
BHPSNJ District Opens Search for Business Administrator Ahead of July Transition
On Friday, May 2, Applitrack—the platform used by Berkeley Heights Public Schools to manage job postings—listed an opening for the position of “Business Administrator/Board Secretary,” effective July 1, 2025. The listing follows recent Board of Education meetings during which some residents noted that the current Business Administrator’s contract was not among the recent renewals—making the posting anticipated by many. The...

2025-2026 BHPSNJ Budget – Full Detail and Snapshots
We received a version of the 2025-2026 BHPSNJ Detailed budget from the District yesterday. We cleaned up the formatting and added a tab menu. You can download it here. Some quick snapshots from the spreadsheet are below but before we get started on that it might be good to point out a slide from the New Providence BOE Budget Meeting....

More Notes on Security Spending – 25-26 BHPSNJ Budget
Over the last three school years, security spending in the Berkeley Heights Public Schools has ballooned — far exceeding original budget estimates while state aid has remained flat. What the Numbers Show 2023–2024: The District budgeted $214,000 for school security but ended up spending $260,396, according to the official ACFR (Annual Comprehensive Financial Report). That’s a 22% overrun in a...

Budget Withheld, Questions Unanswered
A prior version of this article incorrectly indicated that the year to year increase on security spending was 62%, this is incorrect- that actual percentage is 42% from the 2023-2024 actual amount. (04/24/2025) How budget opacity, inflated security costs, and stalled academic progress are failing our students. In both 2023 and 2024, I was able to secure the line item...

Laura’s Notes on the 04/24/2025 Berkeley Heights BOE Meeting Agenda -Budget and Policies
Let’s hope this meeting stays focused and free of unnecessary theatrics. Many have questioned why the Board scheduled this meeting at Governor Livingston High School to coincide with a GL concert. Whether this was an oversight or an intentional move to suppress attendance remains unclear—but the optics haven’t gone unnoticed. Superintendent’s Report: Referendum Survey Results The Superintendent is expected to...

If Given the Choice, Would Private Schools Really Be A Better Deal for Berkeley Heights?
Given the high per-pupil cost of Berkeley Heights Public Schools (BHPSNJ) and ongoing discussions about declining enrollment despite rising expenses, I wanted to end the 2025 Budget series by seeing how BHPSNJ stacks up against private schools in terms of cost. I selected five private K-8 schools and five private high schools to compare their tuition costs with BHPSNJ’s reported...

2025 7-District Dashboard Budget Comparisons- All The Articles
Breaking Down The 2025 7-District Budget Dashboard with Images Part One 2025 7-District Budget Dashboard in Pictures Part Two: Administrative and Legal Costs 2025 7-District Budget Dashboard in Pictures Part Three: Special Needs 2025 7-District Budget Dashboard in Pictures Part Four: Transportation and a Note on Special Needs 2025 7-District Budget Dashboard in Pictures Part Five: Facilities, Grounds and Custodial...

The BHPSNJ BOE Must Remain Focused on the Budget
We received confirmation from BOE Vice President Dipti Khanna, reinforcing what our sources within the Municipal Government have been telling us all along. The CMS Lease Agreement unexpectedly appeared on the same agenda as the Budget, prompting us to reach out to Dr. Feltre, Ms. Bradford, and Ms. Khanna for clarification. Below is a breakdown of Ms. Khanna’s response: “On...

Influence, Transparency, and Budget Priorities: The CMS Lease Hard Court Press and BHPSNJ Budget
Last year former elected representatives from local political machines and representatives from political organizations came out of the woodwork in creating chaos on the transportation issue. The year it appears they plan to do the same with the CMS lease agreement. Following a previous request, we submitted an OPRA request seeking correspondence between the Superintendent and the Mayor regarding the...

2025 7-District Budget Dashboard in Pictures Part Six: Athletics, Co-Curricular, Textbooks and Educational Media Services
Athletics, Co-Curricular, Textbooks and Educational Media Services Per Pupil Cost Break Down for Berkeley Heights, Chatham, New Providence, Summit, Millburn, Madison, and Westfield Part Six of our effort to break down the 7-District Budget Dashboard in supporting residents of Berkeley Heights, Chatham, New Providence, Summit, Millburn, Madison, and Westfield provide more informed feedback to their Boards of Education during...