South Orange-Maplewood Supt. of Schools Jason Bing plans to recommend an increase of the SES (socioeconomic status) variance threshold used to place students in elementary and middle school from 5% to 10% for the 2026-27 school year.
The announcement came at a South Orange-Maplewood School District Community Conversation held at Columbia High School on October 14.
The District has posted a recap of the meeting on its website here. Read the portion of the update related to the Integration Initiative below.
Supt. Bing indicated that the recommended changes were related to a looming “fiscal cliff” that the district is facing, saying that transportation costs, which are exceeding $10.5 million per school year, “are being closely analyzed as the district explores models to reduce expenses while protecting educational programs.” Bing names the Intentional Integration Initiative — or “Triple I” — as one of the cost drivers, along with students being transported out of district and pre-K transportation.
Village Green confirmed with the district’s integration consultant, The Alves Group, that they are working on variance projections and a potential zone model for the “Triple I.” Read more about that here: South Orange-Maplewood School District ‘Working on Models’ for Integration Initiative Modification.
The Black Parents Workshop, which reached a a settlement with SOMSD in 2020 over racial access and equity in the school district, released a statement on October 16 saying that the settlement “required the SOMSD to create an integration plan with guidance from Dr. Edward Fergus” but that the “model chosen by former SOMSD Superintendent, Dr. Ronald Taylor, did not include input from Dr. Fergus” and “was still compliant with the wording of the BPW settlement.”
Read BPW’s full statement attached below.
From SOMSD: Superintendent Bing Hosts First Community Conversation of the School Year:
“Another major topic discussed was the district’s desegregation plan (Intentional Integration Initiative). The district has revised its student placement process, which aims to better align students with their closest neighborhood schools (Proximity-Based Model) and ensure transfer policies are sensitive to family needs (Policy 5124). The Superintendent also will make the recommendation to increase the SES (socioeconomic status) variance threshold from 5% to 10% for the 2026-27 school year. Superintendent Bing made note of the segregation lawsuit filed by NAACP/Latino Action Network against the state of NJ and its possible impact on SOMSD.
“Currently at the elementary level 63% of students are placed at their closest school and an additional 17% at their second-closest. For middle schools, the Superintendent will recommend “III” for K-5 only beginning next school year. Currently, 91–93% of middle school students already attend their closest school, making the process more efficient and geographically consistent. Superintendent Bing also noted a significant change in the district’s economically disadvantaged numbers which in 2016-17 was 18% as compared to 2023-24’s 12%. He acknowledged that much work still needed to be done in regards to reducing achievement gaps and increasing graduation rates for our underserved students.
Managing district resources remains a top priority:
- Transportation Costs: Exceeding $10.5 million, these costs are being closely analyzed as the district explores models to reduce expenses while protecting educational programs. Some drivers such as Out of District Placements, III, and Pre K are being analyzed as the district looks to rebuild its savings while maintaining staffing and program levels.
- Zoning Exploration: Looking into the future, comprehensive zoning models are being studied to reduce busing needs and maintain integration goals in a balanced, sustainable way. The district plans to work with the community around such work via strategic planning, Town Halls and Community Conversations.
This story was updated on October 18, 2025 to include a statement from the Black Parents Workshop. This story was updated on October 20, 2025, to edit for clarity.
