FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 

Each of the proposed projects addresses critical repairs so our schools better serve current and future students. See the Projects page for a full list of the proposed projects.

1. Four new classrooms at each of the elementary schools to accommodate full-day kindergarten for all families in Cranford.

2. Facility upgrades including improvements to science labs, modernization of media centers, and upgrades to technology. This includes more space to enhance learning through extracurriculars like performing arts, culinary arts, digital photography and eSports.   

3. Building maintenance and repairs including renovated restrooms, parking lot repaving, accessibility modifications, window replacements, added air conditioning to select common spaces, and electrical upgrades at each school. 

Following a thorough review of the school buildings, strategic planning, a steering committee, and a community-wide survey, the district pinpointed areas in need of upgrades and improvements. The district selected large-scale projects that address health, safety, and capacity issues and add to the longevity of our school buildings.

The proposal helps the district fund these projects in the most fiscally responsible way thanks to state aid. A bond referendum grants Cranford access to state aid to offset the impact on community members’ tax bills. The state sets aside a special type of aid for capital improvements funding, which is only available through voter approval of a bond referendum. For Cranford, 26% of the total project costs qualify for state aid!

Full-day kindergarten has become expected as state curriculum standards have demanded more from younger learners. Studies have shown full-day programs provide a strong academic foundation and provide more time for students to develop social and emotional skills that benefit them later in life. This is why almost all school districts in New Jersey offer free, full-day kindergarten. Cranford is in the dwindling minority by only offering three classes of tuition-based full-day kindergarten, and those three classes are in very high demand. If voters approve the referendum, four kindergarten classrooms with bathrooms would be added at Brookside Place, Bloomingdale Avenue, Walnut Avenue, and Hillside Avenue Schools for a total of 16 additional classrooms in the district. Tuition would no longer be charged for the program, and all eligible children would have access.

Read a study from the National Education Association about the importance of full-day kindergarten.

The tuition-free full-day kindergarten program for all students is expected to begin at the start of the 2026-27 school year.

Libraries are no longer just places to house books and practice reading skills. Instead, libraries are being modernized into media centers that provide resources and learning tools for individual and group work. New zones and spaces would provide collaboration beyond the original shelves of books.

At the four elementary schools (Bloomingdale Avenue, Brookside Place, Livingston Avenue, and Walnut Avenue), the proposal calls for the former kindergarten classrooms that would no longer be needed after the addition to be converted into new media centers. This would allow for a larger, multi-functional space with air conditioning. The smaller existing media centers in those schools would be converted to a music or art room based on each of the schools’ individual needs.

Similarly, the media centers at the High School, Hillside Avenue School, and Orange Avenue School would be renovated from floor to ceiling to bring in new finishes and incorporate new zones for varied types of learning and collaboration. Modern learning environments would provide Cranford students with inspiring and comfortable spaces to learn and gather.

High heat makes it difficult to focus — we all function better when we feel comfortable.  Added air conditioning in all-purpose rooms, gymnasiums, auditoriums, media centers, and cafeterias will make for a more comfortable climate for both our students and community members who utilize the schools for school, athletics, activities, and events.

Cranford believes a well-rounded education includes extracurriculars. Esports (or electronic sports) is rapidly growing in the education sphere as an extracurricular and state-sanctioned activity. Like physical sports, Esports is a team-based activity, but one tied to curriculum initiatives like STEM, computer science, business, and career/technical education. 

More than video games, Esports help students improve their hand-eye coordination, brain function, decision-making and spatial reasoning skills. It teaches social-emotional skills while increasing student engagement and opportunities for student inclusion. 

Learn more about Esports and its connection to curriculum-based results.

Culinary arts studies empower students to make nourishing food choices through hands-on learning. Students learn about nutrition, planning meals and how to make smart choices. Cooking is a life skill that employs math, science, cognitive development, among other cross discipline applications. 

Beyond life skills, a culinary arts lab will allow students to explore in-demand career opportunities. Jobs for cooks and head chefs are expected to grow 15 percent from 2021 to 2031, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s much faster than the average for all occupations! 

Often school districts in New Jersey will seek voter approval of a bond referendum to construct an addition, and then will ask the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) to review the plans for environmental or flooding concerns. Cranford’s Board of Education and administration, however, did the opposite – first asking the DEP to review the plans for the kindergarten classroom additions before even setting a referendum date. While this delayed the vote, it was an important step for our community and Board to feel secure in knowing that a thorough review was done to minimize the impact to wetlands, wetland transition areas, and flood hazard areas, as well as complying with the stormwater regulations.

The Brookside Avenue School was determined to be in a flood hazard area because of its proximity to the Rahway River on the DEP and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) maps. However, the College Branch flood hazard area, located just north of the school, needed to be studied further.

The district submitted plans for the wetlands and flood hazard areas to the NJDEP in June 2022 and received approval almost a year and a half later in October 2023. The Board of Education and Office of Emergency Management worked together to design plans for the schools that wouldn’t impact freshwater wetlands or nearby areas and would lessen any impact to property within the flood hazard areas. The final plan approved by the NJDEP includes a finished floor elevation, which is four feet above current floor levels at Brookside Avenue School, aligning with the latest regulations and most stringent requirements.

The current electrical systems in most of the district’s schools cannot support necessary upgrades to heating and air conditioning systems. The referendum proposes electrical upgrades at all district schools except Walnut Avenue School, which already received electrical upgrades. This proactive step would allow the district to consider adding heating and cooling in classrooms and other spaces in the future if funds are available.

The NJ Department of Education reviewed and approved the district’s bond proposal for projects estimated to cost $75 million. This figure includes not only the work on the projects, but also professional and permit fees to support it, as well as a cushion calculated by the district’s financial advisors to account for market fluctuations and contingencies.   

The bond referendum allows the district to qualify for a type of state aid it would not receive otherwise. Tax revenue collected across New Jersey is distributed only available to districts with voter-approved bond referenda. 

This is a "use it or lose it" scenario. The state has already provided the approval to use this funding, should the community approve the structure. This funding would account for 26% of the total $75 million in project costs, or $19.6 million. With voter approval, Cranford can bring this state aid back to the community to invest in our school district. Voter disapproval means other school districts can pursue those state tax dollars through bond borrowing.

Cranford Public Schools has strategically planned for this referendum by proposing “must-needed” projects and those that qualify for the maximum amount of state aid available – 26% of the total $75 million in project costs.  

If voters approve the bond referendum, the owner of a home assessed at Cranford Township’s average of $185,824 would see an estimated increase of $410 per year, or $34 per month in school debt taxes annually.

The assessed value of a home is used to calculate a homeowner’s expected property tax. A home's market value is typically a higher figure than its assessed value and is an estimate of how much it could sell for in the current market. In Cranford, the average home assessment is $185,824. 

Find your home’s assessed value by inputting your address into this website.

Cranford Public School’s annual budget accounts for costs related to day-to-day operations - like salaries, supplies, regular maintenance, along with funding for educational programs. While our budget includes investments in larger projects, it is not enough to efficiently fund the scope of the work we propose in the January 23 bond referendum. 

Even if there was a way to find room to cover the costs of some of the proposed projects, utilizing a bond referendum is a strategic approach that allows us to tap into state aid otherwise unavailable to us. Rather than use the annual budget to fund many smaller projects over a longer period of time, a bond referendum accesses state funding and makes improvements faster.

Full-day kindergarten for all Cranford students requires approval of two questions because each one addresses different needs and relies on different funding streams. In January 2024, the bond referendum will ask voters to provide funding to build the physical space for full-day kindergarten at the four elementary schools. Bond funding can’t be used for staffing and other operational costs, so a special second question on the General Election ballot in November 2025 would ask for additional funding to support the kindergarten program in the annual budget going forward. This question can only be presented during the General Election.

To increase instructional time for all kindergarten students, the district would need to hire 8 full-time kindergarten teachers with benefits, 16 part-time classroom assistants, and 8 lunchroom assistants, as well as pay current teachers for specials like music, art, and physical education. Classroom supplies would also be included. Early estimates from the district’s financial advisers indicate that the total tax impact for the second question could be approximately $10 per month, or $125 per year, for a home assessed at Cranford’s average of $185,824.

Full-day kindergarten for all Cranford children was listed as a priority for our community in the survey, but the current school operating budget cannot handle the cost of additional space and staffing without this two-question approach. Approval of both questions could mean Cranford Public Schools could welcome all kindergartners for a full-day program by the 2026-27 school year.

If voters approve the bond referendum on January 23, the owner of a home assessed at Cranford Township’s average of $185,824 would see an estimated increase of $410 per year in school debt taxes annually. If the community also approves the November 2025 budget vote to staff the kindergarten program, that same homeowner would see a $125 per year additional increase.

Both questions together would add $535 per year to the tax bill for a home assessed at Cranford Township’s average, or about $44 per month.

The two questions each work together to bring full-day kindergarten to Cranford Public Schools. That’s because the bond referendum in January 2024 would fund the physical space for full-day kindergarten at four schools. The second question on the General Election ballot in November 2025 would fund staffing to support the kindergarten program going forward in the annual budget. 

If the referendum passed and the General Election question failed, the district would not be able to fund full-day kindergarten by the 2026-27 school year. The district would have to analyze the operating budget and make decisions about whether to cut funding from other academic areas or hold another public vote a year later. These options would push back the start date for the tuition-free full-day kindergarten program. In the meantime, the district would use the new classroom spaces for other needs at the schools, such as art, music, or special education.

The cost of the projects in Cranford would be spread over 25 years among everyone who pays property taxes in Cranford.

The total project costs for the referendum are $75 million. The 16 kindergarten classroom additions at four of the schools will cost $20.9 million – or 26% of the total costs. The remaining 74% goes toward upgrades and renovations at all eight schools in the district.

It is also important to note that the state has offered to pay $19.6 million if the referendum passes. That means the local cost to Cranford taxpayers will be reduced to $55.4 million. This state money is only available through a voter-approved referendum.

If voters approve the bond referendum, the district can only spend that money on projects outlined in the proposal. If actual costs are lower than what’s estimated, the district will use the money to reduce the debt and therefore reduce taxes.  

The district cannot spend more than the amount of money approved by voters in a bond referendum. The district, in partnership with financial consultants and its architect, thoroughly researched the proposed projects and their associated costs and included a contingency amount in the estimated total. That cushion does take into account current spikes in materials costs, gas prices and interest rates. If actual costs exceed what voters approved, plans will need to be adjusted to fit the budget.

Bonds do not have a specific interest rate the same way someone might secure a loan before purchasing a car or house. They are sold for the best bid on the public bond market. Because of that, the district won’t know the precise interest rate until it receives public permission to sell the bonds. Cranford Public Schools works with advisers who closely watch the bond market to determine an appropriate estimate of total costs.  

Holding a special election in January comes with certain election-related costs, such as mailing sample ballots, printing ballots, staffing the polling locations, and setting up voting machines. The district carefully planned for this expense and included funds to cover the anticipated cost of a special election in the 2023-24 operating budget. 

Every Cranford resident benefits from having strong public schools in town, regardless of whether they have children attending the schools. Public schools are a primary consideration for people when looking for a place to live, and home market values in Cranford and every town directly reflect the quality of the local public schools.

Additionally, these upgrades and repairs in the referendum come at a reduced cost due to the added benefit of state aid. Otherwise, these much-needed projects would fall entirely on local tax bills. 

The last referendum in Cranford was in 2009. The $20 million plan replaced roofs at all eight schools; boilers at Lincoln, Hillside Avenue, and Orange Avenue; and heating and ventilation systems at Cranford High School, Brookside Place, and Walnut Avenue School. Payments for the 2009 referendum will end in November 2030 and are costing approximately $72 per year for the owner of an average assessed home.

The district also held a $6.3 million referendum in 2002. The referendum focused on boiler replacements, HVAC upgrades, and other infrastructure needs across all eight schools, as well as an addition for four classrooms at Walnut Avenue School and upgrades at CHS’s auditorium. The bond was paid off in September 2017.

The January 2024 referendum would add much-needed space for kindergarten and renovate existing spaces to be more functional and exciting for students to use in the learning process. Unlike the 2009 and 2002 referenda that focused mostly on infrastructure, this proposal would impact both student experience and critical infrastructure needs.

The State of New Jersey offers a property tax reimbursement program known as "Senior Freeze." It protects some senior citizens and people with disabilities from having to pay higher taxes on their homes, and that is true not only for this school bond referendum but for other taxes. More information, including how someone qualifies for this program, is on the state's Senior Freeze webpage. 

Cranford residents who meet voter requirements can register to vote and participate in the bond referendum on Tuesday, January 23, 2024. If you are not registered to vote, you must register by January 2. 

To register online, complete a voter registration form on the NJ Voter Information Portal. 

To register by mail, print and send a paper registration form, offered in English and Spanish, to the address shown on the form. 

If you are already registered to vote in New Jersey with your current name and Cranford address, there is no need to do anything except cast a ballot in the bond referendum. Check your voter registration status in this state database.

In-person voting will be available to registered voters on Tuesday, January 23, 2024. Polls will open 2 - 8 pm. The sample ballot that all voters receive in the mail will contain polling place information. You can also look up your polling location here.

Vote By Mail ballots are an easy, convenient way to make your ballot count! If you previously requested ballots to be mailed to you for elections and your address is the same, you should receive a Vote By Mail ballot automatically. 

Contact the Office of the Union County Clerk at 908-527-4996 or at ucvote@ucnj.org to confirm you are on the list to receive a Vote By Mail ballot. The application to get a mail-in ballot must be received by the county by January 16. That deadline ensures the actual ballot can be mailed to you in time. See the How to Vote page for more details about how to vote including downloadable forms.

Specific rules protect the ability to vote, but sometimes human error or paperwork problems get in the way. A provisional ballot preserves the right to vote until those issues can be worked out. For example, someone who is sent a Vote By Mail ballot weeks before the referendum might overlook it, then come to an in-person poll and try to vote. That person can complete a paper, provisional ballot that is held separately by poll leaders until it can be confirmed that the person is eligible to vote and did not submit a Vote By Mail ballot. If you go to your polling place and are turned away for any reason, ask for a provisional ballot.