Edison Township Public Schools

Edison Township Public Schools
Address
312 Pierson Avenue Edison , Middlesex County , New Jersey , 08837 United States
Coordinates	40°32′00″N74°20′55″W / 40.533231°N 74.348738°W / 40.533231; -74.348738
District information
Grades	PreK-12
Superintendent	Edward Aldarelli
Business administrator	Jonathan Toth
School board	Biral Patel (president) Joseph Romano (vice-president) Shannon Peng Virginia White Anjana Patel Douglas Schneider Christopher Lugo Brian Rivera Vishal Patel
Schools	19
Students and staff
Enrollment	16,268 (as of 2021–22) [1]
Faculty	1,215.0 FTEs [1]
Student–teacher ratio	13.4:1 [1]
Other information
District Factor Group	GH
Website	www.edison.k12.nj.us
Ind. Per pupil District spending Rank (*) K-12 average  %± vs. average 1A Total Spending $16,443 22 $18,891 −13.0% 1 Budgetary Cost 12,590 15 14,783 −14.8% 2 Classroom Instruction 8,403 39 8,763 −4.1% 6 Support Services 1,747 18 2,392 −27.0% 8 Administrative Cost 1,006 2 1,485 −32.3% 10 Operations & Maintenance 1,270 14 1,783 −28.8% 13 Extracurricular Activities 144 13 268 −46.3% 16 Median Teacher Salary 87,052 103 64,043 Data from NJDoE 2014 Taxpayers' Guide to Education Spending. [2] *Of K-12 districts with over 3,500 students. Lowest spending=1; Highest=103

The Edison Township Public Schools is a comprehensive community public school district, serving students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade from Edison, in Middlesex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The school district has two preschools, 11 elementary schools, four middle schools and two high schools that are part of the district, serving a culturally diverse student population. ^[3]

As of the 2021–22 school year, the district, comprised of 19 schools, had an enrollment of 16,268 students and 1,215.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 13.4:1. ^[1]

The district had an annual budget of $367 million in 2024, with school taxes kept level since 2021. ^[4]

The district is classified by the New Jersey Department of Education as being in District Factor Group "GH", the third-highest 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. ^[5]

Schools

The two public high schools separate the north and south ends of Edison. In the Edison High School zone to the south, there are six K-5 elementary schools and two 6-8 middle schools, while in the J.P. Stevens High School zone to the north there are five K-5 elementary schools and two 6-8 middle schools. Schools in the district (with 2021-22 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics ^[6] ) are the following: ^{[7] [8]}

Preschools

• Edison Early Learning Center ^[9] (53 students; grades PreK-K)
• Franklin D. Roosevelt Preschool ^[10] (124; PreK-K)

Elementary schools

• Benjamin Franklin Elementary School ^[11] (602; K-5)
• Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School ^[12] (618; K-5)
• Lincoln Elementary School ^[13] (900; K-5)
• Lindeneau Elementary School ^[14] (444; K-5)
• James Madison Primary School ^[15] (455; K-2, who then move on to James Madison Intermediate)
• James Madison Intermediate School ^[16] (521; 3–5)
• John Marshall Elementary School ^[17] (736; K-5)
• Menlo Park Elementary School ^[18] (796; K-5)
• James Monroe Elementary School ^[19] (521; K-5)
• Washington Elementary School ^[20] (589; K-5)
• Woodbrook Elementary School ^[21] (902; K-5)

Middle schools

• John Adams Middle School ^[22] (980; 6–8, from James Madison Intermediate and MLK Jr.)
• Herbert Hoover Middle School ^[23] (911; 6–8, from Franklin, Lincoln, Monroe, and some Lindeneau)
• Thomas Jefferson Middle School ^[24] (868; 6–8, from Lindeneau, Marshall, Washington, and some Woodbrook and Lincoln)
• Woodrow Wilson Middle School ^[25] (1,163; from Menlo Park, Woodbrook, and some James Madison Intermediate)

High schools

• Edison High School ^[26] (2,243; 9–12, from Hoover, Jefferson, and some Wilson)
• J.P. Stevens High School ^[27] (2,643; 9–12, from Adams and Wilson)

J.P. Stevens was the 30th-ranked public high school in New Jersey out of 339 schools statewide, in New Jersey Monthly magazine's September 2014 cover story on the state's "Top Public High Schools", after being ranked 80th in 2012 out of 328 schools. Edison High School was ranked 135th in 2014 and 174th in 2012. ^[28]

James Monroe Elementary School was destroyed in a six-alarm fire on March 22, 2014. ^[29] With nearly $24 million in insurance proceeds, the school was rebuilt and reopened to students in January 2017. ^[30]

The school district has a technology program, which involves kindergarteners and first graders with iPads, students in second through eighth with Chromebooks, and ninth through 12th with MacBooks.

Connect-ED

For the 2007–08 school year, students were asked to provide home telephone numbers for the new ConnectED system. This automated notification system allows automated telephone calls to be placed to parents and staff in the event of an emergency. The system is also connected to the district-wide attendance system. Should a student be absent from school, a call is automatically placed to the telephone number provided.

Awards and recognition

In 2009–10, Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School received the National Blue Ribbon Award of Excellence from the United States Department of Education, the highest honor that an American school can achieve. ^[31]

Administration

Core members of the district's administration are: ^[32]

• Edward Aldarelli, Superintendent ^{[33] [34]}
• Jonathan Toth, business administrator / board secretary ^[35]

Board of education

The district's board of education, comprised of nine members, sets policy and oversees the fiscal and educational operation of the district through its administration. As a Type II school district, the board's trustees are elected directly by voters to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with three seats up for election each year held (since 2015) as part of the November general election. 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. ^{[36] [37]}

Board members are: ^[38]

• Biral Patel - president
• Joseph Romano, vice-president
• Christopher Lugo
• Shannon Peng
• Anjana Patel
• Vishal Patel
• Brian Rivera
• Douglas Schneider
• Virginia White

Overcrowding

In recent years, overcrowding in public schools has become a noticeable issue. ^[39] Additions to school buildings have already been built at Woodbrook and Menlo Park Elementary Schools, and portable classrooms have been installed at Franklin D. Roosevelt Preschool and Woodrow Wilson Middle School. ^[40] Voters rejected a $189.5 million proposal to expand six schools in December 2019, ^[41] as well as a modified $183.2 million proposal in March 2020. ^[42]

References

1. District information for Edison Township School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed December 1, 2022.
2. Taxpayers' Guide to Education Spending April 2013, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed April 15, 2013.
3. Edison Board of Education District Policy 0110 - Identification, Edison Township Public Schools. Accessed April 28, 2023. "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 Edison School District. Composition: The Edison School District is comprised of all the area within the municipal boundaries of Edison."
4. Salvadore, Sarah. "Edison Schools Approves Budget With No Tax Increase For Residents", Edison-Metuchen, Nj Patch, May 1, 2024. Accessed July 4, 2024. "The Edison Public School Board of Education approved a budget of $367.3 million for the 2024-25 school year.... The budget will result in no tax increase for taxpayers in 2024, school officials said. This is the fourth year in a row that residents will not see their taxes increase due to the budget."
5. NJ Department of Education District Factor Groups (DFG) for School Districts, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed March 18, 2015.
6. School Data for the Edison Township Public Schools, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed December 1, 2022.
7. School Performance Reports for the Edison Township School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed April 3, 2024.
8. New Jersey School Directory for the Edison Township Public Schools, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 1, 2024.
9. Edison Early Learning Center, Edison Township Public Schools. Accessed April 28, 2023.
10. Franklin D. Roosevelt Preschool Archived 2023-04-28 at the Wayback Machine , Edison Township Public Schools. Accessed April 28, 2023.
11. Benjamin Franklin Elementary School, Edison Township Public Schools. Accessed April 28, 2023.
12. Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School, Edison Township Public Schools. Accessed April 28, 2023.
13. Lincoln Elementary School, Edison Township Public Schools. Accessed April 28, 2023.
14. Lindeneau Elementary School, Edison Township Public Schools. Accessed April 28, 2023.
15. James Madison Primary School, Edison Township Public Schools. Accessed April 28, 2023.
16. James Madison Intermediate School, Edison Township Public Schools. Accessed April 28, 2023.
17. John Marshall Elementary School, Edison Township Public Schools. Accessed April 28, 2023.
18. Menlo Park Elementary School, Edison Township Public Schools. Accessed April 28, 2023.
19. James Monroe Elementary School, Edison Township Public Schools. Accessed April 28, 2023.
20. Washington Elementary School, Edison Township Public Schools. Accessed April 28, 2023.
21. Woodbrook Elementary School, Edison Township Public Schools. Accessed April 28, 2023.
22. John Adams Middle School, Edison Township Public Schools. Accessed April 28, 2023.
23. Herbert Hoover Middle School, Edison Township Public Schools. Accessed April 28, 2023.
24. Thomas Jefferson Middle School, Edison Township Public Schools. Accessed April 28, 2023.
25. Woodrow Wilson Middle School, Edison Township Public Schools. Accessed April 28, 2023.
26. Edison High School, Edison Township Public Schools. Accessed April 28, 2023.
27. J.P. Stevens High School, Edison Township Public Schools. Accessed April 28, 2023.
28. Staff. "Top Schools Alphabetical List 2014; Our list of Top High Schools for 2014, conveniently compiled in alphabetical order.", New Jersey Monthly , September 2, 2014. Accessed July 28, 2015.
29. "Custodian charged after fire at Edison elementary school", WABC-TV, March 24, 2014. Accessed December 4, 2019.
30. Kent, Spencer. "After nearly 3 years, James Monroe Elementary School reopens", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, January 9, 2017, updated January 16, 2019. Accessed December 4, 2019. "Nearly three years since its destruction from a blaze, the new James Monroe Elementary School opened last week, welcoming its first class of students.... In October 2015, the school district received $23.6 million from its former insurance company to rebuild the school, which now includes sprinklers, a dedicated gymnasium with a stage, a cafeteria, an art room and a media center, according to Zapoticzny in a previous report."
31. Schools Recognized 1982 Through 2019, National Blue Ribbon Schools Program. Accessed December 4, 2019.
32. Middlesex County School Directory, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 1, 2024.
33. Superintendent's Corner, Edison Township Public Schools. Accessed April 28, 2023.
34. "Edward Aldarelli Appointed New Superintendent Of Edison Schools". Edison-Metuchen, NJ Patch. August 3, 2023. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
35. Business Office, Edison Township Public Schools. Accessed April 28, 2023.
36. 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.
37. Annual Comprehensive Financial Report for the Township of Edison School District, New Jersey Department of Education, for year ending June 30, 2022. Accessed April 28, 2023. "The School District is a Type II district located in the County of Middlesex, State of New Jersey. As a Type II district, the School District functions independently through a Board of Education. The Board is comprised of nine members appointed to three-year terms. These terms are staggered so that three members’ terms expire each year."
38. Meet the Board, Edison Township Public Schools. Accessed January 19, 2024. "The Edison Township Board of Education is comprised of nine elected members."
39. NJ.com, Gianluca D’Elia | NJ Advance Media for (April 23, 2019). "N.J. town is getting so big, its school district says it'll sue to stop 'overcrowding crisis'". nj. Retrieved September 24, 2020.
40. Loyer, Susan. "Edison again targets overcrowding in $183.2 million school referendum". MyCentralJersey.com. Retrieved September 24, 2020.
41. Loyer, Susan. "Edison school referendum: Voters reject $189.5 million proposal". MyCentralJersey.com. Retrieved September 24, 2020.
42. Chang, Kathy; Writer, Staff (March 11, 2020). "Edison BOE will explore next steps after referendum defeat". centraljersey.com. Retrieved September 24, 2020.

External links

• Edison Township Public Schools
• School Performance Reports for the Edison Township Public Schools , New Jersey Department of Education
• School Data for the Edison Township Public Schools, National Center for Education Statistics