East Brunswick Board of Education Meeting - April 23, 2026

Meeting Summary

The East Brunswick Board of Education met on April 23, 2026, following a one-hour closed session.

Budget and District Operations

District officials answered community questions, explaining that budget materials are available on the district website, health-care plans are compared annually with other options, and transportation routes are awarded through state-required competitive bidding. About 60% of routes are handled in-house and 40% by contractors.

The board reviewed the 2027 budget, which initially had a projected $5.5 million deficit. After additional savings and proposed fee increases, officials reported a balanced budget with a projected 6.16% tax increase. Proposed fees are:

• $45 for clubs
• $200 for athletics
• $482 for the inclusive pre-K program

Students eligible for reduced-price meals would pay half, and students eligible for free meals would pay 25%. A family cap of $800 would apply to athletics, marching band, and color guard.

Savings include $160,000 from transportation contract renewals, operational reductions, and staffing changes. The district plans to add an elementary instructional coach while leaving some vacant or vacated positions unfilled and reducing other positions. Elementary clubs would be reduced from seven to five based on participation. Administrators emphasized that the changes are intended to combine under-enrolled sections rather than eliminate courses or programs.

The public budget hearing and final adoption were scheduled for May 7.

Superintendent and Student Reports

The superintendent highlighted district activities and achievements, including the Butterfly Effect kindness initiative, 18 student athletes signing to compete in college, the high school production of SpongeBob the Musical, and the district’s Night of Jazz.

East Brunswick’s We the People team won its division at the national finals and was recognized among the country’s top 15 schools. The district also received Best Communities for Music Education recognition for the ninth year, earned the GMC Red Division Sportsmanship Award for the second consecutive year, and hosted a track invitational with 36 schools and about 1,400 athletes. More than 1,500 people responded to the district’s strategic-plan survey.

The student representative described senior-year events, the college fair, the spring musical, music-program awards, robotics, Relay For Life fundraising, academic projects, and student activities. She also reported that the high school’s Bright Side Development team won its urban-planning competition.

Student Safety Report

The board reviewed state-required safety data for September through December 2025. The district reported 41 total incidents, compared with 46 during the same period the previous year. Categories included 16 violence incidents, four vandalism incidents, one weapons incident, nine substance incidents, and confirmed and alleged HIB reports. Officials noted that categories can overlap, so category totals do not necessarily match the incident total. In response to a question about substances, marijuana was identified.

Administrators said alleged HIB cases that do not meet the state’s threshold are still addressed through the student code of conduct, counseling, mediation, and other follow-up. Board members requested more detailed analysis, including longer-term comparisons and information about grade levels involved at Hughes.

The superintendent also described prevention programs and said the district is considering more systematic social-emotional learning across classrooms.

Curriculum and Resolutions

The board discussed a proposed five-day, Title III-funded review of the English-language learner program by Love of Literacy, at $2,400 per day. Administrators said the review would assess instruction and student growth, not select or audit the district’s general reading curriculum.

The curriculum committee also plans to bring forward a recommendation to introduce CKLA in grades K–2 next year, subject to further presentation and board consideration.

The board approved appreciation resolutions recognizing the East Brunswick Education Foundation, school lunch staff, faculty and staff, administrative professionals, and PTAs. The foundation was credited with awarding 63 grants totaling $207,000 from July 2025 through March 2026.

Public Comment and Other Business

A parent and nonprofit representative urged the district to preserve language instruction, particularly Mandarin. The superintendent said Mandarin was not being cut.

The president of the East Brunswick Education Association asked the board to retain school custodians and consider the union’s proposed cost-saving ideas, warning against privatization. The board said it had provided the legally required notice and would continue impact negotiations with the union.

Another resident called for students to receive their assessments back and urged the district to give attention to students with IEPs and those not pursuing college.

Board members also reported on local cultural and mental-health events, the curriculum committee’s work, negotiations, and upcoming board meetings. They noted that CKLA would receive further discussion at a May meeting.

Presenters and Contributors

• Superintendent: Referred to inconsistently in the subtitles as Dr. Raymond and Dr. Maman
• Finance/budget presenter: Joe
• Student representative: Jane
• Student-safety report presenter: Dr. Maman
• Public commenters: Dave Chan; Dana S. Vicky, East Brunswick Education Association president; David Pavlik
• Board members identified in roll calls: Anna Braun, Timothy Cummings, Antoinette Davila, Jamie Falco, Louis Figueroa, Lori Herrick, Lee Woo Hon, Wilbur Pan, and Maryann Ten.