Does anyone remember this campaign literature from Joe Longo and Bill Freda? How can we forget – they’re still making the same promises, and using the same political rhetoric as their platform.
Well, did they keep their promises? Better yet, did they keep *any* of their promises? Have they put a stop to tax increases? Have they cut out of control spending? Have academics in the Belleville school district improved, even the slightest bit?
If this was such a priority for them all these years, and they’ve made such a positive impact, why isn’t the district’s performance statistics plastered all over Longo and Freda’s campaign literature, for them to brag about?
Most of us already know about the wild, exorbitant, and unjustified spending sprees by the Board of Education, and the detrimental effect this is having on the school district, the town, our children, and our wallets. And don’t even get me started on the Clarity surveillance system, and the millions of dollars that are being swallowed up by that “venture”.
Meanwhile, teachers can’t requisition so much as a box of pencils, and our students don’t have textbooks and study materials that even meet state testing standards. But I digress…
One thing that some people may not be fully aware of is the academic performance of our kids under the current Board of Education. How are the children of Belleville actually doing in school under Longo and Freda? After all, isn’t their education ultimately what this is all about?
Let’s find out together what the real story is.
The New Jersey Department of Education’s annual “NJ School Performance Report” is the definitive word on how your schools perform in comparison to their peers across the state each year.
Thankfully, this comprehensive performance evaluation of Belleville schools doesn’t need any editorializing from me to prove a point.
How did we do? Brace yourself – you’re not going to believe it.
Click each thumbnail below to see the final scorecard for each school’s performance last year.
NJDOE 2012-13 Belleville School Performance – Scorecards
As you can see, Belleville PS10 did quite well when compared to its peers, scoring in the 91st percentile in academic performance. PS10 also scored high in its state-wide comparison. While there is room for improvement in other areas, PS10’s overall academic performance was excellent.
That’s the only good news about the Belleville school district’s shocking report card from the NJDOE.
As for the other schools in the district, both their academic performance and college and career readiness was, with few exceptions, atrocious. If these rankings were scored like an exam in school, the district would have received one giant “F-” scrawled across the top of it in red marker.
No political cross-talk from Longo or Freda (or Superintendent Feldman) can gloss this over. This annual report speaks for itself.
I’m here to tell you though that nobody blames the educators. We blame the Board of Education and Superintendent Feldman for fostering a hostile environment of fear and retaliation, of tyranny and hypocrisy, of reckless spending and desperate need, and of mismanagement and negligence.
If there’s anyone in this town who thinks the endless nepotism and political games have no effect on the children of Belleville, then you need to open your eyes and get with the program. The sad fact is, they’re suffering more than anyone.
While the residents of Belleville are being robbed of their tax dollars, these children are being robbed of their futures.
Mr. Longo and Mr. Freda – all your fancy campaign literature and rhetoric over the years about improving the Belleville school district just went right down the tubes, thanks to these indisputable evaluations from the State of New Jersey, that even you can’t talk your way around.
Our education system has failed miserably, and it all happened on your watch.
The quality of our children’s education is the responsibility of the Board of Education, and as such, your performance has been disgraceful. The blame lies squarely on your shoulders.
Our children may be failing in school, but the bottom line is that YOU ALL failed THEM.
It’s time for each of you to be held fully accountable.
~ Griff
NJDOE 2012-13 Belleville School Performance – Full Reports
Belleville High School – 100 Passaic Ave
Belleville Middle School – 279 Washington Ave
Belleville PS10 – 527 Belleville Ave
Belleville PS3 – 230 Joralemon St
Belleville PS4 – 30 Magnolia St
Belleville PS5 – 149 Adelaide St
Belleville PS7 – 20 Passaic Ave
Belleville PS8 – 183 Union Ave
Belleville PS9 – 301 Ralph St
For more information:
2012-2013 School Performance Reports for the Belleville School District
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