PISCATAWAY – August 2023 – Rashon K. Hasan was appointed as the superintendent of the Plainfield Public Schools in June. And now he has another critical appointment: serving on the Board of Directors of the Educational Services Commission of New Jersey (ESCNJ). Hasan, a Roselle resident, joins leaders of other school districts in Central Jersey who comprise the ESCNJ board. Together, they provide direction for the largest specialized public school district in the state.
Hasan, who had previously served on the Newark Board of Education, provides the ESCNJ with unique perspective in his roles over the years as a school superintendent, as a school business administrator, as a board secretary, as a chief financial officer, as an elected official, as a college professor and as a manager at Verizon.
“We are very pleased to have Rashon join the ESCNJ board because of his tremendous insight, perspective and experience in many facets of education and business,” said ESCNJ Schools Superintendent Nadia Romano. “I know he will be a continual asset who will take an active role in ensuring our specialized schools remain second to none.”
Hasan noted that 106 students from the Plainfield Public Schools are enrolled at ESCNJ for the 2023-24 school year. Joining the ESCNJ board gives the superintendent a better opportunity to assess the supports and services that are provided to his students, as well as work collaboratively to better serve all students who require out-of-district placement for schooling.
“It is not just that ESCNJ’s services are provided to us at a considerably lower cost than private schools, ESCNJ also provides a much superior education,” he said. “In the three years I’ve worked for the Plainfield Public Schools, I’ve never sat across the table from a head of a private school to discuss our needs. ESCNJ, in contrast, always ensures that we have a seat at the table.”
Hasan earned a masters degree in business administration from Florida Institute of Technology and a graduate degree as an educational specialist from Seton Hall University. He received his undergraduate from Clark Atlanta University in political science and government.
