PCS EXPANSION PROPOSAL: Princeton Charter School (PCS) has applied to the Department of Education for an expansion of its enrollment by 76 seats. Currently, PCS has two main entry points: there is one class of children in each of grades K-2 and there are two classes in each of grades 3-8. Under the proposal, the school would add a second class in K-2, and a small number of children to the higher elementary grades.
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IMPACT ON PPS SCHOOLS:
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If approved, Princeton Public Schools (PPS) would be required to send approximately $1.16 million plus transportation costs in additional funding to PCS each year, on top of the current annual transfer payment of more than $5 million.
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A loss of $1.16 million plus transportation costs would have a significant impact on the programs and services PPS provides to its approximately 3,700 students. This sum is the approximate cost of fifteen teachers or the entire athletic program of the district.
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Because the additional children attending PCS would be drawn from four district elementary schools, which have fixed costs for space and staff, there would be very little or no cost savings to PPS, if the 76 students move to PCS.
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The proposed PCS expansion would have no impact on the increased enrollment at John Witherspoon and Princeton High School, where overcrowding is most acute.
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HOW WILL THIS DECISION BE MADE?
The NJ Commissioner of Education has the sole discretion to decide this matter, without any public vote, and will do so in February.
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WHAT CAN YOU DO?
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Strong community opposition has been a key factor in prior decisions by the Commissioner to reject proposed charter school expansions.
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1. Between now and January 27, CLICK HERE TO WRITE A LETTER in opposition to:
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1) Hon. Kimberley Harrington
Acting Commissioner of Education
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2) Katherine Czehut
Director, Office of Charter and Renaissance Schools
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Mailing Address for both:
New Jersey Dept. of Education
100 River View Plaza
P.O. Box 500
Trenton, NJ 08625
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Send a copy of your letter to our Superintendent, to be included with the district’s response to the expansion request, which is due by the end of January.
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Email: Super@princetonk12.org
Mail: Steve Cochrane, Superintendent, Princeton Public Schools, Administration Bldg., 25 Valley Road, Princeton, NJ 08540
Don’t have time to send your letters? No problem! Sign, scan and email them to us at KeepPPSStrong@gmail.com and we’ll send them for you.
2. Call and email our local legislators to register your opposition to the expansion
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Sen. Christopher "Kip" Bateman, SenBateman@njleg.org (908) 526-3600
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Asmbl. Andrew Zwicker, AsmZwicker@njleg.org (609) 454-3147
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Asmbl. Jack Ciattarelli, AsmCiattarelli@njleg.org (908) 450-7064
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**Cranbury Residents - These are Your Legislators
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Sen. Linda Greenstein, SenGreenstein@njleg.org (609) 395-9911
Asmbl. Daniel Benson, AsmBenson@njleg.org (609) 631-0198
Asmbl. Wayne DeAngelo, AsmDeangelo@njleg.org (609) 631-7501
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3. Write a letter to the editor
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Town Topics, editor@towntopics.com
Princeton Packet, feedback@centraljersey.com
Planet Princeton, editor@planetprinceton.com
Princeton Echo, hastings@princetoninfo.com
Trenton Times, letters@njtimes.com
4. Sign up for email updates and Like us on Facebook:
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5. Sign our petition: bit.ly/PPSStrongPetition
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6. Contact our Town Council and urge them to pass a resolution at January 23rd meeting
Jo Butler - jbutler@princetonnj.gov
Jenny Crumiller (President) - jcrumiller@princetonnj.gov
Heather Howard - hhoward@princetonnj.gov
Lance Liverman - lliverman@princetonnj.gov
Bernie Miller - bmiller@princetonnj.gov
Timothy Quinn - tquinn@princetonnj.gov
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