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We are deeply grateful for the trust and support you’ve shown in this election. On behalf of Brian and myself, we’re honored to serve the community as part of a Board committed to educational excellence for our students. Together, we can build a strong foundation rooted in transparency, accountability, and a shared vision for our schools. We’ve already reached out to the Board and district leadership to start building that partnership! We look forward to working with the continuing board members, including Danielle Bellomo, following her successful election last night.

We also look forward to working closely with our community and families, exploring new ways to foster positive, productive relationships with everyone who cares so deeply about our children’s future.

Lastly, Brian and I are saddened that Nirav won’t be joining us on this journey next year, but we’ll carry forward his commitment and vision in our work. We’re encouraged by his dedication to the success of all Marlboro students. Thank you, Nirav, for being such a driving force in the Partners Improving Education campaign.

The Fix Was In: How the Marlboro Township Board of Education’s Before and After Care RFP Process Hurt Marlboro Families

Why the Y?

The full letter of concern sent to the board is available here. 

In Marlboro Township, a vital program providing before and after school care for hundreds of children has been thrown into disarray, exposing a web of intentional deceptions by the Board of Education. Parents who once relied on affordable, trusted care are now left scrambling for answers — and paying significantly more.

For two decades, the district’s before and after care program was run by Champions, a beloved vendor that earned the trust of parents, students, and teachers alike. Champions offered seamless service with minimal staff turnover, integrating district employees who were already familiar with the children. Yet, despite an outstanding track record and community support, Champions was ousted in favor of the YMCA through a flawed and suspicious Request for Proposal (RFP) process.

The campaign to remove Champions began with disinformation. A small, vocal group took to social media claiming conflicts of interest involving Champions employees who served on the Marlboro Educational Foundation, a nonprofit that raises money for the district. These baseless allegations were paired with unsubstantiated claims about security concerns, despite Champions’ spotless 20-year history of safety, and a July 2023 survey, where the overwhelming majority of parents said Champions was a safe and secure environment for their kids.

In 2023, the first of two RFPs for before and after care services was issued. Champions retained the contract for the 2023-2024 school year, because the Board ran out of time. Undeterred, the Board issued a second RFP for 2024-2025, setting the stage for disastrous results.

The YMCA won the contract, despite significantly higher pricing, leaving parents furious. While the Board of Education claimed that the YMCA would provide comparable services at lower rates, the facts tell a different story. YMCA’s prices were significantly higher than Champions, with some families paying hundreds, even thousands more annually. For example, YMCA’s estimated monthly cost for before and after care was $830, compared to Champions’ $506.52. The YMCA also offered fewer flexible options and imposed strict limitations on drop-in care, which many working families rely on.

Also ignored was the fact that because the YMCA billed monthly instead of weekly, like Champions, parents are now paying for weeks they don’t use under the Y’s pricing structure.

Behind the scenes, emails obtained through public records requests reveal disturbing details of how this decision unfolded. It appears that board members and administrators were in direct communication with the YMCA and other vendors throughout the supposedly impartial bidding process, raising ethical concerns. Emails show that they actively sought price reductions from certain vendors, a move that likely should have disqualified the process entirely.

Equally disturbing, questions were sent to the RFP respondents from a member of the Special Education Parent Advisory Group (SEPAG), but respondents were told they came from the Board. The inclusion of SEPAG, without similar input from other parent organizations, and without necessary confidentiality and conflict of interest statements, undermines the integrity of the RFP process. The RFP process is supposed to be confidential, and nothing should have been disclosed to anyone who didn’t have responsibility for evaluating proposals and could easily have had an undisclosed conflict of interest. SEPAG holds no official role in evaluating vendor proposals, and its involvement was seemingly concealed from vendors. These actions compromise trust and accountability, both of which are critical to maintaining a fair procurement process.

 

Even worse, after the contract was awarded, as parents and community members were expressing outrage, the Board misled the community about the pricing discrepancies. Emails confirm that Board members repeatedly falsely implied that Champions was more expensive than the YMCA, despite internal records showing the opposite. The Board repeatedly cited outdated 2023-2024 prices to justify its decision, ignoring the significantly lower 2024-2025 bid that Champions had submitted.

When one board member called out this misinformation, the response was alarming, and dismissive.

Marlboro Township families who depended on affordable, flexible childcare now face steep price hikes and reduced options. Parents were rightfully outraged, and their concerns were met with evasive and misleading responses from the Board. One parent wrote about how their family would now pay $100 more per month for the same care they had relied on for years. Another lamented the loss of trusted staff, many of whom chose not to work for the YMCA due to lower wages. The Board’s actions have broken the trust of the community and placed financial strain on families at a time when many are already struggling.

 

The fallout from this extends beyond individual families. This fiasco is more than just an administrative failure — it’s a betrayal of the community. By manipulating the RFP process, prioritizing misleading information, and disregarding the needs of families, the BOE has shown its priorities lie with hidden agendas and political maneuvering.

 

Sadly, the politicization of the process didn’t end with just concealing pricing discrepancies. With families up in arms, the Board asked the YMCA to deliver a presentation to the community clarifying their pricing structure, drop-off, and drop-in procedures. Furthermore, the Board mandated that the YMCA share this presentation in advance. So what do you think the Board asked the YMCA to change “to eliminate any confusion with the general public that will assist the YMCA in having a seamless transition in Marlboro?” See for yourself. Their priority was to avoid triggering a response to Social Emotional Learning (SEL). The demand made to the YMCA – that it merely change that slide but not make any substantive changes to the actual curriculum, betrays a lack of transparency and desire to appease an alternate agenda.

As Marlboro Township families navigate the fallout of these Board of Education decisions, it is imperative that we demand accountability. With elections fast approaching, voters must recognize the urgency of restoring integrity and transparency to our schools. The trust of Marlboro families and the welfare of its children are at stake. This community deserves accountability, and it is time for the Board to face the consequences of its actions—because the future of Marlboro’s children depends on it.