Paterson parents deserve a direct answer to a basic question: How were families told on January 23, 2026, that four choice schools would be phased out by June before the Paterson Board of Education formally voted on that action in March? But a recommendation is not a Board vote, and a Board vote is not a substitute for the State review and oversight required for major school changes. When parents receive a letter saying their child’s school will be phased out, they reasonably understand that the decision has already been made. If there was no such authorization, the district should explain why parents received a definitive closure notice before the Board took its March vote. Parents deserve transparency, not assumptions.