At the April 2025 Hardyston Township Board of Education meeting, academic improvement was overshadowed by Board member Tony Alfano’s persistent references to a “6 out of 10” Zillow school rating-a metric whose methodology he couldn’t explain when questioned.
Real Progress vs. Online Ratings
Superintendent Mike Ryder presented concrete evidence of district improvement: elementary math proficiency jumped 13 points (from 39% to 52%), language arts scores increased by 6 points, and chronic absenteeism dropped from over 20% post-COVID to nearly single digits.
Despite these gains, Alfano continued focusing on questionable third-party ratings: “You have a 6 out of 10 Zillow score. You had an 8 out of 10,” he stated during the training session.
Board member Nick Demsak highlighted the problem: “There’s five cameras on us right now and you’ve just said publicly that our schools aren’t doing enough…How does that help people to move into our town?”
Questionable Methods, Real Consequences
Multiple board members and NJSBA representatives explained that Zillow’s ratings often mix data from different school districts within a geographic radius, making them unreliable indicators of educational quality.
Superintendent Ryder emphasized: “I give real numbers every year…through NJSLA. I’ve given it through internal numbers through the programs that we use.”
A community member during public comment noted: “We have a 13-point bump in our educational scores. And we have board members leading off with negative comments about a score they don’t understand…We should be turning that into a positive.”
A Troubling Pattern
Board President Donna Carey used the session to cast suspicion on local residents and digital platforms: “We are aware that there are certain websites and individuals in the community who…post articles and opinion pieces that distort and misrepresent the facts about the district.”
Her remarks echo language she later used in legal complaints aimed at this blog-a community-run platform focused on factual reporting about the school district. This suggests a pattern of conflating transparency with hostility when public scrutiny is inconvenient.
Moving Forward
For Hardyston schools to thrive, board members must focus on actual educational metrics rather than unverified online ratings. As NJSBA trainer Kelly Mitchell advised, “When we’re watching those meetings, buyers are watching those meetings. So all your behaviors at this table, buyers watch.”
Residents concerned about district representation should attend upcoming board meetings at Hardyston Middle School, where public comment provides an opportunity to address these issues directly.