East Orange School District

East Orange School District is a comprehensive community public school district serving students in pre-Kindergarten through twelfth grade from the city of East Orange, in Essex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.^[3] The district is one of 31 former Abbott districts statewide that were established pursuant to the decision by the New Jersey Supreme Court in Abbott v. Burke^[4] which are now referred to as "SDA Districts" based on the requirement for the state to cover all costs for school building and renovation projects in these districts under the supervision of the New Jersey Schools Development Authority.^[5][6] As of the 2018–19 school year, the district, comprising 20 schools, had an enrollment of 10,072 students and 744.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 13.5:1.^[1]

East Orange School District
Address
199 4th Avenue East Orange , Essex County, New Jersey, 07017 United States
Coordinates	40.774261°N 74.221546°W / 40.774261; -74.221546
District information
Grades	Pre-K to 12
Superintendent	Abdulsaleem Hasan
Business administrator	Christina Hunt
Schools	20
Affiliation(s)	Former Abbott district
Students and staff
Enrollment	10,072 (as of 2018–19)[1]
Faculty	744.0 FTEs[1]
Student–teacher ratio	13.5:1[1]
Other information
District Factor Group	A
Website	www.eastorange.k12.nj.us
Ind. Per pupil District spending Rank (*) K-12 average  %± vs. average 1A Total Spending $25,032 100 $18,891 32.5% 1 Budgetary Cost 17,725 97 14,783 19.9% 2 Classroom Instruction 9,723 87 8,763 11.0% 6 Support Services 3,571 99 2,392 49.3% 8 Administrative Cost 1,631 79 1,485 9.8% 10 Operations & Maintenance 2,553 95 1,783 43.2% 13 Extracurricular Activities 105 3 268 −60.8% 16 Median Teacher Salary 81,073 96 64,043 Data from NJDoE 2014 Taxpayers' Guide to Education Spending.[2] *Of K-12 districts with more than 3,500 students. Lowest spending=1; Highest=103

In 2003, Patrick Healy Middle School was identified as one of seven "persistently dangerous" public schools in New Jersey.^[7] The designation has since been removed.

The district is classified by the New Jersey Department of Education as being in District Factor Group "A", the lowest of eight groupings. District Factor Groups organize districts statewide to allow comparison by common socioeconomic characteristics of the local districts. From lowest socioeconomic status to highest, the categories are A, B, CD, DE, FG, GH, I and J.^[8]

Schools

Schools in the district (with 2018–19 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics^[9]) are:^[10][11][12]

Early childhood education centers

• Althea Gibson Early Childhood Academy^[13] (159 students; in grades PreK and K)
  • Crystal Davis, principal
• Wahlstrom Early Childhood Center^[14] (156; PreK-K)
  • Annie Jackson, principal

Elementary schools

• Benjamin Banneker Academy^[15] (511; PreK-5)
  • Sharon Vincent, principal
• Edward T. Bowser, Sr. School of Excellence^[16] (609; PreK-5)
  • Brian Heaphy, principal
• George Washington Carver Institute of Science and Technology^[17] (325; PreK-5)
  • Sharon Alsbrook Davis, principal
• Johnnie L. Cochran Jr. Academy^[18] (193; K-5)
  • Tabina H. Adam, principal
• Mildred Barry Garvin School^[19] (356; PreK-5)
  • Howard Walker, principal
• Whitney E. Houston Academy of Creative & Performing Arts^[20] (369; PreK-8)
  • Henry Hamilton, principal
• Langston Hughes Elementary School^[21] (589; PreK-5)
  • Thelma Ramsey, principal
• J. Garfield Jackson Sr. Academy^[22] (256; K-5)
  • Yvy Joseph, principal
• Ecole Touissant Louverture^[23] (297; PreK-5)
  • Ralph Jacob, Jr., principal
• Gordon Parks Academy School of Radio, Animation, Film and Television^[24] (285; PreK-5)
  • Leslie Shults, principal
• Cicely L. Tyson Community Elementary School^[25] (504; PreK-5)
  • Passion Moss-Hasan, principal
• Dionne Warwick Institute of Economics and Entrepreneurship^[26] (462; PreK-5)
  • Flore Nadeige Lovett, principal

Middle schools

• Future Ready Prep^[27] (NA; 6-7)
  • Renee N. Richardson, administrator
• Patrick F. Healy Middle School^[28] (392; 7)
  • Howard Walker, principal
• John L. Costley Middle School^[29] (367; 8). The school was named in honor of John L. Costley Sr., a local community activist who was a World War I veteran and member of the 369th Infantry Regiment, also known as the Harlem Hellfighters.^[30]
  • Koree Toles, principal
• Sojourner Truth Middle School^[31] (406; 6)
  • Monica Burton, principal

High schools

• Cicely Tyson School of Performing and Fine Arts^[32] (740; 6-12)
  • John English, principal
• East Orange Campus High School^[33] located on the former campus of Upsala College (1,651; 9-12)
  • Ronnie Estrict, principal
• East Orange STEM Academy^[34] (358; 6-12)
  • Vincent Stallings, principal

Other

• Fresh Start Academy Middle / High - Glenwood Campus^[35] (NA; 6-12)

Administration

Core members of the district's administration are:^[36][37]

• Abdulsaleem Hasan, superintendent of schools
• Christina Hunt, school business administrator

Board of education

The district's board of education is comprised of seven members who set policy and oversee the fiscal and educational operation of the district through its administration. As a Type I school district, the board's trustees are appointed by the mayor to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either two or three members up for reappointment each year. Of the more than 600 school districts statewide, East Orange is one of 15 districts with an appointed school board. The board appoints a superintendent to oversee the district's day-to-day operations and a business administrator to supervise the business functions of the district.^{[38][39][40][41]}

References

1. District information for East Orange School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed April 1, 2020.
2. Taxpayers' Guide to Education Spending April 2013, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed April 15, 2013.
3. East Orange Board of Education District Policy 0110 - Identification. East Orange School District. Accessed September 3, 2020. "Purpose: The Board of Education exists for the purpose of providing a thorough and efficient system of free public education in grades Pre-Kindergarten through twelve in the East Orange School District. Composition: The East Orange School District is comprised of all the area within the municipal boundaries of the city of East Orange in the County of Essex."
4. What We Do: History, New Jersey Schools Development Authority. Accessed March 1, 2022. "In 1998, the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled in the Abbott v. Burke case that the State must provide 100 percent funding for all school renovation and construction projects in special-needs school districts. According to the Court, aging, unsafe and overcrowded buildings prevented children from receiving the "thorough and efficient" education required under the New Jersey Constitution.... Full funding for approved projects was authorized for the 31 special-needs districts, known as 'Abbott Districts'."
5. What We Do, New Jersey Schools Development Authority. Accessed March 1, 2022.
6. SDA Districts, New Jersey Schools Development Authority. Accessed March 1, 2022.
7. Newman, Maria. "Seven Schools in New Jersey Make the 'Dangerous' List ", The New York Times, August 2, 2003. Accessed November 4, 2014. "The New Jersey Department of Education has named seven schools to a list it has published to identify 'persistently dangerous' schools, as mandated by the federal No Child Left Behind Act.... The others are the Lakeside Middle School, in Millville; Atlantic City High School in the Atlantic City School District; Patrick Healy Middle School in the East Orange School District; and Simmons Elementary School in the Clayton Public School District."
8. NJ Department of Education District Factor Groups (DFG) for School Districts, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed November 4, 2014.
9. School Data for the East Orange School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed April 1, 2020.
10. Meet the East Orange Schools Archived May 12, 2021, at the Wayback Machine, East Orange School District. Accessed May 8, 2020.
11. School Performance Reports for the East Orange School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed April 3, 2024.
12. New Jersey School Directory for the East Orange School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 1, 2024.
13. Althea Gibson Early Childhood Academy, East Orange School District. Accessed May 8, 2020.
14. Wahlstrom Early Childhood Center Archived August 5, 2020, at the Wayback Machine, East Orange School District. Accessed May 8, 2020.
15. Benjamin Banneker Academy, East Orange School District. Accessed May 8, 2020.
16. Edward T. Bowser, Sr. School of Excellence Archived August 5, 2020, at the Wayback Machine, East Orange School District. Accessed May 8, 2020.
17. George Washington Carver Institute of Science and Technology Archived March 4, 2020, at the Wayback Machine, East Orange School District. Accessed May 8, 2020.
18. Johnnie L. Cochran Jr. Academy Archived August 5, 2020, at the Wayback Machine, East Orange School District. Accessed May 8, 2020.
19. Mildred Barry Garvin School Archived March 4, 2020, at the Wayback Machine, East Orange School District. Accessed May 8, 2020.
20. Whitney E. Houston Academy of Creative & Performing Arts Archived August 5, 2020, at the Wayback Machine, East Orange School District. Accessed May 8, 2020.
21. Langston Hughes Elementary School Archived August 10, 2020, at the Wayback Machine, East Orange School District. Accessed May 8, 2020.
22. J. Garfield Jackson Sr. Academy Archived September 22, 2020, at the Wayback Machine, East Orange School District. Accessed May 8, 2020.
23. Ecole Touissant Louverture Archived August 5, 2020, at the Wayback Machine, East Orange School District. Accessed May 8, 2020.
24. Gordon Parks Academy School of Radio, Animation, Film and Television Archived August 10, 2020, at the Wayback Machine, East Orange School District. Accessed May 8, 2020.
25. Cicely L. Tyson Community Elementary School, East Orange School District. Accessed May 8, 2020.
26. Dionne Warwick Institute of Economics and Entrepreneurship Archived August 5, 2020, at the Wayback Machine, East Orange School District. Accessed May 8, 2020.
27. Future Ready Prep Archived September 22, 2020, at the Wayback Machine, East Orange School District. Accessed May 8, 2020.
28. Patrick F. Healy Middle School, East Orange School District. Accessed May 8, 2020.
29. John L. Costley Middle School Archived August 5, 2020, at the Wayback Machine, East Orange School District. Accessed May 8, 2020.
30. John L. Costley Sr. Archived 2016-08-27 at the Wayback Machine, Costley Middle School. Accessed August 18, 2016. "He enlisted in the army during World War I and served with distinction in France with the infamous 369th Regiment of New York."
31. Sojourner Truth Middle School Archived August 5, 2020, at the Wayback Machine, East Orange School District. Accessed May 8, 2020.
32. Cicely L. Tyson Community School of Performing and Fine Arts Archived August 5, 2020, at the Wayback Machine, East Orange School District. Accessed May 8, 2020.
33. East Orange Campus High School Archived September 22, 2020, at the Wayback Machine, East Orange School District. Accessed May 8, 2020.
34. East Orange STEM Academy Archived August 5, 2020, at the Wayback Machine, East Orange School District. Accessed May 8, 2020.
35. Fresh Start Academy Middle / High - Glenwood Campus Archived September 22, 2020, at the Wayback Machine, East Orange School District. Accessed May 8, 2020.
36. Administration and District Staff, East Orange School District. Accessed March 27, 2022.
37. New Jersey School Directory for Essex County, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 1, 2024.
38. New Jersey Boards of Education by District Election Types - 2018 School Election, New Jersey Department of Education, updated February 16, 2018. Accessed January 26, 2020.
39. Annual Comprehensive Financial Report of the East Orange School District, New Jersey Department of Education, for year ending June 30, 2023. Accessed April 10, 2024. "The East Orange Board of Education (the 'Board' or the 'District') is an instrumentality of the State of New Jersey, established to function as an education institution. The Board consists of seven members appointed by the Mayor of the City of East Orange (the City) and is responsible for the fiscal control of the District. A Superintendent of Schools is appointed by the Board and is responsible for the administrative control of the District. A School Business Administrator / Board Secretary is also appointed by the Board and oversees the business functions of the District."
40. Board of Education, East Orange School District. Accessed May 8, 2020. "The East Orange Board of Education consists of seven members who are appointed by the Mayor of East Orange."
41. Roll, Erin. "Montclair Parents Debate Appointed Vs. Elected School Board", Montclair Local, April 4, 2019. Accessed May 9, 2020. "Montclair is one of 11 school districts in New Jersey in which the board of education is appointed by the mayor, rather than elected. And a debate is ensuing among some Montclair residents over whether Montclair should stick with an appointed board, or switch to an elected board.... As of 2018, Montclair was one of only 11 Type I school districts in New Jersey. The other 10 are Ventnor, Port Republic, Rockleigh, Pine Valley, East Orange, East Newark, Union City, Harrison, Trenton and Summit."

External links

• New Jersey portal
• Schools portal

• East Orange School District
• School Performance Reports for the East Orange School District, New Jersey Department of Education
• School Data for the East Orange School District, National Center for Education Statistics