East Orange School District is a comprehensive community public school district serving students in pre-Kindergarten through twelfth grade from the city of East Orange, in Essex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.East Orange Board of Education District Policy 0110 - Identification. East Orange School District, adopted May 16, 2015. Accessed September 8, 2025. "Purpose: The Board of Education exists for the purpose of providing a thorough and efficient system of free public education in grades Pre-Kindergarten through twelve in the East Orange School District. Composition: The East Orange School District is comprised of all the area within the municipal boundaries of the city of East Orange in the County of Essex." The district is one of 31 former Abbott districts statewide that were established pursuant to the decision by the New Jersey Supreme Court in Abbott v. BurkeWhat We Do: History, New Jersey Schools Development Authority. Accessed March 1, 2022. "In 1998, the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled in the Abbott v. Burke case that the State must provide 100 percent funding for all school renovation and construction projects in special-needs school districts. According to the Court, aging, unsafe and overcrowded buildings prevented children from receiving the "thorough and efficient" education required under the New Jersey Constitution.... Full funding for approved projects was authorized for the 31 special-needs districts, known as 'Abbott Districts'." which are now referred to as "SDA Districts" based on the requirement for the state to cover all costs for school building and renovation projects in these districts under the supervision of the New Jersey Schools Development Authority.What We Do, New Jersey Schools Development Authority. Accessed March 1, 2022.SDA Districts, New Jersey Schools Development Authority. Accessed March 1, 2022.
As of the 2023–24 school year, the district, comprised of 20 schools, had an enrollment of 9,337 students and 633.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 14.8:1.District information for East Orange School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed December 15, 2024.
History In 2003, Patrick Healy Middle School was identified as one of seven "persistently dangerous" public schools in New Jersey.Newman, Maria. "Seven Schools in New Jersey Make the 'Dangerous' List ", The New York Times, August 2, 2003. Accessed November 4, 2014. "The New Jersey Department of Education has named seven schools to a list it has published to identify 'persistently dangerous' schools, as mandated by the federal No Child Left Behind Act.... The others are the Lakeside Middle School, in Millville; Atlantic City High School in the Atlantic City School District; Patrick Healy Middle School in the East Orange School District; and Simmons Elementary School in the Clayton Public School District." The designation has since been removed.
The district had been classified by the New Jersey Department of Education as being in District Factor Group "A", the lowest of eight groupings. District Factor Groups organize districts statewide to allow comparison by common socioeconomic characteristics of the local districts. From lowest socioeconomic status to highest, the categories are A, B, CD, DE, FG, GH, I and J.District Factor Groups (DFG) for School Districts, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed December 1, 2024.
Schools Schools in the district (with 2023–24 enrollment data from the National Center for Education StatisticsSchool Data for the East Orange School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed December 15, 2024.) are:Schools, East Orange School District. Accessed September 8, 2025.School Performance Reports for the East Orange School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed July 1, 2025.New Jersey School Directory for the East Orange School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 1, 2024.
Early childhood education centers Althea Gibson Early Childhood AcademyAlthea Gibson Early Childhood Academy, East Orange School District. Accessed September 8, 2025. (131 students; in grades PreK and K) Renee N. Richardson, principal Wahlstrom AcademyWahlstrom Academy, East Orange School District. Accessed September 8, 2025. (159; PreK–K) Leslie Shults, principal
Elementary schools Benjamin Banneker AcademyBenjamin Banneker Academy, East Orange School District. Accessed September 8, 2025. (487; PreK–8) Monica D. Burton, principal Edward T. Bowser School of ExcellenceEdward T. Bowser School of Excellence, East Orange School District. Accessed September 8, 2025. (528; PreK–5) Brian Heaphy, principal Mildred Barry Garvin SchoolMildred Barry Garvin School, East Orange School District. Accessed September 8, 2025. (236; PreK and 3–5) Tabina H. Adam, principal Whitney E. Houston Academy of Creative and Performing ArtsWhitney E. Houston Academy of Creative and Performing Arts, East Orange School District. Accessed September 8, 2025. (327; PreK–8) Henry Hamilton, principal Langston Hughes Elementary SchoolLangston Hughes Elementary School, East Orange School District. Accessed September 8, 2025. (568; PreK–5) Howard Walker, principal Garfield Jackson AcademyGarfield Jackson Academy, East Orange School District. Accessed September 8, 2025. (238; PreK–5) Bridgett Green, principal Touissant Louverture SchoolTouissant Louverture School, East Orange School District. Accessed September 8, 2025. (262; PreK–5) Ameenah Poole, principal Sheila Y. Oliver AcademySheila Y. Oliver Academy, East Orange School District. Accessed September 8, 2025. (438; PreK–8) Yvy Joseph, principal Gordon Parks AcademyGordon Parks Academy, East Orange School District. Accessed September 8, 2025. (295; PreK–2) Sharon Alsbrook-Davis, principal Cicely L. Tyson Community Elementary School of the Performing and Fine ArtsCicely L. Tyson Community Elementary School of the Performing and Fine Arts, East Orange School District. Accessed September 8, 2025. (488; PreK–5) Koree Toles, principal Dionne Warwick InstituteDionne Warwick Institute, East Orange School District. Accessed September 8, 2025. (412; PreK–5) Passion Moss-Hasan, principal
Middle schools Sojourner Truth Middle SchoolSojourner Truth Middle School, East Orange School District. Accessed September 8, 2025. (262; 6) Flore-Nadeige Lovett, principal Patrick F. Healy Middle SchoolPatrick F. Healy Middle School, East Orange School District. Accessed September 8, 2025. (329; 7–8) Kamalia Scantlebury, acting principal John L. Costley Middle SchoolJohn L. Costley Middle School, East Orange School District. Accessed September 8, 2025. (320; 7–8). The school was named in honor of John L. Costley Sr., a local community activist who was a World War I veteran and member of the 369th Infantry Regiment, also known as the Harlem Hellfighters.Meet Our Namesake, John L. Costley Middle School. Accessed September 8, 2025. "He enlisted in the army during World War I and served with distinction in France with the infamous 369th Regiment of New York." Thelma Ramsey-Bryant, principal
High schools Cicely Tyson School of Performing and Fine ArtsCicely L. Tyson Community School of Performing and Fine Arts, East Orange School District. Accessed September 8, 2025. (695; 6–12) John English, principal East Orange Campus High SchoolEast Orange Campus High School, East Orange School District. Accessed September 8, 2025. located on the former campus of Upsala College (1,751; 9–12) Taniesha Whitaker, principal East Orange STEM AcademyEast Orange STEM Academy, East Orange School District. Accessed September 8, 2025. (609; 6–12) Vincent Stallings, principal
Other Fresh Start AcademyFresh Start Academy, East Orange School District. Accessed September 8, 2025. (NA; 6–12) Devon Reed, supervisor
Administration Core members of the district's administration are:Leadership Team, East Orange School District. Accessed September 8, 2025.New Jersey School Directory for Essex County, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 1, 2024. Christopher C. Irving, superintendent of schoolsOur Superintendent, East Orange School District. Accessed September 8, 2025. Tia Thomas, school business administratorDivision of Business Services, East Orange School District. Accessed September 8, 2025.
Board of education The district's board of education is comprised of seven members who set policy and oversee the fiscal and educational operation of the district through its administration. As a Type I school district, the board's trustees are appointed by the mayor to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either two or three members up for reappointment each year. Of the more than 600 school districts statewide, East Orange is one of about a dozen districts with an appointed school board. The board appoints a superintendent to oversee the district's day-to-day operations and a business administrator to supervise the business functions of the district.New Jersey Boards of Education by District Election Types - 2018 School Election, New Jersey Department of Education, updated February 16, 2018. Accessed January 26, 2020.Annual Comprehensive Financial Report of the East Orange School District, New Jersey Department of Education, for year ending June 30, 2024. Accessed April 10, 2024. "The East Orange Board of Education (the "Board" or the "District") is an instrumentality of the State of New Jersey, established to function as an education institution. The Board consists of seven members appointed by the Mayor of the City of East Orange (the City) and is responsible for the fiscal control of the District. A Superintendent of Schools is appointed by the Board and is responsible for the administrative control of the District. A School Business Administrator/Board Secretary is also appointed by the Board and oversees the business functions of the District.... The Board currently operates a Pre-Kindergarten through grade twelve (12) school district." See "Roster of Officials" on page 16.Board of Education, East Orange School District. Accessed September 8, 2025. "The East Orange Board of Education consists of seven members who are appointed by the Mayor of East Orange."Roll, Erin. "Montclair Parents Debate Appointed Vs. Elected School Board", Montclair Local, April 4, 2019. Accessed May 9, 2020. "Montclair is one of 11 school districts in New Jersey in which the board of education is appointed by the mayor, rather than elected. And a debate is ensuing among some Montclair residents over whether Montclair should stick with an appointed board, or switch to an elected board.... As of 2018, Montclair was one of only 11 Type I school districts in New Jersey. The other 10 are Ventnor, Port Republic, Rockleigh, Pine Valley, East Orange, East Newark, Union City, Harrison, Trenton and Summit."
References
External links
East Orange School District
School Data for the East Orange School District, National Center for Education Statistics