A Tale of Two Systems: Comparing City and Suburban School Districts in New Jersey
In New Jersey, public education is shaped not only by state standards and funding formulas, but by local context — especially the economic and demographic makeup of each district. This report compares two distinct groups of school districts: seven suburban districts serving some of the state’s wealthiest communities, and seven city districts serving some of its most economically disadvantaged. While...
Out-of-School Placement Rates in NJ Special Education: By Year and Subgroup
This report presents a multi-year overview of special education placement patterns in New Jersey from 2020 to 2024, focusing on students with disabilities ages 5–21. Using publicly available data from the New Jersey Department of Education, it tracks the percentage of students placed in out-of-school settings—such as separate schools, residential facilities, and home/hospital instruction—across a range of demographic groups. The...
2025 NJ21st 7-District Interactive School Performance Dashboard
We are pleased to announce the launch of NJ21st’s interactive dashboard, developed to help users explore school performance data for each of the seven districts in our region (Berkeley Heights, New Providence, Westfield, Millburn, Chatham,Madison and Summit) . Based on data from the New Jersey School Performance Reports, this tool provides a clear snapshot of academic outcomes and school climate...
Berkeley Heights 2023-2024 NJ School Performance Report Drill Down
How each Berkeley Heights School measured up on the 2023-2024 NJ Performance Reports The recently published 2023-2024 NJ School Performance Report reveals a mixed academic recovery for Berkeley Heights, shaped not only by the pandemic but also by years of inconsistent leadership and problematic board governance. Student proficiency in Math and English Language Arts (ELA) has shown modest improvement—Math rising...
2025 7-District Dashboard – NJ School Performance Report Comparisons
NJ School Performance Report Comparisons for Berkeley Heights, New Providence, Millburn, Westfield, Chatham, Madison and Summit. The following analysis draws on the newly released New Jersey School Performance Reports for the 2023–2024 school year. It highlights trends in student proficiency across English Language Arts, Math, and Science, while also examining other key indicators such as student growth, chronic absenteeism, and...
Fewer Borrowers, Heavier Load: New Jersey’s Student Debt Paradox
When it comes to student debt, New Jersey paints a complicated picture—one that’s often overshadowed by larger states like California and Texas. While New Jersey has significantly fewer borrowers overall, the average burden each borrower carries is among the highest in the country. Based on US DOE Data, New Jersey reports approximately 1.23 million student loan borrowers, far fewer than:...
7-District Dashboard: Proposed 2025 State Aid Numbers Come Out
2025 Proposed State Aid for Chatham, Millburn, Madison, Berkeley Heights, New Providence, Westfield and Summit Last week, Governor Phil Murphy delivered his fiscal year 2026 state budget address, which covers the 2025-26 school year. The budget calls for a record-breaking $12.1 billion in funding from the state to N.J. public schools. The proposed state aid below is calculated based on...
Dr. Feltre Responds to NJ21st Questions on Referendum and Parent Concerns on School Closings
John received the following response from Dr. Feltre to his article on the referendum published last week. Good Afternoon Mr. Migueis, Thank you for your thoughts and insights. Your first question “A referendum for what?” is part of the reason for the meeting on February 26th, but the next step in the process. When I started in January, I navigated multiple...
Follow Up To GLHS GPA College Admissions Concerns
Follow Up To GLHS GPA College Admissions Concerns We received an update from Daniel Brown, who has been actively following up on the Governor Livingston GPA issue as it relates to college admissions. His original email to the District and Board can be found here. He recieved a reply from Dr. Feltre, who is new to the District and appears...
Three Berkeley Heights Myths About Special Needs Students
The following is a response to myths in our community that have been advanced by BOE Representatives, Candidates, their Operatives and problematic Administrators over the Years who have tried to pawn off responsibility for their decisions onto students. These arguments come out any time the Budget Process approaches, NJ DOE Performance Reports get published or poorly informed candidates are running...
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