HILLSBOROUGH: School takes stand against proposed rival

Superintendent files letter opposing charter school in Franklin Township

By Gene Robbins, Managing Editor
   Hillsborough is on the record as opposing the Information Technology Charter School proposed in nearby Franklin Township.
   Superintendents Dr. Jorden Schiff, of Hillsborough, and Robert Copeland, of Piscataway Township, co-signed a letter asking the state Department of Education to deny the application.
   Information Technology initially projects 160 students from grades six and nine to 11 and growing to 280 students in grades six to 12. It anticipates drawing students from Franklin, Hillsborough, Bridgewater-Raritan and Piscataway townships.
   The home school district of every student who chooses to attend the charter school would have to pay 90 percent of its per-pupil cost to the startup school. That easily could mean $10,000 or more per student that would have to come out of the annual school budget.
   ”We recognize that during these very difficult economic times, any loss of revenue due to students enrolling in a charter school will adversely impact the education of those students who remain in our schools,” the superintendents’ letter read.
   The school leaders described in detail all of the positive offerings of their curriculum, school management and commitment to openness and communication.
   ”The state evaluation shows that we do things the right way!” the letter says about the New Jersey Quality Single Accountability Continuum.
   The proposed school would be a physical school (not online) and independent with no affiliation to a chain of independent schools, according to state spokesman Rich Vespucci.
   In May, Dr. Schiff asked his school board for permission to write the state.
   ”We have a wonderful IT program in Hillsborough, and I don’t see why anybody would opt to go to an unproven and brand new school over one that continues to have a high performance and comprehensive opportunities in that area and others,” said board Vice President Judy Haas on Monday.
   The topic could be discussed at Monday night’s local Board of Education meeting at Auten Road School.
   Final decisions about applicants in the current round of the charter school selection will be made by Sept. 30, Mr. Vespucci said.