Chalkbeat Newark is launching a text messaging service to help keep our readers informed on the latest from the Newark Board of Education.

With Newark teachers, students, and families hoping for a smooth school year, Chalkbeat Newark aims to keep them up to date on major Board of Education decisions, as efforts to address academic recovery and mental health issues take shape.

To achieve that goal, we’re launching a text messaging service to help keep you informed on key decisions the school board makes every month that involve millions of dollars in taxpayer money and directly impact Newark’s 38,000 students and their teachers.

Just days before the school year started, the nine-member board approved spending $7 million on contracts with 20 school bus transportation providers. But in the first week of school, families reported missing bus assignments and challenges getting their children to school — in some cases, spending money out of pocket on rideshare services.

The board also voted on a corrective action plan following an audit by the state’s Department of Education to address issues with providing services for students with disabilities.

And prior to the school year starting, the school board had also shared updates on new security guards, a student identification system, and a remote surveillance system for the district’s Office of Safety.

We hope this new texting service will make it easier for Newark families to stay plugged in to the school board’s decisions.

The Newark Board of Education typically meets at 6 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday and Thursday of the month. Since the pandemic, the meetings have been held virtually and livestreamed on the district’s Facebook page. When the board meets in person again, meetings will likely be held at headquarters at 765 Broad Street in Newark or at various school locations throughout the district.

Find this year’s board meeting schedule here.

Sign up for our monthly texts below and let us know if you have any questions about Newark schools. We’re listening. We’ll keep the texts limited to the biggest news to come out of a meeting, as well as reminders ahead of the meetings in case you want to tune in.

To sign up to receive monthly text message updates on Newark school board meetings, text SCHOOL to 973-327-7774 or type your phone number into the box below.

Catherine Carrera is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Newark, covering the city’s K-12 schools with a focus on English language learners. Contact Catherine at ccarrera@chalkbeat.org.

By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Notice and European users agree to the data transfer policy.

By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Notice and European users agree to the data transfer policy.