New Jersey

OPINION: NJ’s school supply crisis: Why parents are left paying for basic classroom needs

Published

1 year ago

September 19, 2024

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OPINION: NJ’s school supply crisis: Why parents are left paying for basic classroom needs

3-minute read

Aura Dunn
| Special to the USA TODAY Network

With my youngest now a high school senior, it’s been a while since I had to make that early August trip to Staples with a school supply list in hand, hoping to snag those Spider-Man folders. But curiosity got the best of me, so I decided to see what today’s parents are up against.

I pulled up a fifth-grade supply list from a New Jersey school and bought everything on Amazon. The total? $106.70 — just for classroom essentials. That doesn’t include the backpack, school clothes, gym gear or winter wear like hats, gloves and boots. And forget about art supplies, sports equipment or renting a musical instrument.

Families with children in elementary through high school spend an average of $874 to prepare their kids for school.

What’s worse is that some of these items on the list aren’t even for the kids — they’re for the classroom. Disinfectant wipes, dry erase markers, erasers — parents are now expected to cover these, too.

And don’t even get me started on Sharpies — you can’t buy just one; it’s a four-pack or nothing. And really, does my kid actually need 72 Ticonderoga pencils?

This is what public education looks like in New Jersey today — parents are footing the bill for what should be covered by the schools themselves. And let’s not forget that many underpaid teachers already dip into their own pockets to cover other classroom needs.

When I partnered with the Morris County Interfaith Food Pantry as a collection site for their backpack drive, I never expected the flood of calls, emails, and visits it would trigger. For every one person who came to drop off supplies, five or six more showed up asking for help because they simply couldn’t afford what the school required.

And then there were the complaints — angry, baffled parents who couldn’t understand why, in a state that spends nearly $40 billion on education, with an average per-pupil cost of $26,970, they still had to buy basic classroom supplies benefiting all the students.

“Seventy percent of my taxes go to the local school, and they can’t buy a spiral notebook?” they asked, incredulous.

When families are driving 30 minutes to my office because they can’t afford school supplies, it’s clear we’re not dealing with just a lack of funds — we’re dealing with a crisis of misplaced priorities.

But not all hope is lost. Right down the road from my district office on Main Street in Chester, the local school board passed a novel idea: All supplies will be paid for and provided to every student this year, ensuring a “consistent educational experience.”

But to make this work statewide, we need leadership from Trenton. Education budgets are tight because of unfunded mandates, and many districts have suffered serious cuts in state aid. We shouldn’t just ask local taxpayers and parents to keep footing the bill — we need to shift that responsibility to the state.

Why not create a fund within the Department of Education specifically for school supplies? It could be financed by restraining the nearly billion dollars lawmakers add to the budget each year for their pet projects.

This is a commonsense fix that prioritizes students. It could also be a first step to finally fixing the more complicated broken education funding formula, which picks winners and losers among districts.

I remember the embarrassment I felt when I came to school without the supplies I needed. My father, a single dad raising three girls on public assistance, protested the “ridiculous” supply lists by sending us to school without them. I’ll never forget the pit in my stomach and the flush on my face when the teacher said, “Take out your …” and I had nothing to take out.

Those were not so different times, and I want to believe that in New Jersey — a state that prides itself on offering a world-class education for every child — no student will start the school year behind because they don’t have the tools they need.

We need a solution like providing school supplies, even if it means no more Spider-Man folders. It’s a small price to pay to ensure all children start the school year on equal footing.

Aura Dunn has been an assemblywoman since 2019. She represents parts of Morris and Passaic counties in the 25^th Legislative District.

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“We were all scared,” says child who ran as ICE operation unfolded near New Jersey school bus stop

Published

7 hours ago

February 14, 2026

Press Room

“We were all scared,” says child who ran as ICE operation unfolded near New Jersey school bus stop

A 10-year-old boy recounted fleeing Thursday morning as a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation began near his school bus stop in Lindenwold, New Jersey, saying, “We all were scared.”

Dylan, who is a U.S. citizen, told CBS News it started as a normal day — until he heard his classmates suddenly start shouting “ICE.”

“Out of nowhere, people just start running, saying that ICE is over there, and everybody was running,” Dylan said.

He told CBS News that agents started following him as he ran home. In a home security video, Dylan is seen frantically banging on the door, pleading for his mom to let him in. He said he was afraid ICE was trying get inside his home.

Doorbell video from an apartment complex shows children running through the parking lot on Thursday morning. The Lindenwold School District said fourth- and fifth-graders were waiting at their bus stop when an ICE operation began at the complex.

CBS News has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for comment.

“The presence of multiple enforcement vehicles caused significant fear and confusion, and several students ran from the bus stop,” the district told families in a social media post Thursday morning. “Our bus driver acted quickly and responsibly, circling back multiple times to ensure as many children as possible were safely transported to school.”

“ICE Agents are NOT at the Lindenwold School District,” the district added.

Community members in New Jersey gathered Friday afternoon to protest ICE. New Jersey Rep. Donald Norcross demanded more transparency, saying, “DHS has to come forward, be transparent. If you’re doing ‘the right thing,’ then there should be no problem.”

Dylan, like many others at the school, said the incident is hard to talk about “because I feel like they’re just going to come out of nowhere and take my parents.”

Maria, a U.S. citizen whose children attend the local school, has lived in the area for more than a decade. She told CBS News the incident follows increased ICE activity in the neighborhood.

“There’s a lot of kids right now, they’re traumatized, they don’t want to go to school,” Maria said.

The school district said it’s providing counseling to any students who need it.

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New Jersey

Meet nearly 200 home experts at the New Jersey Home & Garden Show

Published

19 hours ago

February 13, 2026

Press Room

Meet nearly 200 home experts at the New Jersey Home & Garden Show

With this winter’s freezing temperatures, many of us can’t help but daydream about the start of spring. And if you’re planning to take on any home projects once that time comes, now’s the time to start planning.

Whether you’re looking for a contractor to renovate your home, need expert insight on a DIY project or simply want some inspiration, the 36th Annual New Jersey Home & Garden Show is the place to be.

Running from Feb. 27 to March 1 at the New Jersey Convention and Exposition Center in Edison, the show will feature nearly 200 home industry experts. This includes contractors, interior designers, landscapers, kitchen designers, HVAC technicians and more.

Exhibitors, which primarily consist of small businesses, come from companies that are both local to New Jersey and from other parts of the country. There is a full list of businesses that are expected to be in attendance available online.

“The show is like HGTV, Pinterest and a contractor referral list all smashed into one,” said Eric Udler, the producer of the New Jersey Home & Garden Show. “You can see everything and compare different professionals all in one place.”

Featured presentations

In addition to exhibitors, the New Jersey Home & Garden Show will also have featured guest speakers giving specialized presentations throughout the weekend, as it does each year.

Returning for the third year is Don Engebretson, a gardening and landscaping expert known as the Renegade Gardener. He’ll be giving presentations on two topics: “12 Pro Landscaper Tips I Bet You Don’t Know” and “Yes You Can! Landscape Design for Homeowners.”

Homeowners are invited to bring photos of their yards to his presentations, as he’ll be offering free tips and recommendations for improving the space. And on Saturday at 2 p.m., he’ll be doing so alongside Steve Trevelise of New Jersey 101.5.

“We never bring somebody back year after year. We’re always trying to get something new. But he keeps coming up with new ideas for us, which is great,” Udler said.

New to this year’s show is Caroline Blazovsky, who is known as America’s Health Home Expert. During her presentation, “Healthy Home: What Every Homeowner Should Know,” she’ll teach people how to uncover hidden mold, poor air quality and unseen toxins in their homes, and how to fix them on a budget.

Ed Iarrapino, owner of First Choice Plumbing, Heating, Air Conditioning & Electrical and a longtime sponsor of the show, said it’s important that homeowners understand how to address their home’s air quality to keep their families healthy.

He said it’s something that’s often overlooked by homeowners, and that different environments can bring different air quality issues.

Other attractions

Similar to previous years, Udler said there will be a variety of featured gardens that visitors can browse for inspiration for their own outdoor spaces.

There will also be a marketplace with crafters and entrepreneurs selling home decor, unique gifts and more, as well as The Great Energy Escape: PSE&G’s mobile escape room experience focused on energy efficiency.

And for kids, there will be activities like balloon animals, old-fashioned games and the new Make It–Take It workshop, where kids will learn how to plant and grow herbs at home.

“With as cold as it has been, people are ready to get out. And they want to start planning their home improvement projects and their gardens,” Udler said. “The show allows you to ask detailed questions on the spot, and most vendors offer special pricing, free consultations and giveaways. So it’s a great resource for everyone.”

The New Jersey Home & Garden Show will be held from 3 to 8 p.m. on Feb. 27; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Feb. 28; and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 1. Tickets are $10 per person when purchased online, or $12 when purchased at the door, and are valid for one day of the show.

There’s also 500 free tickets for the show available through Vet Tix, which provides tickets to those currently serving in all branches of the military, veterans and immediate family members of fallen troops.

Maddie McGay is the real estate reporter for NorthJersey.com and The Record, covering all things worth celebrating about living in North Jersey. Find her on Instagram @maddiemcgay, on X @maddiemcgayy, and sign up for her North Jersey Living newsletter. Do you have a tip, trend or terrific house she should know about? Email her at MMcGay@gannett.com.

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New Jersey

Target to Open New Stores in Jersey City, West Orange Next Month | Jersey Digs

Published

1 day ago

February 13, 2026

Press Room

Target to Open New Stores in Jersey City, West Orange Next Month | Jersey Digs

A second Target in Jersey City will be opening next to a new public plaza in Journal Square. Photo by Chris Fry/Jersey Digs.

One of the country’s biggest retailers is set to launch two new Garden State locations in March, including a long-awaited store in Jersey City near one of New Jersey’s biggest transit hubs.

Target has announced that their second Jersey City store at 36 Journal Square will be open to the public on March 15. The 40,000-square-foot space will include a Starbucks and a CVS Pharmacy, with the store expected to hire nearly 100 workers.

The company is taking the ground floor of The Journal, a high-rise recently completed by Kushner Companies. The store is located directly next to the Journal Square Transportation Center, which offers PATH service and numerous bus lines.

Jersey City already has a Target outpost just off the waterfront in the Newport neighborhood and is slated to get another location on the West Side along Route 440 that is currently under construction.

Target West Orange Plaza 1 — A rendering of the West Orange Target slated to open March 15. Image courtesy of Levin Management Corporation.

Target will also be opening a 150,000-square-foot store at 235 Prospect Avenue in West Orange on the same day their Jersey City space launches. The West Orange Target will be significantly larger and include drive-up, order pickup, same-day delivery, and next-day delivery services.

The Target store is part of a greater overhaul that is ongoing at West Orange Plaza. The initial phase of the project also includes two new structures, an 8,400-square-foot building, and a 5,500-square-foot addition to an existing structure. Construction of the first portion is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2026.