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September 2, 2026Make That 7 (Not 6) Asbury Park Superintendents In a Decade
Two months ago at its June meeting the Asbury Park Board of Education announced its final selection for a new superintendent, Rashon Hasan, former superintendent of Plainfield and the sixth Asbury Park superintendent since 2018. Hasan’s contract, the Board announced, would run from Sept. 1, 2026, through June 30, 2030 at a salary that has not been disclosed. Since last January, Hasan has been on paid leave in Plainsboro.
But Thursday evening at the August 25th meeting, in a last-minute addition to the agenda, the board appointed Thea Jackson, who has held numerous leadership positions in the district, as Interim Superintendent through the end of September.
An image of the paper copy is below. The additions to the agenda are not available on the district website which still lists Edwin Ruiz as interim superintendent, appointed last spring.
At the June meeting, the Board also announced it was rehiring former superintendent Rashawn Adams for at least a year as “Director on Special Assignment” at a salary of $192,345 plus benefits. Adams, district leader from 2021-2024, has been much in South Jersey news because in February 2024, almost two and a half years ago, the Board suspended him with pay after multiple complaints from staff. He continued to receive his $207,618 superintendent’s salary until his term ended this past June and had sued the district on multiple counts.
Various sources within the district expressed bewilderment at the revolving door of administrators, which also (not yet formally announced) may include a new Interim Business Administrator who may or may not be the formerly-permanent BA, Ivy Brown, who did not attend last Thursday’s meeting.
Meanwhile data from the Department of Education shows only 14% of students meet expectations in reading and 10% do in math. The graduation rate is 71%, 20 points lower than the state average despite an investment of $33,392 per pupil per year. Enrollment has dropped 37% over the last decade, now down to about 1,400 students.
A little stability at the top wouldn’t hurt, as well as unflagging attention to the point of the district’s existence, its students.
Additional note: Since last January, Hasan has been on paid leave from Plainfield following a car accident in a district vehicle at a Woodbridge sports bar. In various statements the school district has called the leave “administrative in nature” and “guided by due process and equity.” Hasan has said he followed proper district procedure: “I was never charged with DUI, driving while intoxicated, or any other alcohol-related offense.” All charges were dismissed right after the accident.
This is a developing story.
2 Comments
do you ever dive into the good things that happen in Asbury park school district?
It seems quite one sided.
As an educator in multiple districts including Asbury.
I’m confounded that for such a great investigative journalist you seem to be consistently missing all the amazing things that happen.
Unless you have openly stated that your mission is strictly financial expenditures and not the work that is put into the children.
I am confounded how such an intelligent woman with such a strong network of sources consistently fails to highlight anything positive from the Asbury Park School District.
As an educator in many communities as well as Asbury I see a lot of great programs, activities, and energy in the buildings.
Are you intentionally leaving out the positive to only discuss financial issues?
If so why have you not discussed the reality that the home owners in Asbury Park benefited financially for ten years (2008-2018) because the school district was failing.
The state funding policy of “hold to harm” during that decade essentially subsidized underperforming districts. Because of this policy Asbury Park residents paid some of the lowest property tax rates in Monmouth County.
Homeowners benefited financially off the back of families living at or below the poverty line (who were their neighbors) having to send their children to an under performing school district.