Tag: #Board of Education

The field is officially set for the November 2026 school board elections across Monmouth County.

Following the July filing deadline, Public Record NJ obtained the official list of candidates from the Monmouth County Clerk. The list includes every candidate who filed to run for a local board of education seat, along with the ballot slogan submitted with their nominating petition, where applicable, and each candidate's municipality of residence.

School board elections have taken on increased importance in recent years as districts across New Jersey grapple with declining enrollment, budget pressures, facility planning, curriculum debates, and state funding. In Monmouth County, several districts are also navigating major issues that could shape the direction of local education for years to come.

Below is the complete list of candidates organized by municipality and school district.

The Middletown Township Board of Education voted 5–4 Tuesday, April 28, against approving a “Long Range Facilities Plan (LRFP) Major Amendment Update,” then spent the end of the meeting arguing over whether — and how — that vote could be reconsidered.

In the end, the board president said the reconsideration would be withdrawn and that the original 5–4 rejection would stand.

On April 29, district leaders sent a post-meeting letter to the community — signed by Jessica Alfone and Chris Aveta — stating that, as a result of the board’s failure to adopt the LRFP, the district is now recommending holding off on the planned school closures and consolidations for the 2026–2027 school year.

On March 2, 2026, the Middletown Township Committee met for a workshop session at the municipal building on One Kings Highway, where residents used public comment to press local officials to get involved in the Middletown school district’s plans to close schools.

The most pointed exchange came from resident Bernard Daus, who urged Mayor Tony Perry to step in as the district considers closing three schools, calling it an “imminent threat” to the community and arguing that closures would “fracture” Middletown’s neighborhoods.

A civil lawsuit alleging retaliation, political interference, and misuse of public records within the Middletown school system has entered a new procedural phase. With a consolidated Answer now filed on behalf of the district and all school-affiliated defendants, the case moves from motions practice toward structured discovery.

The matter remains relevant beyond the named parties. It concerns the employment of a tenured educator turned town Toms River Mayor, the conduct of elected Board of Education officials, and the use of public institutions during an active political period.