Dear Editor:
Last week, the Hoboken Board of Education voted to seek an appellate review of the Commissioner of Education’s recent decision regarding the expansion of a charter school. The reason is simple: the commissioner failed to use accurate student census data and disregarded enrollment disparities of children impacted by poverty and children with special needs. The commissioner is required by law to consider these factors.
The commissioner must also examine the financial impacts on the Hoboken Public School District’s educational program, as the funding comes directly from the district budget. With a disproportionate amount of low-income and special needs students, the district funding must provide for students who require more educational resources and services than more advantaged students.
The commissioner ignored all of this, but I could not.
For a variety of different reasons, we have an imbalance in our community. One district—the Hoboken Public School District—is now serving the majority of our community’s most vulnerable students and those who require the most educational resources. Budget cuts to fund a charter school expansion will be felt by the students of the district.
I have always welcomed a community discussion. In December 2013, then Superintendent Dr. Toback asked the commissioner to help our community address this imbalance. His plea went unanswered. Shortly afterwards, the superintendent invited all school administrators to meet to discuss solutions. Although unsuccessful so far, I still believe we can find a way to reopen that dialogue and explore solutions as a community. There are many ways to encourage diversity if we work together—a universal application, coordinated outreach and dedicated enrollment spots.
I think most agree that the unfair state funding formula needs to be addressed. All parents love their child’s school and no parent wants to lose educational resources. I also believe that in such a small community, the imbalance in student population should be a concern that requires all of our attention and community-wide solutions.
As a parent myself, I completely understand it is a difficult situation for everyone. I feel the same love and commitment to my children’s school and the students I serve as the charter parents who attended last week’s Board of Education meeting. But I stand by my decision. To “let it go” would require me to abandon the students in the Hoboken Public School District—often our community’s most vulnerable children. I cannot do that. I hope those who disagree with my decision understand my reasons.
Education is clearly an important and passionate topic and I look forward to continued community discussion.
Yours truly
Irene Korman Sobolov