The Jersey City public school system, the state's second largest, was taken over by the state of New Jersey in 1989, when low test scores and high drop-out rates led officials to believe that poorer students were being disenfranchised. Now such programs as a Gifted and Talented Program in music and art, an Accelerated Enrichment Program for the academically gifted, and the Projects and Career Exploration (PACE) summer program, have turned these figures around. In just three years, the PACE program was seen to have lowered drop-out rates from 14.9 percent to 9.3 percent, and 80 percent who participated in PACE benefited from improved grades, attendance, and behavior. Dr. Ronald E. McNair Academic High School, with its all-honors curriculum, was named best high school in the state six years in a row by New Jersey Monthly magazine, and 15th out of 27,668 in the nation by Newsweek magazine in a May 2005 article.
The following is a summary of data regarding the Jersey City public schools for the 2003–2004 school year.
Total enrollment: 30,646
Number of facilities elementary schools: 31
junior high/middle schools: 26
senior high schools: 7
other: 10
Student/teacher ratio: 17:1
Teacher salaries
minimum: $40,000
maximum: $47,220 base, plus $2,800 per year with more than 10 years service
Funding per pupil: $13,750
Public Schools Information: Jersey City Board of Education, 346 Claremont Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07305-1634; telephone (201)915-6160
New Jersey City University (NJCU) opened in 1929; after several name changes throughout the years, in 1998 the New Jersey Commission on Higher Education gave it university status and it became known by its present name. NJCU offers 32 undergraduate and 19 graduate degrees in three colleges (Arts and Sciences, Education, and Professional Studies) to about 10,000 students. In 2002, the College of Education opened University Academy Charter High School to its first ninth grade class of 125 students. In 2003 a huge new Visual Arts Building opened with a centerpiece of a sculpture by Maya Lin of Washington, D.C.'s Viet Nam Memorial fame. The Bayside Development Project features a six story Arts and Sciences building designed by renowned architect Michael Graves, which the university is building in cooperation with the city, board of education, and New Jersey Transit. It nears completion in 2005.
Saint Peter's College, a four-year Jesuit liberal arts school, offers 38 major programs leading to a bachelor's degree and numerous associate's degree programs. Saint Peter's was founded in 1872, and has a total enrollment of 3,282 and a full time enrollment of 1,926.
Hudson County Community College (HCCC) was established in 1974 and now offers a full gamut of associate degrees and certificates in business, culinary arts, education, social sciences, allied health, computer science, liberal arts, and engineering/technology. HCCC has agreements with partner colleges for students to transfer credits toward a four-year degree. It also interacts with community organizations to allow some students to begin work in their chosen fields right away, and for job placement when they complete their programs.
Jersey City Medical Center hosts the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. Saint Francis Hospital and Christ Hospital both oversee schools of nursing in Jersey City. The Chubb Institute offers diplomas in modern technology occupations such as graphic design, computer networking and securities, and several careers in the medical field.
The Jersey City Free Public Library System consists of a main library, four regional branches and seven smaller neighborhood libraries and a bookmobile. Its collection includes 400,000 print, audiovisual, and electronic materials. In 2002 the library automated its on-line catalog available from its own growing number of terminals or from the patrons's own homes. In August 2004, the library opened a new branch serving the Martin Luther King HUB area, named Glenn D. Cunningham Library after Jersey City's late Mayor and State Senator. Jersey City Free Public Library System has resources in many languages as well as music and art collections. The Jersey City Room provides information about the history, economy, and government of the area.
Other libraries in Jersey City are the Hudson County Law Library, research libraries maintained by Block Drug Company and Pershing & Company, and the libraries at New Jersey City University and other schools. In 1999 and 2000 NJCU renovated two of its libraries: the Forrest Irwin library, which was equipped with a high tech research facility, and NJCU Library, which was rededicated Congressman Frank J. Guarini Library. The Guarini Library features wide-open and well-lit study spaces, numerous PCs, including those built to accommodate physically handicapped people, laptop docking, a touch screen Library Information Kiosk, and a Bibliographic/Information literacy program centered around the Machuga Technology Center room.
The University of Medicine and Dentistry at Jersey City Medical Center specializes in eye research in its Opthalmic Facilities. It also hosts a BRANY, Biotech Research Association of New York, facility. New Jersey City University has a vast new research center in its newly renovated Forrest Irwin Library. New Jersey City University (NJCU) is also home to the Center for Public Policy and Urban Research. A 48 mile corridor in the state of New Jersey that includes Jersey City, stretching from Newark down through Princeton, is known as the global epicenter of pharmaceutical and medical research and manufacturing. Nineteen of the 25 largest pharmaceutical companies are represented as well as over 120 biotech research companies. Just as finance companies are continuing to be attracted to the northern New Jersey region over Manhattan's high rent and utility costs, so are life science researchers from New York City's prestigious universities and research facilities.
Public Library Information: Jersey City Public Library, 472 Jersey Ave., Jersey City, NJ 07302; telephone (201)547-4500