Effective the 2026-27 school year, Princeton Public Schools will no longer allow students aged 20 years or over to enroll at PHS following a review of district policy and state law by the Board of Education and the district’s attorney. This change does not include students on Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) – who receive special federal protection up to the age of 21 – but still applies to 12 students at PHS, several of whom are English Language Learners (ELL).
According to New Jersey State law, public schools must provide free education to students between 5 and 20 years old, but are not obligated to enroll students beyond this range.
“Districts are required to provide free appropriate public education to students until the age of 20. And then after that, it’s the district’s discretion whether or not to continue providing that,” said Christian Gonzalez, an English teacher who works with ELL students. “If the district is legally able to, at their own discretion, continue that education for that student who’s right on the cusp of graduating and who’s otherwise in good standing...why don’t we just continue at that point?”
PPS has in the past allowed students over the age of 20 to continue enrolling because the district was not aware of the law, according to PHS Principal Cecilia Birge and Supervisor of School Counseling John McMichael. The district made this change following a review this April after an inquiry by a high school staff member.
“I think this was a law that’s been on the books for a while and we just weren’t following it... I don’t think it was anything intentional,” said McMichael. “This is tough because we’re talking about students... [but] this is what we have to do to be in compliance with the laws of the state of New Jersey and the Department of Education.”
Five graduating seniors will not be affected by the policy. Beyond the graduating seniors, in the current student body, Birge said that the schedule of two students will be updated to ensure that they can graduate on time, which may entail moving the date of their NJGPA test.
“Previously, we would let them just complete the entire school year. [Now] they will still be part of the graduation, because the graduation ceremony is important, but we have to let the student leave school before that,” said Birge.
However, several other students will be forced to leave the school without a diploma once they turn 20.
“We have students who are turning 20, but they’re so far behind because they’re ESL [students and] don’t have enough credits. Even if we keep them here until 21, they wouldn’t be able to graduate,” said Birge.
Additional teachers who spoke to the Tower under the condition of anonymity due to fear of retribution against themselves and their students voiced concerns about the change.
“Students are crying,” said one anonymous teacher. “They’re okay the day before their [20th] birthday. What changes after that?”
The bulk of students who will be affected are ELL students who enter PHS in freshman year at the age of 16. Priscilla Russell, Supervisor of ELL & Language Programs, said that she is working with central administration to advocate for students in ELL programs. However, anonymous staff members explained that the change was not communicated to them until May, and they did not receive an official announcement of the change, because it was “under the rug,” according to the source.
“This policy is frankly disheartening. Princeton purports itself to be liberal and inclusive, but the community doesn’t know what’s happening,” said the anonymous teacher.
According to Dr. Michael LaSusa, superintendent of Princeton Public Schools, the district will continue to support the students who are not on track to graduate.
“While I am not permitted to speak about specific individual student circumstances, I can say that any student who may age out of eligibility to remain enrolled in our district by graduation has had and will continue to have opportunities to meet with their school counselors and other staff to develop a plan that best meets their needs,” said LaSusa.