Teaneck New Jersey NJ Warrant Search

Teaneck, New Jersey Teaneck (pronounced /ˈtiːnɛk/) is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey and a suburb in the New York metropolitan area. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 39,260, making it the second-most populous among the 70 municipalities in Bergen County. The Census Bureau's 2009 population estimate for the township was 38,633.Teaneck was created on February 19, 1895 by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature. Teaneck was formed from portions of Englewood Township and Ridgefield Township, both of which are now defunct (despite existing municipalities with similar names), along with portions of Bogota and Leonia. Independence followed the result of a referendum held on January 14, 1895, in which voters favored incorporation by a 46–7 margin. To assuage the concerns of Englewood Township's leaders, the new municipality was formed as a township, rather than succumbing to the borough craze sweeping across Bergen County at the time. On May 3, 1921, and June 1, 1926, portions of what had been Teaneck were transferred to Overpeck Township.Teaneck lies at the crossroads of Interstate 95 and the eastern terminus of Interstate 80. It is bisected north and south by Route 4 and east and west by the CSX Transportation West Shore Line. Commercial development is concentrated in four main shopping areas, on Cedar Lane, Teaneck Road, DeGraw Avenue and Queen Anne Road / The Plaza.Teaneck's location at the crossroads of river, road, train and other geographical features has made it a site of many momentous events across the centuries. After the American defeat at the Battle of Fort Washington, George Washington and the troops of the Continental Army retreated across New Jersey from the British Army, traveling through Teaneck and crossing the Hackensack River at New Bridge Landing, which has since been turned into a state park and historic site commemorating the events of 1776 and of early colonial life. In 1965, Teaneck became the first community in the nation with a white majority to voluntarily desegregate its public schools, after the Board of Education approved the plan by a 7–2 vote on May 13, 1964. Teaneck has a diverse population, with large Jewish and African American communities, and growing numbers of Hispanic and Asian residents. Early history The origin and meaning of the name 'Teaneck' is not known, but speculation is that it could come from various Dutch or English words, or it could be Native American in origin, meaning 'the woods'. An alternative is from the Dutch 'Tiene Neck' meaning 'neck where there are willows' (from the Dutch 'tene' meaning willow).When Europeans first entered the area, 'Teaneck' referred to the north-south ridge that runs along present-day Queen Anne Road, with Lenni Lenape Native Americans having established camps on either side of the ridge. The Lenape in the area were led by a chief named Oratam, who led a group that lived in a village called Achikinhesacky, on the banks of the Tantaqua (Overpeck Creek), on the eastern slope of Teaneck Ridge near today's Fycke Lane. Conflicts between Europeans and Native Americans continued into the mid-17th century.The first mention of permanent structures within the boundaries of present-day Teaneck dates to 1704. In subsequent years, houses and farm buildings were built on the west bank of the Hackensack River, along the route of a Native American trail. The neighborhood that grew here came to be known as East Hackensack or New Hackensack. Another small group of Dutch farm houses was constructed along the eastern slope of the Teaneck ridge along modern Teaneck Road. There are several of these early stone houses still standing that date back to Teaneck's 17th and 18th century Dutch farm heritage. Revolutionary War period During November of 1776, General George Washington passed through Teaneck during the withdrawal of Colonial forces from nearby Fort Lee on the Hudson River. Early on the morning of November 20, 1776, Washington rode by horseback from his headquarters in Hackensack through Teaneck and across Overpeck Creek to Fort Lee. There he watched as 6,000 British troops made their way by boats up the Hudson River. He had his troops abandon their position on the Palisades. They hastily made their way from their encampment, leaving behind their camp and most of their supplies, traveling across Overpeck Creek and through Teaneck to New Bridge Landing (today's Brett Park). They crossed the bridge, marching barefoot, two abreast, their garments so worn that they were exposed to the cold rain that fell that day. Throughout the war, both British and American forces occupied local homesteads at various times, and Teaneck citizens played key roles on both sides of the conflict.After the war, Teaneck returned to being a quiet farm community. Fruits and vegetables grown locally were taken by wagon to busy markets in nearby Paterson and New York City. New growth and development were spurred in the mid-19th century by the establishment of railroads throughout the area. Wealthy New Yorkers and others purchased large properties on which they built spacious mansions and manor houses. They traveled daily to work in New York City, thus becoming Teaneck's first suburban commuters. Phelps Estate The largest estate built in Teaneck belonged to William Walter Phelps, the son of a wealthy railroad magnate and New York City merchant. In 1865, Phelps arrived in Teaneck and enlarged an old farmhouse into a large Victorian mansion on the site of the present Municipal Government Complex. Phelps' 'Englewood Farm' eventually encompassed nearly 2,000 acres (8 km2) of landscaped property within the central part of Teaneck, on which some 600,000 trees were planted. Subsequent development and house construction were focused along the perimeters of the Township, with the central part of the community remaining a large property crisscrossed by roads and trails. Township formed The Township of Teaneck was established on February 19, 1895 and was composed of portions of Englewood Township, Ridgefield Township and Bogota. Teaneck's choice to incorporate as a Township was unusual in an era of 'Boroughitis', in which a flood of new municipalities were being formed using the Borough form of government.At a referendum held on January 14, 1895, 46 of 53 voters approved incorporation as a Borough. Citizens of Englewood Township challenged the creation of the borough, but accepted the new municipality as a Township, given its more rural character. A bill supporting the creation of the Township of Teaneck was put through the New Jersey General Assembly on February 18, 1895 and the New Jersey Senate on the next day. Governor of New Jersey George Werts signed the bill into law, and Teaneck was an independent municipality.At its incorporation, Teaneck's population was 811. William W. Bennett, overseer of the Phelps Estate, was selected as chairman of the first three-man Township Committee, which focused in its early years on 'construction of streets and street lamps (originally gaslights), trolley lines (along DeGraw Avenue), telephones and speeding traffic.' Growth in early 20th century The opening of the Phelps Estate in 1927 led to substantial population growth in subsequent years. The George Washington Bridge was completed in 1931 and its connection to Teaneck via Route 4 brought thousands of new home buyers. From 1920 and 1930, Teaneck's population nearly quadrupled, from 4,192 to 16,513.Rapid growth led to financial turmoil and inefficiencies in the town government resulted in the adoption of a new nonpartisan Council-Manager form of government under the 1923 Municipal Manager Law in a referendum on September 16, 1930. A full-time Town Manager, Paul A. Volcker, Sr. (father of former Chairman of the Federal Reserve Paul A. Volcker, Jr.), was appointed to handle Teaneck's day-to-day business affairs. Volcker's 20-year term, from 1930 to 1950, provided Teaneck with economic stability, zoning and long-term development plans, a paid fire department and civil service for Township employees. It also established a model for future administrations.After World War II, there was a second major spurt of building and population growth. The African American population in the northeast corner of Teaneck grew substantially starting in the 1960s, accompanied by white flight triggered by blockbusting efforts of township real estate agencies. In 1965, after a long and difficult struggle to address de facto segregation, Teaneck became the first community in the nation where a white majority voted voluntarily for school integration. The sequence of events was the subject of a book titled Triumph in a White Suburb written by Township resident Reginald G. Damerell (1968. New York: William Morrow & Company, Inc.).As de facto racial segregation increased, so did tensions between residents of the northeast and members of the predominantly white male Teaneck Police Department. On the evening of April 10, 1990, the Teaneck Police Department responded to a call from a resident complaining about a teenager with a gun. After an initial confrontation near Bryant School and a subsequent chase, Phillip Pannell, an African American teenager, was shot and killed by Gary Spath, a white Teaneck police officer. Spath said he thought Pannell had a gun and was turning to shoot him. Witnesses said Pannell was unarmed and had been shot in the back. Protest marches, some violent, ensued; most African Americans believed that Pannell had been killed in cold blood, while other residents insisted that Spath had been justified in his actions. Testimony at the trial claimed that Pannell was shot in the back, and that he was carrying a gun. A fully-loaded .22 caliber pistol was recovered from Pannell's jacket pocket. The gun, originally a starter's pistol, had been modified into an operable weapon that was loaded with eight cartridges. Spath was ultimately acquitted on charges of reckless manslaughter in the shooting. Some months after Spath had been cleared, he decided to retire from law enforcement. The incident was an international news event that brought Reverend Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson to the community and inspired the 1995 book Color Lines: The Troubled Dreams of Racial Harmony in an American Town, by Mike Kelly.Teaneck, and the neighboring communities of Bergenfield and New Milford, has drawn a large number of Modern Orthodox Jews who have established at least fourteen synagogues and four yeshivas (three high schools and one for young men). It's the functional center of northern New Jersey Orthodox community with nearly twenty kosher shops (restaurants, bakeries and supermarkets). It is within ten minutes' driving time of Yeshiva University in New York City. This community tends to be involved with Religious Zionist causes and offers strong support of Israel. Historic homes Several homes in Teaneck date back to the colonial era or the period after the American Revolutionary War and have been preserved and survive to this day. Teaneck sites on the National Register of Historic Places are:Banta-Coe House- 884 Lone Pine Lane (added 1983) Brinkerhoff-Demarest House- 493 Teaneck Rd. (added 1983) Christian Cole House Draw Bridge at New Bridge- Main St. and Old New Bridge Rd. over Hackensack River (added 1989) Adam Vandelinda House- 586 Teaneck Rd. (added 1983) James Vandelinda House- 566 Teaneck Rd. (added 1983) Caspar Westervelt House- 20 Sherwood Rd. (added 1983) Zabriskie-Kipp-Cadmus House- 664 River Rd. (added 1978) Geography Teaneck is located at 40°53′27″N 74°00′40″W / 40.890964°N 74.011156°W / 40.890964; -74.011156 (40.890964, −74.011156) in the west central portion of Bergen County.According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 6.25 square miles (16.19 km2), of which, 6.05 square miles (15.67 km2) is land and 0.20 square miles (0.52 km2) is water (3.20%).Teaneck is bordered to the west by River Edge and Hackensack which lie across the Hackensack River, to the north by New Milford and Bergenfield, to the east by Englewood and Leonia, and to the south by Ridgefield Park and Bogota.Teaneck has 24 municipal parks, of which 14 are developed. Overpeck County Park, along the shores of Overpeck Creek, a tributary of the Hackensack River, is more than 8,000 acres (32 km2) in size, of which about 500 were donated by Teaneck, and which is also in portions of Englewood, Leonia, Ridgefield Park and Palisades Park. Climate Like New York City, Teaneck has a humid subtropical climate according to the Koppen climate classification. The climate in Teaneck is moderated by its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, resulting in cooler summers and warmer winters than inland areas, though this moderating effect isn't as strong as it is in New York City. 2000 Census As of the census of 2000, there were 39,260 people, 13,418 households, and 10,076 families residing in the township. The population density was 6,486.2 people per square mile (2,505.5/km2). There were 13,719 housing units at an average density of 2,266.5/sq mi (875.5/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 56.25% White, 28.78% African American, 0.15% Native American, 7.13% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 4.16% from other races, and 3.51% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.45% of the population.There were 13,418 households out of which 34.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.3% were married couples living together, 12.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.9% were non-families. 21.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.86 and the average family size was 3.34.In the township the population was spread out with 25.8% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 26.1% from 25 to 44, 25.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 89.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.9 males.The median income for a household in the township was $74,903, and the median income for a family was $84,791. Males had a median income of $53,327 versus $40,085 for females. The per capita income for the township was $32,212. About 2.4% of families and 4.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.7% of those under age 18 and 6.7% of those age 65 or over.Ancestry information reported in the 2000 Census reflects the diversity of Teaneck residents, with no single country accounting for more than a small fraction of the population. Residents listed Italian (6.2%), German (6.0%), Russian (5.3%), Irish (5.1%) and Polish (4.2%) as the most common countries of ancestry, and an additional 4.3% listed United States. 6.3% of residents identified themselves as being of West Indian ancestry, of which 3.4% were from Jamaica.English is spoken by 74.31% of residents. Other languages (accounting for more than 1% of residents) include Spanish (10.53%), Hebrew (2.81%), Tagalog (1.88%), Urdu (1.22%) and Russian (1.11%). Historical population data After its founding as a township, Teaneck saw rapid growth in its population during the first half of the 20th century. As Teaneck changed from a sparsely populated rural area into a suburb, particularly after development of property that had been part of the Phelps estate started in the late 1920s, Teaneck's population grew rapidly, far outpacing the growth of Bergen County.After World War II, the 1950 census showed growth in Teaneck (33.6%) pacing Bergen County overall (31.6%). Starting in 1960, a substantial decline in the rate of growth compared to Bergen County occurred as Teaneck reached the limits of developable land, and the township neared its peak population. Population growth in the 1970 census was small, but positive, with Teaneck reaching its historical maximum of 42,355. Absolute declines in population followed in both the 1980 (−7.9%) and 1990 (−3.0%) data. The 2000 census showed recovery in Teaneck's population to 39,260, though growth (3.8%) was smaller than in Bergen County overall (7.1%)With almost no land left to develop for housing, Teaneck's population is likely to remain stable for the foreseeable future. A reluctance to permit high-rise development as a means to increase population density also places a limit on growth. Changes in family size are one of the few influences that may affect population over time. Crime Teaneck has a violent crime rate of 187 incidents per 100,000 people, compared to a rate of 391 in New Jersey as a whole and 596 nationwide. Teaneck's property crime rate is 1860.6 incidents per 100,000 people, compared to an average of 2533.8 in New Jersey and 4296 nationally.Gang violence hit Teaneck in July 2006 with the death of Ricky Lee Smith, Jr., a teenager shot outside a house party by a member of the Bloods gang who had attended the party. Other gang violence involving the Bloods and Crips has erupted since then. In May 2007, the Chief of Police requested the addition of 14 new officers to Teaneck's existing 98-member police force to establish a gang unit. In June, the Township Council approved the hiring of five additional officers at a cost of $500,000 per year, though there are concerns that the gang problem in Teaneck has been 'hyped'.Teaneck has received attention in the media due to sexual crimes committed against minors by New Jersey educators. Joseph White, former principal of Teaneck High School pleaded guilty to official child endangerment in June 2006 and was sentenced to one year in prison. White had been charged in 2002 with fondling a 17-year-old student and was subsequently acquitted. James Darden, an award-winning former eighth grade teacher at Thomas Jefferson Middle School, was charged with sexual assault and misconduct in June 2007. He pleaded guilty on December 2007 to a charge of aggravated sexual assault and faces up to 8½ years in prison when sentenced on January 18, 2008. Economy Major institutions in Teaneck include Holy Name Medical Center and the Metropolitan Campus of Fairleigh Dickinson University, the largest private university in the state The Teaneck Armory is the home of the New Jersey National Guard's 50th Main Support Battalion.Teaneck has four main commercial districts: Cedar Lane, north Teaneck Road, West Englewood Avenue/The Plaza and Queen Anne Road/DeGraw Avenue. Cedar Lane underwent a $3.9 million Streetscape project, completed in 2006, designed to attract additional business to the area through new sidewalk paving with brick edging, bump outs to allow easier pedestrian crossing, old-fashioned lamp posts and street plantings.Teaneck's largest single group of commercial ratables is the Glenpointe Centre, completed in the 1980s, which includes a 350-room Marriott hotel and 650,000 square feet (60,000 m2) of Class A office space at the intersection of Interstate 95 and Interstate 80. As of 2007, 150,000 square feet (14,000 m2) of space was vacant, including 100,000 vacated by Eisai Pharmaceuticals earlier in the year.The Givaudan Fragrances Corp Creative Fragrances Centre, a division of Givaudan, was constructed in 1972 from a design by Der Scutt, architect of the Trump Tower. (In late 2009 Givaudan Roure vacated the building and is seeking a new owner.) Local government Following its founding in 1895, Teaneck used the traditional Township form of government, led by a three-member Township Committee (later expanded to five seats) elected on a partisan basis. On September 16, 1930, Teaneck residents voted to establish a nonpartisan Council-Manager form of government under the terms of the 1923 Municipal Manager Law, with five members elected concurrently on an at-large basis. In 1962, the Council expanded to its current size of seven members and the position of Deputy Mayor was created. In 1987, a referendum to alter the form to a Faulkner Act Council-Manager form of government was approved, providing for staggered terms for the Council. With this change, Council elections now take place in even years on the second Tuesday in May. The Council's seven members are elected at-large in nonpartisan elections to serve staggered, four-year terms of office. The four seats elected in 2006 will expire in 2010 and the seats of the three who took office in 2008 will expire in 2012, etc.The Township Council serves as Teaneck's governing body. It sets policies and standards and passes ordinances. It adopts an annual budget and approves contracts and agreements for services. The Council appoints the Manager, Clerk, Auditor, Attorney, Magistrate and Assessor. The Council appoints seven members of the Planning Board, the members of the Redevelopment Agency, Board of Adjustment, and all other statutory and advisory boards.As of 2010[update] Members of the Teaneck Township Council are:MayorMohammed Hameeduddin (term ends June 30, 2012) Deputy MayorAdam Gussen (2014) Monica Honis (2012) Elie Y. Katz (2014) Lizette Parker (2014) Yitz Stern (2014) Barbara Ley Toffler (2012) On May 13, 2008, the Township voted to re-elect Monica Honis to the council (with 2,981 votes). Elnatan Rudolph (2,852) lost his bid for re-election, falling 38 votes behind his running mate. Barbara Toffler (leading the voting with 3,356 votes) and Mohammed Hameeduddin (2,890) were elected and took office on July 1, 2008, filling the seats left by Rudolph and former-mayor Jackie Kates, who did not run for re-election.In the 2010 municipal elections, Adam Gussen, Elie Katz and Lizette Parker were re-elected to office, with former councilmember Yitz Stern taking the seat vacated by former-mayor Kevie Feit, who did not run for a second term. At its July 1, 2010, reorganization meeting the council selected Mohammed Hameeduddin to serve as mayor, making him one of the state's first Muslim mayors, while Adam Gussen was chosen as deputy mayor.On July 1 following a municipal election, the Township Council holds an Organizational Meeting where the candidates elected (or re-elected) to serve on the Council are sworn in and begin their terms of office. The newly-inducted council selects one of its members to serve as Mayor, and another to serve as Deputy Mayor, who presides in the absence of the Mayor.The Mayor, elected by the Council from among its members after each biennial election, serves for a two-year term of office which expires upon the selection of a mayor at the subsequent reorganization meeting. The Mayor presides over all meetings and votes on every issue as a regular member. The Mayor is a member of the Planning Board and the Library Board. The Mayor appoints the members of the Library Board, and one member of the Planning Board. The Mayor executes bonds, notes, contracts and written obligations of the Township and is empowered by State Law to perform marriages.The Municipal Manager is appointed by the Council to serve as a full-time professional chief executive officer. The Manager implements Council policies, enforces ordinances and coordinates the activities of all departments and employees and is responsibel for preparing and submitting a budget to the Council. The Manager makes recommendations to the Council on relevant matters, appoints and removes Township employees and investigates and acts on complaints. The Manager appoints the Municipal Courts Prosecutor and Public Defender, members of the Rent Board and one member of the Teaneck Economic Development Corporation, and one member of the Civilian Complaint Review Board. Federal, state and county representation Teaneck is part of New Jersey's 37th Legislative District and is in the Ninth Congressional District.New Jersey's Ninth Congressional District is represented by Steve Rothman (D, Fair Lawn). New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Bob Menendez (D, Hoboken).The 37th Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the New Jersey Senate by Loretta Weinberg (D, Teaneck) and in the New Jersey General Assembly by Valerie Huttle (D, Englewood) and Gordon M. Johnson (D, Englewood). The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham). The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).Bergen County's County Executive is Dennis McNerney (D). The executive, along with the seven-member Board of Chosen Freeholders administer all county business. As of 2010[update], Bergen County's Freeholders are Chairman James M. Carroll (D, Demarest), Vice-Chairwoman Elizabeth Calabrese (D, Wallington), John Driscoll, Jr. (R, Paramus), David L. Ganz (D, Fair Lawn), Robert G. Hermansen (R, Mahwah), Bernadette P. McPherson (D, Rutherford) and Tomas J. Padilla (D, Park Ridge). Other countywide elected officials are Sheriff Leo P. McGuire (D), Surrogate Court Judge Michael R. Dressler (D, Cresskill) and County Clerk Kathleen Donovan (R, Rutherford). Politics As of Election Day, November 4, 2008, there were 23,445 registered voters. Of registered voters, 12,586 (53.7% of all registered voters) were registered as Democrats, 2,198 (9.4%) were registered as Republicans and 8,651 (36.9%) were registered as Undeclared. There were 10 voters registered to other parties.On the national level, Teaneck leans strongly toward the Democratic Party. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 72% of the vote, defeating Republican John McCain, who received around 27%, with 82% of registered voters participating. In the 2004 election, Democrat John Kerry received 69% of the vote, defeating Republican George W. Bush, who received 30%. Taxation New Jersey has the highest median property tax rates in the United States. Teaneck, situated in Bergen County, the fourth wealthiest county in New Jersey, has among the highest equalized tax rates in New Jersey.Roughly 56% of a Teaneck property owner's tax goes to support the local school system (ranked 98th out of 104 from lowest to highest cost in per-pupil spending, relative to comparable K–12 school districts in the state). Most of the rest of the property tax (35%) goes to municipal taxes and the remainder (9%) to county services. Much of Teaneck's current cost structure is a result of long-term labor agreements.The 2006 tax rate was set at $4.64 per $100 of assessed value, which is composed of school taxes of $2.690, municipal taxes of $1.592, county taxes of $0.338, and county and municipal open space taxes of one cent each per $100 of assessed value. A property assessed at the township average of $200,000 would pay annual property taxes of $9,280. The average sale price of a single family home in Teaneck during fourth quarter of 2007 was $410,906. The median sale price for a single family home in Teaneck during 2007 was $431,500.At the April 2006 school elections, voters rejected the proposed $84.8 million budget for the Teaneck Public Schools for the 2006–07 school year by a 1,644 to 1,336 margin. Based on recommendations specified by the Township Council, the Board of Education approved $544,391 in cuts. The school budget was rejected again in 2009, with the Council cutting $1 million from the $94.8 million originally proposed.During 2006, Teaneck underwent a revaluation of all privately-owned real estate, as required periodically by the state. This revaluation adjusted property values to market prices, ensuring that taxes are equitably allocated. The average property in Teaneck was assessed at approximately $417,900, an increase of 132.1% from the prior year's average. The new valuations took effect for the 2007 tax year. The average assessed value of a Teaneck home for 2009 was $466,000.Teaneck's four fire stations are staffed around the clock by paid full-time fire fighters. Teaneck is one of four municipalities in Bergen County with a paid fire department, joining Englewood, Hackensack and Ridgewood. Public schools During the 2008-09 school year, the Teaneck Public Schools served 3,924 students in pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade, down from 4,266 in the 2005-06 school year. Schools in the district (with 2008–09 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) include Bryant School, with 292 students in pre-K and Kindergarten; three lower schools serving grades 1–4: Hawthorne School, with 354 students; Lowell School, with 305 students; and Whittier School, with 385 students {Longfellow Elementary school was discontinued in 1998. Other elementary schools that closed prior to 1998 included Emerson and Eugene Field}; two middle schools serving grades 5–8: Benjamin Franklin Middle School, with 555 students, and Thomas Jefferson Middle School, with 626 students; and Teaneck High School, which has an enrollment of 1,407 students in grades 9–12.The Teaneck Public Schools spend more per-pupil than all but seven New Jersey school districts. It budgeted spending of $17,395 per student for the 2008–09 school year on a Comparative Cost per Pupil basis (a measure that excludes out-of-district tuition payments, transportation costs and judgments against the school district), 98th highest of the 105 K–12 school districts in the state with more than 3,500 students. This is up more than $2,800 from the $14,538 spent in the 2006–07 school year, an increase of more than 15% over the two-year span. 81% of Teaneck's school funding in the 2008–09 school year came from local property taxes. (The 2008-09 median per-pupil spending in NJ was $12,723, while the average per-pupil spending was $13,632.)Of the 2008–09 per-pupil allocation, $10,097 goes to classroom instruction (98th highest of K–12 districts in the state with more than 3,500 students), $2,645 to Support Services (85th), $1,661 to Administrative Costs (100th) and $2,532 to Operations and Maintenance (99th). The district's Median Teacher Salary of $70,250 is ranked 95th in the state in its grouping, while the Median Administrator Salary is $135,045 and ranks 101st.For the 2008-09 school year, Teaneck High School had not met the 'Adequate Yearly Progress' requirements of the federal No Child Left Behind Act, and was classed as 'In need of improvement'. New Jersey Department of Education's 2008-09 School Report Card showed that the high school had a graduation rate of 95.3%, down 1.6% from 2007-08. (The New Jersey state-wide graduation rate is 93.6%.)The Teaneck Community Charter School is a charter school that operates independently of the Teaneck Public Schools under a charter granted by the Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Education. Admission is open to the public for available slots (after returning students and siblings of existing students are entered) and covers kindergarten through eighth grade, with an after school program and summer camp. As the school is a public school, no tuition is charged. Funding comes from the Teaneck Public Schools (and other home districts of non-resident students), which provides 90% of its cost per pupil in the district; the balance of funding comes directly from the state of New Jersey. The school has changed locations from 1650 Palisades Ave to 563 Chestnut Ave in the school year of 2009–2010. Private and parochial schools Teaneck is home to the Metropolitan Campus of Fairleigh Dickinson University, which straddles the Hackensack River, in Teaneck and Hackensack. The campus served 4,114 undergraduates and 2,350 graduate students as of the 2007–08 school year.Private Orthodox Jewish day schools include the Torah Academy of Bergen County (for boys) and Ma'ayanot Yeshiva High School (for girls), both high schools (grades 9–12).Teaneck was home to the Metropolitan Schechter High School, a co-ed Conservative Jewish high school, which closed its doors in August 2007 due to fundraising problems.The Al-Ghazaly High School is a co-ed religious day school (grades 7 through 12) primarily serving