Editing Elizabeth, New Jersey (section)

==Education==
[[File:ElizabethHighSchool.JPG|thumb|The John E. Dwyer Technology Academy and Dunn Sports Center]]
The city's public schools are operated by [[Elizabeth Public Schools]], serving students in [[pre-kindergarten]] through [[twelfth grade]]. The district is one of 31 former [[Abbott district]]s statewide that were established pursuant to the decision by the [[New Jersey Supreme Court]] in ''Abbott v. Burke''<ref>[https://www.njsda.gov/About/WhatWeDo#History What We Do: History] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220325224335/https://www.njsda.gov/About/WhatWeDo#History |date=March 25, 2022 }}, [[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'."</ref> 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]].<ref>[https://www.njsda.gov/About/WhatWeDo What We Do] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220325224335/https://www.njsda.gov/About/WhatWeDo |date=March 25, 2022 }}, [[New Jersey Schools Development Authority]]. Accessed March 1, 2022.</ref><ref>[https://www.njsda.gov/Content/FactSheets/31_SDA_Districts.pdf SDA Districts] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220325224328/https://www.njsda.gov/Content/FactSheets/31_SDA_Districts.pdf |date=March 25, 2022 }}, [[New Jersey Schools Development Authority]]. Accessed March 1, 2022.</ref> Administration and operation of the district is overseen by a nine-member [[board of education]]. 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.<ref>[https://www.epsnj.org/domain/72 Board of Education] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200506020951/https://www.epsnj.org/domain/72 |date=May 6, 2020 }}, [[Elizabeth Public Schools]]. Accessed March 30, 2020. "The Board of Education shall be comprised of nine (9) members serving terms of three (3) years, as required by law."</ref>

As of the 2018–19 school year, the district, comprised of 36 schools, had an enrollment of 28,712 students and 2,173.0 classroom teachers (on an [[full-time equivalent|FTE]] basis), for a [[student–teacher ratio]] of 13.2:1.<ref name=NCES>[https://nces.ed.gov/ccd/districtsearch/district_detail.asp?Search=2&details=1&ID2=3404590&DistrictID=3404590 District information for Elizabeth Public Schools] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200731000348/https://nces.ed.gov/ccd/districtsearch/district_detail.asp?Search=2&details=1&ID2=3404590&DistrictID=3404590 |date=July 31, 2020 }}, [[National Center for Education Statistics]]. Accessed April 1, 2020.</ref> High schools in the district (with 2018–19 enrollment data from the [[National Center for Education Statistics]]<ref>[https://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/school_list.asp?Search=1&DistrictID=3404590 School Data for the Elizabeth Public Schools] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171123102408/https://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/school_list.asp?Search=1&DistrictID=3404590 |date=November 23, 2017 }}, [[National Center for Education Statistics]]. Accessed April 1, 2020.</ref>) are 
[[Elizabeth High School (New Jersey)|Elizabeth High School Frank J. Cicarell Academy]]<ref>[https://www.epsnj.org/Domain/11 Elizabeth High School Frank J. Cicarell Academy] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200812164210/https://www.epsnj.org/Domain/11 |date=August 12, 2020 }}, Elizabeth Public Schools. Accessed August 11, 2020.</ref> (1,152; 9–12), 
J. Christian Bollwage Finance Academy<ref>[https://www.epsnj.org/Domain/14 J. Christian Bollwage Finance Academy] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200812161534/https://www.epsnj.org/Domain/14 |date=August 12, 2020 }}, Elizabeth Public Schools. Accessed August 11, 2020.</ref> (420; 9–12), 
[[John Dwyer Technology Academy|John E. Dwyer Technology Academy]]<ref>[https://www.epsnj.org/Domain/13 John E. Dwyer Technology Academy] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200812162325/https://www.epsnj.org/Domain/13 |date=August 12, 2020 }}, Elizabeth Public Schools. Accessed August 11, 2020.</ref> (1,340; 9–12), 
[[Thomas A. Edison Career and Technical Academy]]<ref>[https://www.epsnj.org/Domain/9 Thomas A. Edison Career and Technical Academy] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200812164202/https://www.epsnj.org/Domain/9 |date=August 12, 2020 }}, Elizabeth Public Schools. Accessed March 1, 2018.</ref> (872; 9–12), 
[[Admiral William Halsey Leadership Academy|Admiral William F. Halsey Jr. Health and Public Safety Academy]]<ref>[https://www.epsnj.org/Domain/12 Admiral William F. Halsey Jr. Health and Public Safety Academy] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200812162227/https://www.epsnj.org/Domain/12 |date=August 12, 2020 }}, Elizabeth Public Schools. Accessed August 11, 2020.</ref> (1,111; 9–12), 
[[Alexander Hamilton Preparatory Academy]]<ref>[https://www.epsnj.org/Domain/10 Alexander Hamilton Preparatory Academy] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200812164025/https://www.epsnj.org/Domain/10 |date=August 12, 2020 }}, Elizabeth Public Schools. Accessed August 11, 2020.</ref> (1,014; 9–12) and 
[[Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy]]<ref>[https://www.epsnj.org/Domain/8 Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200812164008/https://www.epsnj.org/Domain/8 |date=August 12, 2020 }}, Elizabeth Public Schools. Accessed August 11, 2020.</ref> (1,122; 9–12).<ref>[https://www.epsnj.org/Page/3217 District & School Buildings Directory] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191103164039/https://www.epsnj.org/Page/3217 |date=November 3, 2019 }}, Elizabeth Public Schools. Accessed August 11, 2020.</ref><ref>[https://homeroom6.doe.state.nj.us/directory/school/districtid/1320 New Jersey School Directory for the Elizabeth School District], [[New Jersey Department of Education]]. Accessed February 1, 2024.</ref>

With 5,300 students, Elizabeth High School had been the largest high school in the state of New Jersey and one of the largest in the United States, and underwent a split that created five new academies and a smaller Elizabeth High School under a transformation program that began in the 2009–2010 school year.<ref>Kwoh, Leslie. [http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/01/elizabeth_high_school_to_split.html "Elizabeth High School to split into six different schools in September"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605223748/http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/01/elizabeth_high_school_to_split.html |date=June 5, 2011 }}, ''[[The Star-Ledger]]'', January 15, 2009. Accessed December 21, 2011. "Elizabeth High School's 5,300 students will be divided into six schools in September to alleviate overcrowding in the biggest school in New Jersey."</ref> The school was the 294th-ranked public high school in New Jersey out of 322 schools statewide, in ''[[New Jersey Monthly]]'' magazine's September 2010 cover story on the state's "Top Public High Schools", after being ranked 302nd in 2008 out of 316 schools.<ref>Staff. [http://njmonthly.com/articles/towns_and_schools/highschoolrankings/top-high-schools-2010.html "2010 Top High Schools"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150222100534/http://njmonthly.com/articles/towns_and_schools/highschoolrankings/top-high-schools-2010.html |date=February 22, 2015 }}, ''[[New Jersey Monthly]]'', August 16, 2010. Accessed December 21, 2011.</ref> Before the 2008–2009 school year, all of the district's schools (except high schools) became K–8 schools, replacing the middle schools and elementary schools. SchoolDigger.com ranked Elizabeth 449th of 558 districts evaluated in New Jersey.<ref>[http://www.schooldigger.com/go/NJ/district/04590/search.aspx "Schooldigger New Jersey District Ranking"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111224120209/http://www.schooldigger.com/go/NJ/district/04590/search.aspx |date=December 24, 2011 }}, Schooldigger.com. Accessed August 14, 2014.</ref>

These and other indicators reveal a seriously declining performance standard in the city's schools. Data reported by the state Department of Education showed that a majority of students in a majority of the Elizabeth public schools failed basic skills tests.<ref>[http://www.nj.gov/education/assessment/ "New Jersey's statewide assessment program"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120105011607/http://www.nj.gov/education/assessment/ |date=January 5, 2012 }}, [[New Jersey Department of Education]]. Accessed January 10, 2011.</ref>

In the 2008–09 school year, Victor Mravlag Elementary School No. 21 was recognized with the [[National Blue Ribbon Schools Program|Blue Ribbon School Award of Excellence]] by the [[United States Department of Education]],<ref>[http://www.ed.gov/programs/nclbbrs/2008/2008-schools.html U.S. Department of Education Blue Ribbon Schools Program: 2008 Schools] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150111030156/http://www2.ed.gov/programs/nclbbrs/2008/2008-schools.html |date=January 11, 2015 }}, [[United States Department of Education]]. Accessed April 13, 2011.</ref> the highest award an American school can receive.<ref>"CIBA cited as one of the best by Education Department", ''[[Journal Inquirer]]'', November 16, 2006. "The Blue Ribbon award is given only to schools that reach the top 10 percent of their state's testing scores over several years or show significant gains in student achievement. It is considered the highest honor a school can achieve."</ref><ref>"Viers Mill School Wins Blue Ribbon; School Scored High on Statewide Test", ''[[The Washington Post]]''. September 29, 2005. "For their accomplishments, all three schools this month earned the status of Blue Ribbon School, the highest honor the U.S. Education Department can bestow upon a school."</ref> For the 2006–2007 school year, William F. Halloran Alternative School #22 was one of four schools in New Jersey recognized with the Blue Ribbon Award.<ref>[http://www.ed.gov/programs/nclbbrs/2006/2006-schools.html#nj No Child Left Behind-Blue Ribbon Schools in 2006] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141210093059/http://www2.ed.gov/programs/nclbbrs/2006/2006-schools.html#nj |date=December 10, 2014 }}, [[United States Department of Education]]. Accessed April 13, 2011.</ref> William F. Halloran Alternative School #22 earned a second award when it was one of 11 in the state to be recognized in 2014 by the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program.<ref>Goldman, Jeff. [http://www.nj.com/education/2014/10/which_nj_schools_were_named_to_national_blue_ribbon_list.html "Which N.J. schools were named to national 'Blue Ribbon' list?"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141220200316/http://www.nj.com/education/2014/10/which_nj_schools_were_named_to_national_blue_ribbon_list.html |date=December 20, 2014 }}, NJ Advance Media for [[NJ.com]], October 2, 2014. Accessed December 31, 2014. "Eleven New Jersey schools have been named to the annual National Blue Ribbon list, the U.S. Department of Education announced Tuesday."</ref><ref>[http://www2.ed.gov/programs/nclbbrs/2014/national.pdf#page=17 2014 National Blue Ribbon Schools All Public and Private] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141223085843/http://www2.ed.gov/programs/nclbbrs/2014/national.pdf#page=17 |date=December 23, 2014 }}, [[United States Department of Education]]. Accessed December 31, 2014.</ref><ref>Lannan, Aktie. [http://www.nj.com/union/index.ssf/2014/10/elizabeth_gifted_and_talented_school_earns_national_blue_ribbon_school_designation.html "Elizabeth gifted and talented school earns National Blue Ribbon School designation"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150101063919/http://www.nj.com/union/index.ssf/2014/10/elizabeth_gifted_and_talented_school_earns_national_blue_ribbon_school_designation.html |date=January 1, 2015 }}, NJ Advance Media for [[NJ.com]], October 1, 2014. Accessed December 31, 2014. "Federal education officials designated the William F. Halloran Gifted and Talented School No. 22 as a National Blue Ribbon School, one of 337 selected nationwide based on academic excellence and progress in closing the achievement gap. This is the second time School 22 has received the honor in the past 10 years, according to the school department. It was first named a National Blue Ribbon School in 2006."</ref> Terence C. Reilly School No. 7 was honored by the [[National Blue Ribbon Schools Program]] in 2019, one of nine schools in the state recognized as Exemplary High Performing Schools;<ref>[https://nationalblueribbonschools.ed.gov/awardwinners/reports/2019/2019_exemplary_high_performing_schools.pdf#page=20 2019 National Blue Ribbon Schools Exemplary High Performing Schools] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191112164645/https://nationalblueribbonschools.ed.gov/awardwinners/reports/2019/2019_exemplary_high_performing_schools.pdf#page=20 |date=November 12, 2019 }}, [[National Blue Ribbon Schools Program]]. Accessed September 26, 2019.</ref> the school had previously won the honor in 2013.

===Private schools===
Elizabeth is also home to several private schools. The coeducational [[St. Mary of the Assumption High School]], which was established 1930,<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20160112224833/http://www.stmaryhsnj.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=287825&type=d&pREC_ID=661698 About Us]}}, [[St. Mary of the Assumption High School]]. Accessed August 23, 2015. "In 1930 extensive renovation was made. A third story was added, the auditorium converted into a gymnasium and Saint Mary's High School was born."</ref> and the all-girls [[Benedictine Academy]], which is run by the Benedictine Sisters of Saint Walburga Monastery,<ref>[http://www.benedictineacad.org/bacad/ Home Page] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150823135311/http://www.benedictineacad.org/bacad/ |date=August 23, 2015 }}, [[Benedictine Academy]]. Accessed August 23, 2015.</ref> both operate under the auspices of the [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark]].<ref>[http://catholicschoolsnj.org/high-school/union-county-catholic-high-schools/ Union County Catholic High Schools] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150814013415/http://catholicschoolsnj.org/high-school/union-county-catholic-high-schools/ |date=August 14, 2015 }}, [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark]]. Accessed August 23, 2015.</ref> The Newark Archdiocese also operates the K–8 schools Our Lady of Guadalupe Academy and St. Genevieve School, which was founded in 1926.<ref>[http://catholicschoolsnj.org/elementary/union-elementary/ Union County Catholic Elementary Schools] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150813230746/http://catholicschoolsnj.org/elementary/union-elementary/ |date=August 13, 2015 }}, [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark]]. Accessed August 23, 2015.</ref>

[[St. Patrick High School (New Jersey)|Saint Patrick High School]] was closed by the Newark Archdiocese in June 2012 due to increasing costs and declining enrollment. Administrators and parents affiliated with the defunct school came together to open an independent non-denominational school on Morris Avenue called "The Patrick School" in September 2012.<ref>[https://www.thepatrickschool.org/about/history-and-tradition History and Tradition ] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130611082836/http://www.thepatrickschool.org/about/history-and-tradition |date=June 11, 2013 }}, The Patrick School. Accessed August 15, 2013.</ref><ref>Stanmyre, Matthew. [http://www.nj.com/hssports/blog/boysbasketball/index.ssf/2012/07/recently_closed_st_patrick_high_closing_in_on_new_location.html "Recently closed St. Patrick High closing in on new location"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140203230420/http://www.nj.com/hssports/blog/boysbasketball/index.ssf/2012/07/recently_closed_st_patrick_high_closing_in_on_new_location.html |date=February 3, 2014 }}, ''[[The Star-Ledger]]'', July 20, 2012. Accessed August 15, 2013. "The Archdiocese of Newark—which had provided oversight for St. Patrick—decided to close the school June 30 because of dwindling enrollment and serious financial struggles. The Patrick School will re-open in the fall as a private school out of the Archdiocese's oversight. The new school has commitments from about 150 students, Picaro said."</ref><ref>Araton, Harvey. [https://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/28/sports/joe-picaro-is-rock-behind-patrick-school.html "A Faith Is Tested, and Then Renewed"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170330170024/http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/28/sports/joe-picaro-is-rock-behind-patrick-school.html |date=March 30, 2017 }}, ''[[The New York Times]]'', February 27, 2013. Accessed August 15, 2013. "To mark the one-year anniversary of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark's announcement that it would close St. Patrick—forcing it to soldier on as the nondenominational, grades 7-to-12 Patrick School—Picaro's beloved boys' basketball team will begin state tournament play on Friday, a triumph in itself."</ref>

The Benedictine Preschool, operated by the Benedictine Sisters, is housed at Saint Walburga Monastery.<ref>[http://www.benedictinepreschool.org/index.php?p=1_3_About About] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150810005257/http://benedictinepreschool.org/index.php?p=1_3_About |date=August 10, 2015 }}, Benedictine Preschool. Accessed August 23, 2015.</ref>

The [[Jewish Educational Center]] comprises the Yeshiva of Elizabeth (nursery through sixth grades), the [[Rav Teitz Mesivta Academy]] (for boys in grades 6–12) and [[Bruriah High School for Girls|Bruriah High School]] (for girls in grades 7–12).<ref>[http://www.thejec.org/ Home Page] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170914145343/http://thejec.org/ |date=September 14, 2017 }}, [[Jewish Educational Center]]. Accessed September 19, 2017. "The Jewish Educational Center of Elizabeth, NJ provides Torah and Secular education to students from Nursery through 12th grade.
Our three divisions include Yeshiva of Elizabeth, Bruriah High School for Girls, and Rav Teitz Mesivta Academy."</ref>

[[Princeton University]] was founded in 1746 in Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey.<ref>[https://www.princeton.edu/main/about/history/ Princeton's History] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160403063306/http://www.princeton.edu/main/about/history/ |date=April 3, 2016 }}, [[Princeton University]]. Accessed December 21, 2011.</ref>

===Libraries===
The [[Elizabeth Public Library]], the free [[public library]] with a main library, originally [[List of Carnegie libraries in New Jersey|a Carnegie library]], and three branches<ref name="Libraries">[http://www.elizabethnj.org/services/libraries Libraries] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140829013716/http://elizabethnj.org/services/libraries |date=August 29, 2014 }}, City of Elizabeth. Accessed September 28, 2014.</ref> had a collection of 384,000 volumes and annual circulation of about 115,000 in 2016.<ref name="Libraries"/><ref>[http://www.librarytechnology.org/lwc-displaylibrary.pl?RC=6924 Elizabeth Public Library] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121125184705/http://www.librarytechnology.org/lwc-displaylibrary.pl?RC=6924 |date=November 25, 2012 }}, librarytechnology.org. Accessed November 2, 2016.</ref>