Jersey City mayoral candidate Mussab Ali, a former board of education president, is unveiling his education plan which includes a “cradle-to-career initiative” and a new public–private partnership to attract philanthropic dollars.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“Jersey City schools are being squeezed from both ends. The state cut our aid too fast, and City Hall let developers skip out on funding schools. Our kids are paying the price, and we need reform at both levels to make it right,” he said in a statement.
The plan’s centerpiece proposals include the Jersey City Promise, a cradle-to-career initiative that seeds college savings accounts for every newborn.
According to Ali, this will also offer early scholarships, provides universal advising in high school, and awards multi-year scholarships with mentoring to boost college completion.
The other is the Jersey City Mayor’s Fund, a new public–private partnership to attract philanthropic dollars and align private investment with public priorities like education, youth development, and economic mobility.
He is also calling for a fair school funding formula, phasing out developer tax breaks that shortchange schools, partnering with tech companies, universities, and philanthropies to expand AI education, as well as having paid, career-based internships.
Ali also vows to bring back the Jersey City Summer Internship Program.
“Our children deserve more than piecemeal fixes. They deserve a promise backed by action. This plan builds a stronger school system, a stronger economy, and a stronger Jersey City,” he concluded.
His full plan can be viewed here.
