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Hillside superintendent warns of tight budget, reports enrollment dip and policy mandates
Summary
Superintendent Glover told the Board of Education that enrollment has fallen, state aid will be flat or cut, and the district must update cell-phone and artificial-intelligence policies; he also noted high free-and-reduced-lunch rates and a small philanthropic effort to reduce lunch balances.
Superintendent Micheal Glover told the Hillside Public School District Board of Education on Dec. 19 that the district is facing a “tight” budget outlook, declining enrollment and new state policy mandates that will affect operations and student requirements.
Glover said the district’s overall free-and-reduced-lunch rate is about 73 percent and that lunch-balance philanthropy has raised roughly $6,000 in the last month to help families. He also said Hillside saw a decrease in enrollment “by approximately 41 students” this year and later said “approximately 200 students” have left the district in recent years — figures he presented as part of an explanation of the district’s fiscal pressures. Glover added that 100 Hillside students currently attend charter schools and called that a roughly $2 million annual outflow from the district.
The superintendent told the board that the New Jersey Department of Education and other state agencies have signaled state aid will be flat-funded or reduced next year, while district costs such as teacher salaries and transportation are rising. “Budget season is on the horizon,” Glover said. “We’re going to have to evaluate our partnerships, vendors, and non-instructional resources.”
Glover also reviewed several policy and graduation changes he said the district must implement because of state requirements. He said the district must update its cell-phone policy at the high-school level, and that the New Jersey Department of Education requires an artificial-intelligence policy (the meeting did not specify the department’s exact deadline). He said that, statewide, the class of 2025 must complete financial-aid applications as a graduation requirement instituted by Governor Murphy and that Hillside will require the class of 2026 and beyond to earn at least one “industry-value credential” before graduation; Glover listed examples such as CPR/AED, CompTIA networking, and other vendor or industry certificates.
On student supports, a senior who spoke during public comment said tutoring hours at Hillside High School had been reduced; Glover replied that tutoring “has not been stopped” but that a few administrative tasks must be completed before sessions resume. He told the board the district would restart tutoring once staff complete those steps.
Glover closed by urging the community to support students and by noting the district’s ongoing efforts to expand postsecondary pathways, including an aviation seminar and a partnership with Amazon. He repeatedly asked the community to help attract families and limit further enrollment loss.
Votes and procedural actions taken during the public meeting included a motion to open public comment, a subsequently seconded motion to extend public-comment time during one speaker’s remarks, and a motion to go into closed executive session; each procedural motion carried on an “Aye” vote as recorded on the public audio of the meeting.
Why it matters: The combination of declining enrollment, high proportions of students eligible for free or reduced-price meals and flat state aid would constrain the district’s ability to sustain programs and staffing levels without budget adjustments or new revenue.
Looking ahead: Glover said principals and cabinet members are preparing for the budget process and that the district will explore vendor partnerships and cost savings while trying to preserve innovation and student career pathways.
