By KATHY CHANG
Staff Writer
MONROE — The Monroe Board of Education opposes the proposed expansion of the Hatikvah International Academy Charter School in East Brunswick.
When Hatikvah opened in 2010, one student from Monroe attended the school, which cost the Monroe Township School District $10,159. Over the past five years, enrollment of Monroe students has increased to eight, which costs the district $91,409 annually.
The district has used approximately $211,020 from its general funds over the past five years for students to attend Hatvikah. These funds would have otherwise been used to educate the students attending the Monroe Township School District, board members said.
Board member Jill DeMaio read a resolution opposing Hatikvah International Academy Charter School’s proposed expansion in the sixth to eighth grades that is currently being challenged by appeals, and opposing the burden that the charter school has put on the Monroe Township taxpayers. The majority of the board members approved the resolution at a board meeting on Jan. 13.
On Nov. 10, 2015, Hatikvah requested the New Jersey Commissioner of Education to approve an increase in its K-8 enrollment from 450 to 675 students by the 2024 school year.
According to Dr. Marcia Grayson, the director of Hatikvah, the expansion is necessary due to more students wanting to attend the school.
“Year after year, many more students have sought to enroll at our school than current space allows. This expansion will provide children with the opportunity to study at a school where they want to enroll but currently cannot because of space constraints,” she said.
A copy of the Monroe board’s resolution has been distributed to David C. Hespe, state commissioner of education, Gov. Chris Christie and all the legislative officials who represent Monroe.
“What we’re saying is this is the opinion of board,” said board member Michelle Arminio. “We’re not saying charter schools shouldn’t exist.”
Board President Steven Riback concurred, adding that the district is not threatening legal action.
Highland Park Board President Darcie Cimarusti, who attended the Monroe board meeting, explained that the Hatikvah school was approved in 2009 by the commissioner of education and opened in 2010.
“Since then there have been two or three expansion requests,” she said.
The charter school has expanded initially from a K-5 school with 45 students per classroom to currently a K-8 school with 75 students per classroom, Cimarusti said.
She said her community in Highland Park is closer to East Brunswick with more of their students attending the charter school. She said in 2010, the Highland Park School District shelled out $61,847, and that has risen to $318,201 over the past five years.
“We’re a district a quarter of the size of your district with 1,600 students,” she told the board, adding that state-mandated funds to the charter school have extremely impacted the district’s budget.
“Initially, the school just served East Brunswick students, and it has morphed into a statewide school,” said Cimarusti. “Now they are pulling from 28 districts in seven counties.”
Cimarusti said her district is also challenging the state’s ability to charge Highland Park for their students attending the charter school, adding that the Edison Township School District has joined in their challenge.
“Our attorneys found no provisions under state charter school laws that allow the state to charge a district other than East Brunswick to attend [the charter school],” she said, adding that only East Brunswick is notified of any proposed expansions. “Just like a public school, if you accept a student from another district, those parents would pay tuition for the district. That argument should hold true for the charter school.”
Board Vice President Thomas Nothstein said he is a charter school supporter for underperforming school districts.
“The intent of charter schools is a good thing,” he said. “Roughly 30 percent of students in Camden and New Brunswick currently attend charter schools, and the results are good.”
Nothstein said, that being said, he does support the resolution wholeheartedly and hopes the board will take it to the next step.
“I think this is a small first step,” he said, adding that he would like to see a move by legislation to make it tougher for charter schools to open in high-performing districts. “There should be a test for charter schools.”
Riback said charter schools give parents a choice in underperforming school districts.
“The Monroe [Township School District] is not underperforming, we are stellar and we need to support our public schools,” he said. “It’s important for us to maintain an excellent school system and do whatever we can for students in Monroe to stay in Monroe.”
