Long Hill Township Board of Education

Full ReportJanuary 2026

Morris County, NJ3 SchoolsGrades PreK-8

What Parents Should Know

**Strong Governance:** Active board with clear goals, transparent meetings, and comprehensive policy management. 88% of policies collected and documented.
**Safe Environment:** Exceptional HIB assessment scores (78/79 at all three schools) and only 1 confirmed HIB incident district-wide indicate a strong focus on student safety and climate.
**Fiscal Responsibility:** Budget adopted on schedule with strategic use of reserves for capital improvements (HVAC, media center, security) rather than operating expenses.
**Technology Integration:** Students use i-Ready diagnostics for personalized learning and progress monitoring. Assessment tool has strong evidence rating (ESSA Tier 1).
**Comprehensive Curriculum:** Well-documented curriculum across all subject areas (22 curriculum documents parsed). Full curriculum available for parent review.
**Special Education Support:** Consistent special services with 43 resolutions in 2025, indicating active support for students with IEPs.

**Reading Program Evidence:** Units of Study (Readers Workshop) has "Mixed Evidence" according to research. Some parents and educators prefer programs with stronger evidence ratings aligned to Science of Reading (like FUNdations, UFLI, or CKLA).
**Growth Target:** The district goal of 80% of students achieving "typical growth" on i-Ready means 20% may not meet growth expectations. Ask what interventions exist for the 20%.
**Reserve Withdrawals:** $595,185 withdrawn from reserves suggests deferred maintenance or unexpected needs. Monitor whether reserves are being replenished.
**Math Program:** No named textbook or program listed. Ask teachers what specific curriculum materials are used and how instruction is structured.
**Personnel Turnover:** 21 departures vs. 26 appointments represents normal churn but includes some key positions (Director of Special Services, Facilities Manager, IT Technician). Monitor whether replacements maintain quality.
**Missing Policies:** 15 policies referenced but not collected (12%). Ask administration for full text of missing policies, especially in student and community sections (5000, 1000).

1.How does the district measure reading proficiency beyond i-Ready? What percentage of students are reading at grade level by 3rd grade?
2.What specific phonics instruction do kindergarten and first-grade students receive? Is there a systematic phonics program?
3.What interventions are provided for the 20% of students who don't meet typical growth on i-Ready?
4.What math textbook or program do teachers use? Can parents see sample lessons?
5.What was the district's attendance rate last year, and how close are we to the 97% target?
6.How will the district measure success on Goal 3 (family engagement) without a specific metric?
7.When is the QSAC review scheduled, and can parents access the results?
8.Why did the district need to withdraw $595,000 from reserves? Are we budgeting enough for maintenance to avoid future emergency withdrawals?
9.What is the district's plan for replenishing reserves after these withdrawals?
10.How does our per-pupil spending ($20,300) compare to similar Morris County districts?
11.How many students are in out-of-district placements? What drives those decisions?
12.Who replaced the Director of Special Services, and what's their background?
13.With only 1 HIB incident, what do the district's prevention programs look like?
14.What additional security measures are planned beyond cameras and fencing?

Teaching and Learning: Inspiring Innovation

Culture of Respect and Well-Being

Future-Focused Facilities

Building Community

Grade-by-grade curriculum breakdown with programs, publishers, and teaching approaches

NJSLA test scores, proficiency rates, grade-level breakdowns, and performance trends

Board meetings, resolutions, personnel changes, and staffing transparency

Budget breakdown, per-pupil spending, reserve withdrawals, and capital projects

New policies, revisions, parent-relevant policies, and full policy library

3 schools

Gillette School

PreK-2

Millington School

Central Middle School

High school students attend Watchung Hills Regional High School (grades 9-12)

All information derived from:

Report generated January 2026