Vineland Public Schools reports fewer student removals in 2025-26

Vineland Public Schools reported fewer incidents that led to student removal in the 2025-26 school year, a decline that matters because removals usually mean suspensions, expulsions or other exclusionary discipline that pulls children out of class.

The district runs from 61 W. Landis Ave. in Vineland and serves 10,287 students in grades PK-12, according to the New Jersey Department of Education’s 2023-2024 School Performance Report. Mr. Alfonso Llano is listed as superintendent in that state report, putting the discipline trend squarely under a district that educates a large share of Cumberland County families.

A lower removal count can point to calmer classrooms, but it can also reflect changes in how schools intervene before a situation turns into an out-of-school consequence. Vineland Public Schools’ website shows several safety and behavior tools already in place, including VPS S.A.F.E., the WeTip crime-tip line at 1-800-78-CRIME, and Ismael Bermudez as anti-bullying coordinator and executive director of special projects and operations. The Vineland Board of Education also maintains ad hoc discipline and security committees, underscoring that conduct and school safety remain active governance issues.

The local numbers land in a statewide context that still looks uneven. State discipline data show violence, vandalism, harassment and other school disciplinary issues were down in 2023-24, but they remained above pre-pandemic levels. The New Jersey Department of Education’s annual student safety and discipline report keeps that pressure on districts to show not just fewer removals, but fewer underlying incidents.

Vineland’s recent calendar disruption also keeps the issue from looking purely statistical. On Jan. 16, 2025, the district updated its calendar and marking period dates after a school closure the week before, a reminder that safety-related disruptions have been part of the district’s recent operating environment.

For parents and taxpayers, the key question is whether the decline in removals came from fewer fights, less harassment and better behavior supports, or from a shift in how incidents were handled and coded. The answer will determine whether the district is building safer schools, or simply moving students out of the discipline tally in a different way.