Opinion: Board Member's Focus on Zillow Ratings Undermines District Progress
You know that moment when you feel like you’re finally getting somewhere - and someone’s still pointing at a random Yelp review from three years ago? Yeah, that was basically the vibe at the April 2025 Hardyston Township Board of Education meeting.
While Superintendent Mike Ryder was laying out real, measurable progress (and honestly, it was impressive), Board member Tony Alfano kept harping on… a Zillow score. A “6 out of 10,” to be exact - and, when asked, he couldn’t even explain how that number was calculated. (Spoiler: he’s not alone - most people can’t.)
Real Progress vs. Online Ratings
Let’s talk facts for a second. Superintendent Ryder shared that elementary math proficiency leapt 13 points - from 39% to 52%. Language arts scores? Up by 6 points. And chronic absenteeism, which had been a serious post-COVID drag? Practically sliced down to single digits.
Those are the kinds of wins districts celebrate. They’re the “call your mom and brag” kind of numbers.
But even after all that good news, Alfano stuck to his script: “You have a 6 out of 10 Zillow score. You had an 8 out of 10,” he muttered during the training session, like he was reading Yelp reviews instead of governing a school district.
Board member Nick Demsak wasn’t having it. “There’s five cameras on us right now and you’ve just said publicly that our schools aren’t doing enough… How does that help people move into our town?” he asked, clearly frustrated. And honestly? Good question.
Questionable Methods, Real Consequences
Here’s the thing: Zillow’s school ratings are… sketchy. Multiple board members (and even the pros from NJSBA) tried to explain-nicely, at first-that those numbers often mash together data from a whole region, not just one school district. It’s like judging a restaurant based on a Google review from the next town over. Not super helpful.
Superintendent Ryder, cool as ever, reminded everyone: “I give real numbers every year…through NJSLA. I’ve given it through internal numbers through the programs that we use.”
Meanwhile, a local resident summed it up during public comment: “We have a 13-point bump in our educational scores. And we have board members leading off with negative comments about a score they don’t understand… We should be turning that into a positive.”
Exactly. Like-read the room, right?
A Troubling Pattern
It wasn’t just Zillow drama, though.
Board President Donna Carey used the meeting to take some shots at the community, hinting darkly about “websites and individuals” who “distort and misrepresent” facts. (If you’re getting a whiff of irony here, you’re not alone.)
Here’s the kicker: Carey’s comments sound eerily similar to the language she later used in legal complaints… against this very blog. You can’t make this stuff up.
It’s starting to feel like a pattern-one where “transparency” magically turns into “hostility” whenever someone dares to ask questions.
Moving Forward
Look, if Hardyston schools are going to keep thriving (and they absolutely can), board members need to keep their eyes on the prize: real educational metrics, not random internet scores that even Zillow’s own engineers probably side-eye sometimes.
As NJSBA trainer Kelly Mitchell put it-and honestly, it’s worth repeating-“When we’re watching those meetings, buyers are watching those meetings. So all your behaviors at this table, buyers watch.”
Want to help Hardyston stay on track? Come to the next board meeting at Hardyston Middle School. There’s a public comment session - and trust me, your voice matters.