Elizabeth Public Schools
Encyclopedia
Elizabeth Public Schools is a public school district
headquartered in Elizabeth
, in Union County
, New Jersey
, United States, serving students in prekindergarten through 12th grade. The district is one of 31 Abbott District
s statewide. The district is one of New Jersey's largest, with a culturally diverse student body coming from 50 countries and speaking more than 37 languages.
As of the 2009-10 school year, the district's 32 schools had an enrollment of 22,068 students and 2,066 classroom teachers (on an FTE
basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 10.68.
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.
Award of Excellence by the United States Department of Education
, the highest award an American school can receive. For the 2006-07 school year, William F. Halloran Alternative School #22 was one of four schools in New Jersey recognized with the Blue Ribbon Award.
In 2007, Dr Albert Einstein Academy School No. 29 became one of 24 schools selected from across the United States and the only NASA
Explore School in the state of New Jersey at that time.
The Washington Posts 2011 "High School Challenge", a continuation of high-school rankings formerly published in Newsweek
, ranked Elizabeth High School as the second-best high school in New Jersey, and the 176th-best in the United States.
asked for records relating to district spending for entertainment, travel, equipment and other expenditures.
The Investigations Unit of the New Jersey Department of Education
reviewed district practices in 2008, following a state auditor's report that undocumented aliens were being improperly hired by the district in custodial and clerical positions. The district's business administrator indicated that the district had been hiring non-citizens for math and science teaching positions due to the inability to find qualified citizens qualified to work in those positions. . Other findings had shown that $88,000 was spent by the district for what was deemed to be political advertising and that employee information had been taken from confidential files to be used for soliciting political contributions.
Some other recent headlines include:
School district
School districts are a form of special-purpose district which serves to operate the local public primary and secondary schools.-United States:...
headquartered in Elizabeth
Elizabeth, New Jersey
Elizabeth is a city in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 124,969, retaining its ranking as New Jersey's fourth largest city with an increase of 4,401 residents from its 2000 Census population of 120,568...
, in Union County
Union County, New Jersey
Union County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 536,499. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Elizabeth. Union County ranks 93rd among the highest-income counties in the United States. It also ranks 74th in...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, United States, serving students in prekindergarten through 12th grade. The district is one of 31 Abbott District
Abbott District
Abbott districts are school districts in New Jersey that are provided remedies to ensure that their students receive public education in accordance with New Jersey’s state constitution. They were created in 1985 as a result of the first ruling of Abbott v. Burke, a case filed by the Education Law...
s statewide. The district is one of New Jersey's largest, with a culturally diverse student body coming from 50 countries and speaking more than 37 languages.
As of the 2009-10 school year, the district's 32 schools had an enrollment of 22,068 students and 2,066 classroom teachers (on an FTE
Full-time equivalent
Full-time equivalent , is a unit to measure employed persons or students in a way that makes them comparable although they may work or study a different number of hours per week. FTE is often used to measure a worker's involvement in a project, or to track cost reductions in an organization...
basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 10.68.
The district is classified by the New Jersey Department of Education
New Jersey Department of Education
The New Jersey Department of Education administers state and federal aid programs affecting more than 1.4 million public and non-public elementary and secondary school children in the state of New Jersey. The department is headquartered in Trenton.The Department is responsible for ensuring that...
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.
Awards and recognition
In the 2008-09 school year, Victor Mravlag Elementary School No. 21 was recognized with the Blue Ribbon SchoolBlue Ribbon Schools Program
The Blue Ribbon Schools Program is a United States government program created in 1981 to honor schools which have achieved high levels of performance or significant improvements with emphasis on schools serving disadvantaged students. The program centers around a self-assessment conducted by the...
Award of Excellence by the United States Department of Education
United States Department of Education
The United States Department of Education, also referred to as ED or the ED for Education Department, is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government...
, the highest award an American school can receive. For the 2006-07 school year, William F. Halloran Alternative School #22 was one of four schools in New Jersey recognized with the Blue Ribbon Award.
In 2007, Dr Albert Einstein Academy School No. 29 became one of 24 schools selected from across the United States and the only NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
Explore School in the state of New Jersey at that time.
The Washington Posts 2011 "High School Challenge", a continuation of high-school rankings formerly published in Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
, ranked Elizabeth High School as the second-best high school in New Jersey, and the 176th-best in the United States.
High Schools
- Elizabeth High School
- Alexander Hamilton Preparatory AcademyAlexander Hamilton Preparatory AcademyAlexander Hamilton Preparatory Academy is a four-year comprehensive public high school located in Elizabeth, in Union County, New Jersey, United States, as part of Elizabeth Public Schools. The academy accepts students from grades nine through twelve in Elizabeth who have passed the requirements...
- Admiral William F. Halsey Leadership AcademyAdmiral William Halsey Leadership AcademyThe Admiral William F. Halsey Leadership Academy is a four-year comprehensive public high school in Elizabeth, New Jersey, as part of the Elizabeth Public Schools. The Leadership Academy shares one large building with the John Dwyer Technology Academy, the Peter B...
- John E. Dwyer Technology AcademyJohn Dwyer Technology AcademyThe John E. Dwyer Technology Academy is a four-year comprehensive public high school in Elizabeth, New Jersey, as part of the Elizabeth Public Schools. The Technology Academy shares one large building with the Admiral William Halsey Leadership Academy, the Peter B...
- Thomas Jefferson Arts AcademyThomas Jefferson Arts AcademyThe Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy is a four-year comprehensive public high school in Elizabeth, New Jersey, as part of the Elizabeth Public Schools.-History:...
- Thomas A. Edison Academy for Career and Technical EducationThomas A. Edison Academy for Career and Technical EducationThe Thomas A. Edison Academy for Career & Technical Education is a four-year comprehensive public high school in Elizabeth, New Jersey, as part of the Elizabeth Public Schools. The Thomas A. Edison Academy For Career & Technical Education is the center for vocational and technical education in the...
PreK-8 Schools
- George Washington School No. 01
- Winfield Scott School No. 02
- Nicholas S. La Corte-Peterstown School No. 03
- Joseph Battin School No. 04
- Mabel G. Holmes School No. 05
- Marquis de Lafayette School No. 06
- Elmora School No. 12
- Benjamin Franklin School No. 13
- Abraham Lincoln School No. 14
- Christopher Columbus School No. 15
- Madison-Monroe School No. 16
- Theodore Roosevelt School No. 17
- Robert Morris School No. 18
- Woodrow Wilson School No. 19
- John Marshall School No. 20
- Victor Mravlag School No. 21 (Currently located inside School 31)
- William F. Holloran No. 22 (Currently located inside School 31)
- Nicholas Murray Butler School No. 23
- Charles J. Hudson School No. 25
- Dr. Orlando Edreira Academy School No. 26
- Dr. Antonia Pantoja School No. 27
- Juan Pablo Duarte - José Julián Martí School No. 28 (Currently located inside School 05)
- Dr. Albert Einstein Academy School No. 29
- Ronald Reagan School No. 30
- Monsignor João S. Antão School No. 31
Early Childhood Centers
- Frances C. Smith Center for Early Childhood Education No. 50
- Donald Stewart Center for Early Childhood Education No. 51
- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Early Childhood Education No. 52
Under Development
Controversy
In June 2011, the Union County Prosecutor's Office was investigating charges that members of the school board gave jobs and promotions to employees in exchange for political contributions. Republican members of the New Jersey General AssemblyNew Jersey General Assembly
The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature.Since the election of 1967 , the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts for a term of two years, each representing districts with average...
asked for records relating to district spending for entertainment, travel, equipment and other expenditures.
The Investigations Unit of the New Jersey Department of Education
New Jersey Department of Education
The New Jersey Department of Education administers state and federal aid programs affecting more than 1.4 million public and non-public elementary and secondary school children in the state of New Jersey. The department is headquartered in Trenton.The Department is responsible for ensuring that...
reviewed district practices in 2008, following a state auditor's report that undocumented aliens were being improperly hired by the district in custodial and clerical positions. The district's business administrator indicated that the district had been hiring non-citizens for math and science teaching positions due to the inability to find qualified citizens qualified to work in those positions. . Other findings had shown that $88,000 was spent by the district for what was deemed to be political advertising and that employee information had been taken from confidential files to be used for soliciting political contributions.
Some other recent headlines include:
- At least $1.5M paid out secretly by Elizabeth schools, a fraction of workers' settlements ;
- Elizabeth Board of Education used taxpayer money to keep lawsuits hush-hush ;
- Investigation finds Elizabeth school board pressures workers to fill campaign coffers ;
- Elizabeth school officials' kids don't pay full meal costs, records show ;
- Former Elizabeth Public Schools Equipment Manager Robert Firestone admitted that he conspired to defraud the school system through fraudulent business practices for his personal gain, according to the FBI and US Attorney's office.
Administration
Core members of the district's administration are:- Pablo Muñoz, Superintendent
- Harold Kennedy, Business Administrator / Board Secretary
External links
- Elizabeth Public Schools
- Elizabeth Public Schools Virtual Tour
- Data for the Elizabeth Public Schools, National Center for Education StatisticsNational Center for Education StatisticsThe National Center for Education Statistics is the part of the United States Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics on education and public school district finance information in the United States...