could be night when
decision is reached
Board nearing date
for redistricting vote
Sept. 9 meeting
could be night when
decision is reached
By dave benjamin
Staff Writer
The time is drawing near for a scheduled vote on the redistricting of some students who will eventually attend school in the Freehold Regional High School District.
Meeting on Aug. 26 at Colts Neck High School, board members continued to discuss how to address the issue of assigning students to the district’s six schools. Board members have previously indicated they may vote on a redistricting plan when they meet on Sept. 9 at Freehold Township High School.
The Aug. 26 meeting saw a continued discussion of redistricting options and debate on a demographer’s study of projected enrollment in the district.
The FRHSD operates high schools in Colts Neck, Freehold Borough, Freehold Township, Howell, Manalapan and Marl-boro. Those communities, plus Englishtown and Farmingdale, make up the district.
"We are getting more students. They’re coming, and they’re coming in droves," Superintendent of Schools James Wasser told board members. "Something needs to be done. Should you come up with a plan that is different from what I have, it’s fine."
The district’s present enrollment stands at 10,696 students (Colts Neck 1,092; Freehold Borough, 1,167; Freehold Town-ship, 1,995; Howell, 1,778; Man-alapan, 2,383; and Marlboro, 2,281), according to figures presented by Wasser.
Other than making up numbers, Wasser said he can do anything the board wants him to do with regard to assigning students to a school, but he said the plan has to be fair to the students in the district, and balanced so that it does not favor one particular town.
As the meeting moved into gear, criticism was made about figures used in a demographic study conducted by Dr. Ross Haber, of Ross Haber Associates, Port Washington, N.Y.
Board member Bonnie Rosenwald of Marlboro said, "This (demographic) report as it stands, in my opinion, does not do anything. It is riddled with error. It is inaccurate. It should be thrown out and not utilized at all."
Questioning Haber’s statistics, Rosenwald said she reviewed the study and found that certain information was needed, including the impact of housing developments on student populations. With the exception of Manalapan and Marlboro, Rosenwald said student figures in other district schools could not be accurately projected.
Rosenwald questioned the housing data for Marlboro and claimed Haber’s figure of 580 new homes should have been 492 new homes. She said there are assumptions in the report that should not have been made.
Rosenwald said the numbers she provided were accurate as of Aug. 26.
Board member Marlene Caruso of Freehold Township questioned the number of homes in the Clayton Farms development, which is being built on a Gravel Hill Road property that is in Manalapan and Freehold Township.