After 10% Tax Hike, Middletown School District Again Weighs Closures Amid Ongoing Budget Crisis

Less than a year after Middletown, New Jersey residents raised municipal taxes by more than 10% to protect neighborhood schools, school closures are again a possibility. Many families are dissatisfied, confused, and worried about public education in their town after the revived conversation.

Last winter, parents and community residents packed school board meetings to reject a reorganization plan to eliminate many schools. Under financial hardship, voters approved a 10.1% tax hike to keep three local schools operating. District officials said the move was needed to balance finances and preserve education.

A new nine-page reorganization proposal from the Middletown Township School District says that tax rise was transitory. District executives said it was a temporary remedy but did not fix financial issues. Administrators estimate structural shortfalls might reach $14 million by the end of the decade if nothing is done.

The new plan would merge Leonardo and Navesink Elementary Schools. Bayshore Middle School would close and send its kids to Thorne and Thompson. These improvements are expected to save the district $3.7 million to $4 million annually by decreasing staffing and operating expenditures.

The idea recalls last year’s controversial “Middletown Reimagined” redesign, which was postponed due to community resistance. Many parents were disappointed and angry when a very identical idea returned.

One parent with children at Navesink Elementary and Bayshore Middle said town was frustrated and in shock. Families who thought the tax hike safeguarded their schools are back at the crossroads.

The district is undergoing leadership upheaval, prompting restructuring discussions. A district-hired educational planning expert provided a separate redistricting plan in late January to keep all 11 primary schools operational. That proposal would have moved 119 kids between district schools.

The redistricting proposal also drew criticism. Some parents opposed moving small groups of pupils away from their classmates and school communities. That proposition was not voted on.

Superintendent Jessica Alfone said the district was “really different” financially from last year at the January meeting, signaling budget relief. By mid-February, the mood altered.

District officials said they had requested the consultant to investigate more restructuring alternatives after the redistricting proposal was badly received at a Feb. 19 discussion. One or more schools could be closed. The analyst said Leonardo and Navesink consolidation and Bayshore Middle shutdown were good for facilities and space. When asked how the closures would benefit student outcomes, he said the study focused on space and cost, not academic performance.

That statement sparked public and school board reactions, with some wondering whether educational impact should be fundamental to school closing decisions.

Superintendent Alfone revealed in a Feb. 12 letter that she will retire at the end of the school year to pursue private education options, adding to the uncertainty. Her retirement is likely following redistricting or closure decisions but before any modifications are made. That schedule raises issues about accountability and leadership continuity during a vital era for some parents.

Parents of students in affected schools say the uncertainty has been difficult. Some parents worry that crucial decisions are being addressed with insufficient transparency, leaving people feeling isolated from community-defining decisions.

The district has not scheduled a vote on closures or consolidation. It is unclear if the topic will be discussed at the Thursday board meeting.

Middletown illustrates the issues many public school districts face with escalating costs, enrollment upheavals, and long-term structural deficits. Now, people in this New Jersey township are again bracing for difficult talks over how to balance fiscal responsibility with keeping neighborhood schools, which many consider the heart of their community.

Residents will monitor to see whether district administrators can propose a viable financial route without hurting students’ education as the discussion continues.