the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, as New Jersey continues to reshape public education, Ridgewood Public Schools may soon become the first district in Bergen County to embrace the Community School model—a structure already implemented in Paterson and Newark as part of their agreement with Governor Phil Murphy to restore local control after decades of state oversight.
What is a Community School Model?
Community schools are designed to operate as central hubs for community services, integrating health care, mental health support, after-school programs, and family engagement—all within the school infrastructure. Backed strongly by the New Jersey Education Association (NJEA) and state Democrats, this model seeks to centralize not only education but community resources, with schools serving as the conduit for public support systems.
The Political Push: Education Meets Public Policy
Supporters of this approach see it as a way to close equity gaps, boost teacher retention, reduce Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying (HIB) incidents, and respond to the growing demand for later school start times. But critics argue it represents a partisan restructuring of public education, turning local schools into extensions of state-run programs.
In Ridgewood, recent developments suggest alignment with this shift:
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A new partnership with Montclair State University
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Increased state-level political engagement
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Changes in administrative structure following a realignment in the fall
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The district’s “Vision 2030” presentation and State of the Schools survey signaling long-term strategic planning aligned with the Community School model
DEI, Bureaucracy & Centralized Control
Ridgewood’s Board of Education (BOE) has been transparent about its plan to embed Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) into curriculum, budgeting, discipline policy, hiring, and community outreach. Critics warn that DEI—while presented as a tool for fairness—can also be used to centralize decision-making and reshape how educational services are delivered and accessed.
This isn’t just about inclusive practices; it’s about building a unified bureaucratic structure that aligns all school functions under a single framework—one increasingly driven by state partnerships and political agendas.
Is Ridgewood’s Future Politically Programmed?
With increasing signs pointing toward Ridgewood adopting the Community School model, residents and parents are beginning to ask tough questions:
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Is this model the best fit for Ridgewood’s unique community?
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How will centralized DEI policies impact local autonomy in education?
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Are community “supports” being used to push political agendas under the guise of equity?
As the district continues to gather input from stakeholders and unveil strategic initiatives, many believe this is less about local needs and more about aligning with a statewide, politically favored vision of public education.
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This is accurate. Which then requires the question- why pay $50,000 to a consultant, Bill Adam of Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates?
It’s an insult to those who participated in setting the Vision 2030 plans when the plan was already in place.
The community school model is for power, not education.
Some of the administrators presentations did seem scripted with lots of similar Community School buzzwords.
Ridgewood parents of multiple young children , 2, 3, 5 years old need to take the reins here, the way other such parents did before you to prevent Ridgewood from becoming the Constructivist Education Mecca that Marty Brooks and his wife were preparing to lead.
We dodged a HUGE bullet then, and we need to dodge this huge bullet now. Don’t sacrifice your children’s future by leaving it up to chance, or to some other unnamed parent with courage, to upset this set of moneychangers’ tables, root out this brood of deminic vipers.
What educational outcomes need to improve for RPS students?
Why are social program partnerships needed to help the kids in Ridgewood?
Is it economically beneficial? Seems like a plan to transfer power over to the groups that are politically aligned with this BOE and town council.
It also appears to be a real threat to public education. From the left, not the right.