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After another failed referendum for school construction bonds, Edison officials say they may have to resort to measures like classroom trailers and reduced kindergarten hours -- options they aren't very fond of -- to create more space in schools.

On Jan. 26, Edison voters rejected a $137 million bond proposal for additions and improvements to 13 schools of the township's 17 public schools, with 4,987 voting against and 2,460 in favor, as well as a $29.7 million bond for a new 672-student elementary school that was defeated 5,317 votes to 2,111.

The latest vote marks the fifth time in five years that a proposal to expand Edison's school district, which has 14,400 students, failed. The Board of Education hasn't met since the referendum and isn't yet sure what its next step is, but a similar referendum in the future is unlikely, board president David Dickinson told The Jewish State.

"I don't think that's ever going to happen, so we might just give up on that idea," Dickinson said of another referendum.

Board of Education members said that students sit in the same classrooms all day because there aren't alternative rooms available for activities like art, music, and lunch. Since the referendums for school expansion have failed, two ideas that could be discussed to remedy the situation are purchasing classroom trailers and reducing kindergarten from full-day to half-day instruction, board member Debbie Anes said.

Both of those are poor options, Anes said, because trailers cost $150,000 apiece and don't provide a quality learning environment, and eliminating full-day kindergarten (which has been in place for the last six years) would spoil a curriculum that has Edison children ahead of the curve for their age when it comes to reading ability. Even most nursery schools have more than half-day instruction, she said.

"I just think it's taking a step backwards educationally," Anes said of reducing kindergarten hours.

Dickinson agreed, saying that he would "hate to see us lose" full-day kindergarten, and that trailers aren't cost-efficient because "you keep them for a couple of years and then you take them down."

In December 2008, a failed $65 million referendum would have added a new elementary school behind Thomas Jefferson Middle School on Division Street, and also called for improvements to three elementary schools. That vote was originally scheduled for Sept. 30, the same day as Rosh Hashanah, but was moved to Dec. 9 after considerable public opposition; another referendum failed earlier the same year in April.

For the latest referendum, the Board of Education proposed additions to all of the township's schools (except four that had already received recent improvements) because it got feedback that previous referendums failed due to voters' reluctance to support a proposal that didn't directly benefit their children, Anes said.

Anes said the referendums have been failing in part because of low voter turnouts; only 14 percent of voters weighed in on the latest proposal.

"It amazes me that with 14,000-plus children in our schools, that those parents don't go out and vote, and have an opinion one way or the other," she said.

Rabbi Dr. Bernhard Rosenberg, leader of Congregation Beth-El in Edison, said many members of the Jewish community voted against the referendum not because of any religious reasons, but because of the recession.

"In this economic time, we cannot afford to add on schools," Rosenberg said.

Rosenberg said the timing of the vote was "ironic" not only because it took place while many senior citizens are away for the winter, but also while area yeshiva schools were on winter vacation. However, that wasn't necessarily an intentional move by the township, he said. "Whether they knew this or not, I do not know," Rosenberg said.

Anes said there is a possibility that April's Board of Education elections will be moved to November, which would further delay the process of creating extra school space. But she and Dickinson agreed that the failed referendum doesn't mean there isn't a problem, even though a precise solution isn't apparent yet.

"We are going to have to provide space for all the kids," Dickinson said.

"It's not healthy. It's not safe," Anes said.