjustment for Prior Year 0 471,070 0 Encumbrances Actual Revenues 960,860 0 0 (Over)/Under Expenditures TOTAL OPERATING 79,843,546 89,183,271 88,233,649 BUDGET GRANTS AND ENTITLEMENTS Revenues from Local 20-1XXX 11,934 9,648 0 Sources Revenues from Federal Sources: Title I 20-4411-4416 87,979 72,520 61,642 I.D.E.A. Part B 20-4420-4429 879,146 911,820 775,047 (Handicapped) Other 20-4XXX 302,100 1,608,620 0 TOTAL REVENUES FROM FEDERAL 1,269,225 2,592,960 836,689 SOURCES TOTAL GRANTS AND 1,281,159 2,602,608 836,689

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ENTITLEMENTS REPAYMENT OF DEBT Budgeted Fund Balance 40-303 0 3,677,307 1,578,141 Transfers from Other Funds 40-5200 1,578,134 510,000 56,300 Revenues from Local Sources: Local Tax Levy 40-1210 4,754,318 5,303,802 8,125,967 TOTAL REVENUES 4,754,318 5,303,802 8,125,967 FROM LOCAL SOURCES Revenues from State Sources: Debt Service Aid Type II 40-3160 798,382 802,530 688,635 TOTAL LOCAL 7,130,834 10,293,639 10,449,043 REPAYMENT OF DEBT Actual Revenues 3,042,179 0 0 (Over)/Under Expenditures TOTAL REPAYMENT OF 10,173,013 10,293,639 10,449,043 DEBT TOTAL 91,297,718 102,079,518 99,519,381 REVENUES/SOURCES DEDUCT REVENUES INCLUDED IN MULTIPLE FUNDS DUE TO TRANSFERS: TOTAL REVENUES/SOURCES 91,297,718 102,079,518 99,519,381 NET OF TRANSFERS

TABLE IV-5. MONROE ADVERTISED APPROPRIATIONS

2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 Budget Category Account Expenditures Rev. Approp. Appropriations GENERAL CURRENT EXPENSE Instruction: Regular Programs 11-1XX-100-XXX 29,217,185 30,440,099 30,034,385 Special Education 11-2XX-100-XXX 6,092,150 7,066,637 6,837,602 Basic Skills/Remedial 11-230-100-XXX 596,454 594,766 556,248 Bilingual Education 11-240-100-XXX 127,318 237,492 246,595 School-Spon. Co/Extra- 11-401-100-XXX 405,880 605,769 605,175 Curr. Activities School Sponsored 11-402-100-XXX 978,269 1,061,070 1,035,826 Athletics Community Services 11-800-330-XXX 12,360 36,705 37,538 Programs/Operations Support Services: Tuition 11-000-100-XXX 2,670,563 4,050,930 3,428,569 Attendance and Social 11-000-211-XXX 7,304 12,073 12,550 Work Services Health Services 11-000-213-XXX 776,128 800,618 828,144 Speech, OT, PT, Related 11-000-216,217 1,130,822 1,446,068 1,460,579

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& Extraordinary Services Guidance 11-000-218-XXX 1,379,382 1,483,285 1,550,048 Child Study Teams 11-000-219-XXX 2,040,054 2,366,776 2,401,282 Improvement of 11-000-221-XXX 1,125,118 1,269,794 1,053,574 Instructional Services Educational Media 11-000-222-XXX 972,509 966,938 725,218 Services - School Library Instructional Staff 11-000-223-XXX 235,860 249,025 257,545 Training Services General Administration 11-000-230-XXX 1,450,713 1,696,365 1,546,838 School Administration 11-000-240-XXX 3,185,073 3,802,604 3,503,307 Central Svcs & Admin 11-000-25X-XXX 1,429,911 1,505,608 1,541,406 Info Technology Operation and Maintenance of Plant 11-000-26X-XXX 6,616,631 7,116,068 7,453,578 Services Student Transportation 11-000-270-XXX 5,288,923 5,519,387 5,312,318 Services Personal Services - 11-XXX-XXX- 13,413,704 15,615,319 17,593,238 Employee Benefits 2XX Total Support Services 41,722,695 47,900,858 48,668,194 Expenditures TOTAL GENERAL 79,152,311 87,943,396 88,021,563 CURRENT EXPENSE CAPITAL EXPENDITURES Interest Earned on Capital 10-604 0 3,248 649 Reserve Equipment 12-XXX-XXX-73X 437,926 530,192 41,877 Facilities Acquisition and 12-000-4XX-XXX 82,618 501,775 66,936 Construction Services TOTAL CAPITAL 520,544 1,035,215 109,462 EXPENDITURES Summer School: Instruction 13-422-100-XXX 89,875 103,830 0 Total Summer School 89,875 103,830 0 Adult Education - Local: Support Services 13-602-200-XXX 80,816 100,830 102,624 Total Adult Education - 80,816 100,830 102,624 Local TOTAL SPECIAL 170,691 204,660 102,624 SCHOOLS OPERATING BUDGET 79,843,546 89,183,271 88,233,649 GRAND TOTAL SPECIAL GRANTS AND ENTITLEMENTS 20-XXX-XXX- Local Projects 11,934 9,648 0 XXX Federal Projects: 20-XXX-XXX- Title I 87,979 72,520 61,642 XXX

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I.D.E.A. Part B 20-XXX-XXX- 879,146 911,820 775,047 (Handicapped) XXX 20-XXX-XXX- Other Special Projects 302,100 1,608,620 0 XXX Total Federal Projects 1,269,225 2,592,960 836,689 TOTAL GRANTS AND 1,281,159 2,602,608 836,689 ENTITLEMENTS REPAYMENT OF DEBT Repayment of Debt - 40-701-510-XXX 10,173,013 10,293,639 10,449,043 Regular TOTAL REPAYMENT 10,173,013 10,293,639 10,449,043 OF DEBT Total Expenditures 91,297,718 102,079,518 99,519,381 DEDUCT AMOUNTS INCLUDED IN MULTIPLE FUNDS DUE TO TRANSFERS: TOTAL EXPENDITURES NET 91,297,718 102,079,518 99,519,381 OF TRANSFERS

TABLE IV-6. MONROE TOWNSHIP ADVERTISED PER PUPIL COST CALCULATIONS

2007- 2008- 2009-10 2009-10 2010-11 08 09 Original Revised Proposed Actual Actual Budget Budget Budget Total Comparative Per Pupil Cost 12,117 13,075 13,403 13,927 13,318 Total Classroom Instruction 7,381 8,102 8,237 8,489 8,124 Classroom-Salaries and Benefits 6,544 6,891 7,233 7,450 7,285 Classroom-General Supplies and Textbooks 442 696 594 596 423 Classroom-Purchased Services and Other 395 515 411 444 417 Total Support Services 1,549 1,748 1,751 1,918 1,802 Support Services-Salaries and Benefits 1,395 1,586 1,579 1,740 1,664 Total Administrative Costs 1,454 1,367 1,463 1,525 1,397 Administration-Salaries and Benefits 1,205 1,173 1,193 1,240 1,168 Legal Costs 0 0 23 23 23 Total Operations and Maintenance of Plant 1,318 1,384 1,429 1,463 1,474 Operations & Maintenance of Plant-Salary & 711 757 846 852 869 Ben. Total Food Services Costs 0 0 0 0 0 Total Extracurricular Costs 301 304 345 354 338 Total Equipment Costs 46 81 93 95 7 Employee Benefits as a % of Salaries 27.3 27.9 30.4 29.4 33.1

The table below lists the Jamesburg budget history. The 2011-12 figure does not include the additional tuition for debt service on the new Monroe Township High School. That rate is estimated at $2,901 per student for a total of $594,705. Payment of that additional tuition is being deferred until the rate is certified by the NJDOE.

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TABLE IV-7. Jamesburg Budget History

YEAR BUDGET INCREASE PERCENT 2007-08 11,257,794 2008-09 12,263,974 1,006,180 8.9% 2009-10 12,457,946 193,972 1.6% 2010-11 11,969,497 (488,449) -3.9% 2011-12 12,437,264 467,767 3.9% 2011-12 with additional Debt Service Tuition 13,031,969 1,062,472 8.9%

Without the additional debt service tuition, the Jamesburg budget increased by 3.9% this year over last. If it were to be paid this year, the budget increase would be 8.9%.

The following table lists the recent history of tuition rates paid to Monroe Township. Once again the estimated rate of $2,901 per student was not included in this year’s calculation.

TABLE IV-8. Tuition Rate History

YEAR TUITION RATE INCREASE PERCENT 2007-08 13,704 2008-09 13,715 11 0.1% 2009-10 14,126 411 3.0% 2010-11 14,691 565 4.0% 2011-12 16,107 1,409 9.6% 2011-12 with Additional Debt Service Tuition 19,001 4,310 26.8%

The tuition rate at Monroe Township High School has been increasing over recent years. Without the additional debt service, the increase over last year is 9.6%. Adding in the additional debt service results in a 26.8% bump in the rate.

In the next table, the recent history of total tuition paid to Monroe Township is traced.

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TABLE IV-9. Total Tuition Paid to Monroe Township

YEAR TUITION PAID INCREASE PERCENT 2007-08 2,946,360 2008-09 2,989,879 43,519 1.5% 2009-10 3,121,846 131,967 4.4% 2010-11 2,982,273 (139,573) -4.5% 2011-12 3,300,500 318,227 10.7% 2011-12 with Additional Debt Service Tuition 3,895,205 912,932 27.7%

Clearly, the total tuition paid is a function of the rate and number of students. The anticipated total amount to be paid this year exceeds the previous year by 10.7%. If the additional debt service tuition were calculated in, that increase would be 27.7%.

In order to cover the rising tuition costs, the Jamesburg Board of Education has already been forced make a number of program cuts at the elementary level. Cuts that were made include:

 K-5 school librarian  6-8 school librarian  K-5 computer teacher  6-8 computer teacher  K-5 art teacher  .5 K-5 basic skills teacher  6-8 basic skills teacher  6-8 music teacher  .5 K-5 special education teacher  All extracurricular activities and sports  Reduction of custodial staff to a 35-hour week

These cuts were made without allotting for the additional debt service tuition, which will impact future budgets once the rate is certified by the NJDOE in 2 to 3 years. Unless other revenues are identified or the current agreement is terminated, the impact on future Jamesburg budgets will be all the more devastating. The following table calculates those additional costs based on the projected Jamesburg enrollments:

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Table IV-10. Budget Impact of Additional Debt Service Tuition

PROJECTED NUMBER ADDITIONAL DEBT OF STUDENTS SERVICE TUITION RATE BUDGET IMPACT 2011-12 243 2,901 704,943 2012-13 252 2,901 731,052 2013-14 266 2,901 771,666 2014-15 244 2,901 707,844 2015-16 235 2,901 681,735

These costs would be added on to the regular tuition rates, which are expected to increase as well.

Following are the 2011-12 budget statement tuition calculations for a number of area high schools:

Table IV- 11. 2011-12 High School Tuition Rates

District Tuition Rate South Amboy 9,312 Sayreville 9,930 South River 10,367 North Brunswick 11,043 Perth Amboy 11,223 South Brunswick 11,830 Old Bridge 12,086 East Brunswick 12,881 Spotswood 12,959 New Brunswick 13,324 Highland Park 14,880

All of the above rates are lower than Monroe Township’s regular rate of $16,107. Adding in the additional debt service of $2,901 per student brings Monroe’s rate to $19,008, which is much higher than its nearest competitor Highland Park’s rate of $14,800. The average of the above rates is $11,803 and the median is $11,830. In round numbers, Jamesburg can anticipate a savings in the neighborhood of $7,000 per student if they sever the relationship with Monroe Township and send their students to another high school. At an average of 250 students, that calculates to a savings of $1,750,000. Those savings could be utilized to restore programs lost at the elementary level and to provide some tax relief to the residents of Jamesburg.

The only additional costs that Jamesburg might have to incur would be for transportation. However, that should not be much of if any increase in that all of the Jamesburg students are currently bussed to the high school on Monroe Township vehicles. Should the bids for a new carrier come in higher, the tuition savings would more than offset any additional costs.

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Currently district taxes support about 55% of the Jamesburg budget. Therefore, most increased costs are translated into higher taxes. The following table lists the total assessed valuation for the borough over the last five years:

Table IV-12. Jamesburg Total Assessed Valuations

YEAR ASSESSMENT CHANGE PERCENT OF CHANGE 2007 $239,906,300 2008 $239,340,300 -$566,000 -0.2% 2009 $239,911,200 $570,900 0.2% 2010 $237,675,700 -$2,235,500 -0.9% 2011 $239,131,156 $1,455,456 0.6%

The assessed valuation has fluctuated over the past 5 years. However, the 2011 assessment is lower than the 2007 assessment by $775,144, which is a decrease of 0.3%. Without the probability of increased ratables, increases in budget not offset by other revenues result in increased taxes. Therefore, higher tuition costs will either result in higher taxes or further decreases in program for the Jamesburg elementary students. This problem is further exacerbated by restrictive caps on tax increases being imposed throughout the state.

The tuition formula was developed to determine the costs that the receiving district incurs for hosting the students of the sending district. It is not meant to offset the costs for the resident students enrolled in the receiving district. Following this reasoning, Monroe Township should be able to make reductions in spending equal to the loss of tuition revenue should the sending/receiving relationship be terminated.

Administrative officials at Monroe Township have informed the consultants that they do not expect to make any reductions in staff or supplies and materials should the Jamesburg students leave. This is due largely to the fact that, as indicated elsewhere in this report, the resident student enrollment in Monroe is growing. However, it is clear that as the enrollment increases, Monroe would not have to increase appropriations to accommodate the additional enrollment at the level that would be necessary if the Jamesburg students remain.

An argument can be made that the new Monroe Township High School was built to the current capacity to accommodate the Jamesburg students. However, as can be seen in the enrollment section of this report, the new facility will exceed capacity by 2012-13 if the Jamesburg students stay, which could necessitate the addition of classrooms. Even with the phase-out of Jamesburg students, the facility will be almost at capacity in 2015-16.

Conclusion:

It was stated at the onset that the motivation for Jamesburg to seek severance of the sending/receiving relationship with Monroe Township is purely fiscal. Jamesburg just can’t

38

afford the tuition any longer. There has been a significant negative impact on the educational programs at the elementary level in Jamesburg already, which will be exacerbated once the debt service tuition is certified and becomes payable.

There should be no significant negative financial impact on Monroe Township as a result of the severance of the sending/receiving relationship. Personnel and supplies and materials can be reduced proportionately to the reduction in tuition revenues should the district decide to do so. In reality, little if any reductions are anticipated due to the anticipated growth of resident student enrollment at Monroe High School. Should the Jamesburg students remain, the budget will have to increase to accommodate the needed additional staff, materials and services to accommodate the increased enrollment.

A positive impact for Monroe is the delay of the necessity of adding classroom space to the new facility as resident enrollment increases to fill the seats vacated by Jamesburg students.

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Chapter 5

Summary & Conclusions

The Jamesburg Board of Education has been sending its high school students to Monroe Township High School since July 1, 1979. The relationship began as a result of a Commissioner’s decision after Jamesburg High School was closed. No long-term contract exists between the two districts.

The Jamesburg board and administration have absolutely no problem with the education that their students are receiving in Monroe. Their motivation for leaving is strictly financial. In short, Jamesburg just can’t afford to stay in the relationship. They have already cut non- mandated elementary programs (instructional and co-curricular) to the bare bones in order to pay tuition to Monroe at a rate that is already the highest in the area without the additional debt service for the new high school.

The Jamesburg Board of Education contracted with Consulting Services Associates (CSA) to complete a feasibility study that would determine the impact of the severance of sending receiving relationship in terms of educational program, ethnic balance, projected enrollment and fiscal requirements.

CSA found that the severance of current sending/receiving relationship would not have a significant negative affect on the educational programs at Monroe Township High School. All agree that the high school will continue to maintain a student body of sufficient size to support the excellent programs both curricular and co-curricular currently provided by this fine high school. In fact, the resident enrollment is growing and will soon bring the numbers back up to the current enrollment.

Jamesburg has had to reduce or eliminate programs and services offered to its Pre-K – 8 enrollment in order to pay the increasing tuition rates at Monroe. Severance of the agreement and enrollment in another high school with a considerably lower tuition rate would result in budget savings that could be used to restore those cuts and possibly provide some tax relief to the residents. Therefore, the impact on Jamesburg elementary students will be positive.

Monroe Township provides an excellent program that one would expect to find in a modern competitive New Jersey high school. The Jamesburg Board of Education is currently in discussion with other potential receiving high schools that also provide the high caliber of offerings currently being enjoyed by the Jamesburg students in Monroe Township. CSA will evaluate those high schools selected by the board and will provide their findings in a supplement to this report.

The severance of the sending/receiving relationship will result in slightly higher proportion (1.9%) of White, non-Hispanic students at Monroe Township High School.

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Therefore, the enrollment of Jamesburg students in another high school would not result in a significant negative impact on the ethnic balance of Monroe High School.

The resident student enrollment at Monroe Township High School is on the rise. The new facility will reach capacity as early as next year. The enrollment of Jamesburg students at another high school would allow for the new facility to comfortably house the projected enrollments through the phase-out period ending in 2015-16. Therefore the severance of the current sending/receiving relationship would actually have a positive impact on Monroe Township.

The Jamesburg Board of Education simply cannot afford to keep sending its high school students to Monroe Township High School at current tuition rates. That problem will become even greater when the additional tuition costs for debt service on the new high school are certified and added to the calculated rate. Excellent high schools in the area have tuition rates that are far below Monroe’s. Jamesburg has had to reduce and/or eliminate programs in order to offset the ever-rising tuition costs. Severing the sending/receiving relationship and establishing a new one with a district with more reasonable tuition rates would have a positive impact on the elementary programs at Jamesburg.

The tuition formula is calculated to support the educational program of the students being sent and not to subsidize the costs of the receiving district. Therefore, Monroe should be able to reduce its budget commensurate with the loss of tuition as the Jamesburg students phase-out. However, Monroe officials indicated that they would not be making any staff or program reductions should the Jamesburg students begin phasing-out of the high school. This is due to the fact that the resident enrollment is expected to increase commensurate with the departure of Jamesburg students. If the Jamesburg students were to remain, budgetary increases would be necessary to accommodate the additional resident students. Therefore, there is no significant financial impact to Monroe Township that will occur should the sending/receiving relationship be severed.

Conclusion:

The Jamesburg Board of Education’s petition to sever the current sending/receiving relationship with the Monroe Township Board of Education should be approved because no significant negative impact can be found to educational programs, ethnic balances, enrollments, or finances in the two districts. The Monroe Township Board of Education and the Jamesburg Board of Education have signed an agreement that would facilitate the phase-out of Jamesburg students beginning with the freshman class of 2012-13. A copy of that agreement can be found in Appendix B of this report.

41 Appendix A

PROPOSAL

TO PROVIDE CONSULTING SERVICES: FEASIBILITY STUDY TO TERMINATE THE SEND-RECEIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH MONROE BOARD OF EDUCATION

Consulting Services Associates

137 RESERVOIR AVENUE RANDOLPH, NEW JERSEY 07869-1045 (973) 951-0546

Leonard H. Elovitz, Ed.D. 32 MacKenzie Lane North Denville, NJ 07834 (973) 784-4523 (voice) (973) 625-7282 (fax) [email protected]

June 23, 2011

42 Appendix A

A. Business Organization

Consulting Services Associates (CSA) is an LLC licensed to provide consulting services in New Jersey (Business Registration Certificate number 1111825). CSA has been in operation for 13 years. There are 5 principals and a number of associates that work on selected projects. There are no employees.

Name: Consulting Services Associates Address: 137 Reservoir Avenue Randolph, New Jersey 07869-1045 Phone: (973) 951-0546 Fax: (973) 625-7282 E-mail [email protected]

Organizational Chart: The names and addresses of the principals of the LLC follow. There is only one officer – Treasurer:

NAME ADDRESS Leonard H. Elovitz 32 MacKenzie Lane North Denville, NJ 07834 Robert Gordon 137 Reservoir Avenue Randolph, NJ 07869 Melvin Klein 61 Lee Road Treasurer Livingston, NJ 07039 Alan Markowitz 30 Weber Avenue Hillsborough, NJ 08844 John Crews 25 Angus Lane Warren, NJ 07059

B. Consultant Qualifications and Experience

The 5 Principals of CSA have all served as central office administrators (Superintendents and Assistant Superintendents) in New Jersey. Four of the five are currently affiliated with New Jersey colleges and universities in teaching and administrative roles.

Principals assigned to this project would be: Len Elovitz, Bob Gordon and Mel Klein

CSA Associate Richard Rosenberg, former New Jersey Assistant Commissioner of Education for finance will also be part of the team.

43 Appendix A

Short bios of the principals of the LLC are attached. Additionally, resumes are provided for the principals who would be assigned to the project and CSA Associate Richard Rosenberg.

Following is a listing of experiences had by CSA partners and associates with similar projects while working as individuals or with other firms:

Len Elovitz & Richard Rosenberg:

Consolidation Feasibility Study for the Harding School District. April 2010. Provided 3 regionalization models for the Board of Education and recommended that they keep their sending-receiving relationship with Madison, which they did. Superintendent was Tim Purnell.

Len Elovitz – Studies completed with Harry Galinsky Associates:

1. A Feasibility Study to Determine The Impact of Terminating The Sending- Receiving Relationship Between The Washington Township And Lawrence Township School Districts. May 2001. Approved by the Commissioner – Washington Township (Robbinsville) built their own high school. Our client was Washington Township. Superintendent was Paul Harren followed by John Szabo.

2. Analysis of the Redistricting Plan Entitled Proposed Student Attendance Plan for School Years 2003-04 Through 2006-07 for the Freehold Regional High School District. June 2003. Judge ruled in favor of the school district based on our report without testimony. Our client was Freehold attorney Nathanya Simon of Schwartz, Simon, Edelstein and Celso. Superintendent was James Wasser.

3. A Feasibility Study to Determine the Impact of Terminating The Sending- Receiving Relationship Between The Boonton And Lincoln Park School Districts. March 2002. Districts resolved their differences and signed a new contract. Our client was Boonton. Superintendent was Richard Kaplan followed by Mario Cardinale.

4. Demographic and enrollment projections:  Franklin Lakes  Allendale  Lyndhurst  Cresskill  Haledon  River Vale  Washington Township  Sparta  Hillsdale  Westwood Regional  Wood Ridge  Bergenfield  Cliffside Park

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Len Elovitz & Bob Gordon – Studies completed with Harry Galinsky Associates:

1. A Feasibility Study To Determine the Impact of Severing the Sending-Receiving Relationship Between the Mountain Lakes and Boonton Township School Districts. February 2001. Boonton Township made concessions and contract was extended. Our client was Mt. Lakes’ attorney Vito Gagliardi, Jr. of Porzio, Bromberg and Newman. Superintendent was John Sakala followed by John Kazmark.

2. Tuition Revenue Feasibility Study For The Red Bank Regional High School District. February 2005. We recommended that the district maintain their practice of recruiting tuition students to their vocational themed academies. The Board agreed. Superintendent was Edward Westervelt and is currently James Stefankiewicz.

Other studies:

Len Elovitz - Regionalization of Bogota and Little Ferry with Guidelines, Inc.

Mel Klein - Regionalization Studies

 Hasbrouck Heights with Wood-Ridge  Delaware Valley with 4 sending districts  Lawrence Township with Washington Township

Attached is a full client list of projects completed by CSA. Following is a listing of projects similar to requirements found in the RFP:

Demographic Studies / Enrollment Projections

1. Allamuchy Public Schools 2. E I Associates - Hasbrouck Heights 3. Glen Ridge Public Schools 4. Jackson Township Public Schools 5. Kearny Public Schools 6. Linden Public Schools 7. The Morris School District 8. Mount Olive Public Schools 9. Vernon Township 10. Waldwick Public Schools 11. Feitlowitz & Kosten Architects –  Glen Ridge

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Appendix A

 East Hanover  Milltown  Belleville

All principals and associates have undergone the required criminal history background check.

There have never been any judgments, bankruptcy or organizational proceedings against CSA.

C. Available Services

CSA is a full service educational consulting firm. Our 5 principals are experienced and very well versed in all aspects of school and district operations. In addition, we have a cadre of associates who are specialists in fields such as technology, special education and school finance. We would be pleased to provide the Jamesburg Board with quotes or proposals for other projects not covered in this RFP.

D. References

Attached are letters of recommendation from Doris Moskowitz, Project Director for the 21st Century grant program in Elizabeth and Gerard Norcia, Perkins program supervisor for the Jersey City Public Schools.

Following are some references from current and recent clients

1. Evaluation for Perkins Grant - Newark Public Schools

Saundra DeGeneste, Supervisor Office of School-to-Career & College Initiatives 230 Broadway Newark, New Jersey 07104 (973) 350-1774

2. Evaluation for Perkins Grant – Jersey City Public Schools

Gerard Norcia Supervisor Jersey City Public Schools 346 Claremont Avenue Jersey City, New Jersey 07304 (201) 915-6216

3. Evaluation for 21st Century Community Learning Centers - Elizabeth Public Schools

Doris Moskowitz

46 Appendix A

Project Director Elizabeth Board of Education Elementary & Secondary Education  505 North Broad Street Elizabeth, NJ 07208 (908) 436-5329

4. Evaluation Plans for 21st Century Community Learning Centers - Passaic Public Schools

Terrence Love, Project Director Quality of Life 21st CCLC program Passaic Board of Education 101 Passaic Avenue  Passaic, NJ 07055 (973) 591-6952

5. Evaluation for Smaller Learning Community Grant – Red Bank Regional High School

James Stefankiewicz Superintendent Red Bank Regional High School 101 Ridge Road Little Silver, NJ 07739 (732) 842 850

6. Enrollment Projections and Redistricting - Kearny Public Schools

Mr. Frank Digesere Superintendent Kearny School District 100 Davis Avenue, Kearny, NJ 07032 (201) 955-5021

7. Analysis of Central Office Staffing – Glen Rock Public Schools

Michael Rinderknecht Business Administrator/Board Secretary Glen Rock Board of Education

47 Appendix A

620 Harrison Road Glen Rock, New Jersey 07452 (201) 445-7700

E. Services to be provided under this proposal

CSA will conduct research and analysis to provide a feasibility study for the severance of the current send-receive relationship between Monroe Township and Jamesburg. That report will include the following:

1. Five-year enrollment projections for both Jamesburg and Monroe utilizing cohort survival methodology

2. Disparity study to include an analysis of the impact on the following in both districts: a. Racial composition b. Educational program c. District finances

3. Assessment of an alternative district for a new send-receive relationship with regard to: a. Enrollment and facility fit b. Racial composition c. Educational program fit d. District finances

4. Expert witness testimony if necessary at the hourly rate specified.

F. Deliverables

A written report will be provided prior to October 31, 2011. CSA associates involved in the study will make an oral presentation to the Jamesburg Board of Education and administration at a mutually convenient time.

G. Cost Criteria

The proposed cost for the services outlined above is $18,000.

The proposal base cost includes the assessment of one alternate district. The assessment of additional potential receiving districts would be completed at a cost of $2,900 each.

48 Appendix A

Should expert testimony be required, the rate CSA associates would be $125 per hour for pre- hearing preparation with district attorneys and $250 per hour for court appearances.

Expenses Related to Contract; Incidental

All incidental expenses related to this contract, incurred by CSA, will be the responsibility of CSA. The district will not be asked for reimbursement of any incidental expenses related to the contract.

Expenses Not Related to the Contract; District Procedures

CSA will not be asked to provide any other requested services not related to this project under this contract. The district will procure these services separately from CSA or another consultant.

Extraordinary Expenses

Extraordinary expenses to be incurred by CSA in the performance of this project will be brought to the Board for consideration prior to the actual expenditure.

Respectfully submitted,

Leonard H. Elovitz. Ed.D. Educational Consultant CSA

49 Appendix A

CONSULTING SERVICES ASSOCIATES

MEMBERS OF THE FACULTY

Dr. Leonard H. Elovitz [email protected]

After a distinguished career as a school district administrator, Dr. Leonard Elovitz is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Educational Leadership at Kean University. Dr. Elovitz’s experience includes ten years in teaching and various administrative and supervisory positions in Glen Ridge, four years as Assistant Superintendent South Orange-Maplewood, and a total of seventeen years as Superintendent of Schools in Hasbrouck Heights, Roxbury and Bloomfield.

Dr. Elovitz has served on the State Education Technology Committee since its inception and has been one of the prime movers of instruction by Interactive Television in New Jersey. He has conducted numerous workshops and consulting projects in the areas of educational technology, school district organization, leadership, supervision, long range planning, evaluation of instruction, school district demographics, school district facility needs, developing educational specifications and school-to-careers. He has authored more than 15 articles in national and state professional journals and presented at a number of conferences.

Dr. Elovitz received his Bachelor’s and Master’s from Montclair State University and a Doctorate in the Administration of Educational Programs from Teachers College, Columbia University. In 1995, he was named a Diplomate in Educational Administration by the New Jersey Association of School Administrators. At Kean University, he supervises administrative interns and teaches courses in school finance, organizational theory, computer applications for administration, supervision, and foundations of school policy.

Robert L. Gordon [email protected]

For nearly three years, Bob Gordon served as the Assistant Project Director for the Morris/Sussex/Warren School-to-Careers Consortium based at the County College of Morris (CCM). In that capacity, he worked with partners in the three counties to support the implementation of school-to-careers programs involving educators, employers, community- based agencies, parents and students.

Bob has been a frequent presenter on school-to-careers related topics at state, county and regional meetings, including the annual NJASCD conference and the Eastern Regional Apprenticeship Conference. In past years, he has presented at the spring conference of the New Jersey Association of School Administrators.

50 Appendix A

During his tenure at CCM, Bob was tapped as a participant on the New Jersey Department of Labor’s task force charged with developing an employee guide for students in the workplace. He was also named on the statewide team sent to Washington, D.C. to create better linkages between the school-to-careers movement and the effort to facilitate transition to adult life for students with disabilities.

Prior to his involvement in school-to-careers, Bob spent 33 years with the Randolph Township Schools in Morris County where he served as teacher, supervisor, and, for the last eight years, Superintendent of Schools. He served as president of the county’s Superintendent’s Association and was the recipient of that group’s distinguished service award in 1994. During his tenure as Superintendent, Randolph High School was named as one of the top 50 schools by Redbook Magazine.

Mr. Gordon has been published on the school-to-careers initiative. A recent article, Exploring Career Options: The Counselor’s Role was published in Principal Leadership.

Mel Klein [email protected]

Mel Klein has been in education for over 60 years as a mathematics and science teacher, basketball coach, high school principal, assistant superintendent, and superintendent of schools. After retiring as Superintendent in Livingston in 1982, Mel served as interim superintendent in 19 school districts in New Jersey. Also, during that time, he completed demographic studies, enrollment projections and regionalization studies for numerous school districts.

He was awarded New Jersey Distinguished Educator of the Year by The New Jersey Council of Education in 1995. Mel is presently an adjunct professor at Saint Peter’ College teaching supervision, curriculum and leadership courses. From 2001 to 2009 he was an administrator for Seton Hall University’s online masters in education leadership, and is currently on the faculty at St. Peter’s College. Mel had his own television show for four years during the formative years of cable television in Essex County.

Dr. Alan Markowitz [email protected]

Alan Markowitz began his career as a social studies teacher in NYC. After serving as a curriculum supervisor in several districts, Dr. Markowitz became Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction in the Roxbury Public Schools. He culminated his public school career as Superintendent of Schools in the Harding Township Schools.

Dr. Markowitz has served on several state panels including those for Alternative Teacher Certification and Student Expectations. He co-chaired the Social Studies Content Standards Panel for the New Jersey State Department of Education and is now chairing the State Advisory Committee to coordinate the revision of the Core Curriculum Content Standards.

51 Appendix A

Dr. Markowitz is a recognized leader in the areas of curriculum and instruction, assessment, action research and professional development planning. He has authored more than 15 articles in professional journals and spoken at several national conferences.

Dr. Markowitz is a member of the Morris county Professional Development Board and has served them as a consultant.

He has served as Associate Director of the School of Education at Fairleigh Dickinson University. Currently, Dr. Markowitz is Professor of Education and Director of Graduate Programs at The College of St. Elizabeth.

Dr. John R. Crews [email protected]

John R. Crews currently serves as a faculty member at the College of St. Elizabeth and is the Chair of Educational Leadership, which includes graduate degree programs on both the master’s and doctoral levels. His teaching and research is focused on emerging perspectives on school and school district leadership and strategies to sustain high performing learning communities.

Prior to assuming this position, Dr. Crews spent over twenty years in public school leadership roles including Principal of Ridgewood High School, Ridgewood, NJ, and Assistant Superintendent for Instruction in Scotch Plains-Fanwood School District, Scotch Plains, NJ. In the latter capacity he was responsible for supervision of the curriculum, instruction, and professional development for all eight schools within the PreK-12 district.

During his years of service in public education, Dr. Crews was selected to participate in a number of national and international initiatives focused on the future vision for schooling and the leadership necessary for systemic change. In 1999, he was selected to present a paper, Schools for the Information Age, at the Superintendents’ Roundtable at Oxford University. In that paper, he outlined a broad vision for the changes necessary to ensure the relevancy of schools in the 21st century.

A scheduling organization, which he instituted while Principal of Ridgewood High School in 1992, has become a model for many secondary schools in New Jersey and the Tri-State area. The schedule, supported by extensive professional development in active learning strategies, has changed the way many secondary schools look at the organization of time, and has helped to shape a new paradigm in teaching and learning in secondary education.

52 Appendix B

53

Appendix B

54

Appendix B

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