New Jersey School Proposes Hebrew Track With After-School Religion Classes

After New York's approval of a Hebrew language charter school (see prior posting), a New Jersey official is proposing an alternative arrangement that will be attractive to Jewish parents who may otherwise send their children to private Hebrew Day Schools. The Forward reported on Thursday that the interim superintendent of the Englewood (NJ) school system is suggesting a public-private partnership that would add a Hebrew language immersion track in a public school, and supplement it with privately-financed classes in Judaism as after-school activities. Modeled on the dual English-Spanish curriculum in some New Jersey schools, this program would follow the New Jersey Core Curriculum and students would mix with other students for lunch, recess and music. Interest in the program is fueled by the high cost of private Jewish Day School tuitions. For the Englewood school district that is under a racial desegregation order, the new track could increase racial diversity in the current largely Black and Hispanic district.