Charter Schools Clarify Academics

Charter schools were asked to clarify their applications in several key areas over the summer as they await a decision by the state Department of Education.

The state’s charter school office has before it  for new charters, including two Mandarin-immersion schools that would recruit students from West Orange and neighboring districts. The later this month.

The proposed local charter schools were required to resubmit their financial statements and expand how they will assess academic success, according to addendas to their application posted on the Livingston Public Schools website. (See charter school information here).

The questions are in line with new directions coming from acting education commissioner Chris Cerf, who last week detailed steps that are intended to improve the oversight of new and existing schools. (NJ Spotlight has that story here). The rules spell out what’s expected for charter schools in the areas of student performance and state tests.

“We are committed to supporting the expansion of high-quality charter schools that serve unmet needs across the state,” Cerf says in the letter to charter leaders. “In return, we will require charter schools to demonstrate continuous academic achievement and a commitment to equal access."

Questions aimed at doing just that were asked of Hanyu International Charter School and Hua Mai Charter School, the two applicants who propose to open schools locally next year.

Among the questions, Hua Mai is asked to clarify how it will measure , and to clarify student progression grade by grade. Hanyu is asked how it will meet state standards in combination with Chinese instructions and evaluate teachers.

Some questions specifically ask about facilities and funding.  is pressed to explain who will write its curriculum. “Your program relies on hiring an expert to write the curriculum, yet, you have allocated no funding in the budget for this person.” (The answer was the principal would be designing courses).

Cerf also said schools will be required to recruit students from a wide range of venues in order to ensure that highest-need students are aware of the opportunity, according to NJ Spotlight.

"We are quite mindful of the spirited public debate out there — it's a positive thing," he said in the press call. "More debate stimulates us to improve the accountability system, all the better."

Hanyu was asked: Given the prospect of controversy in the community and the perception that this is going to be a free private school for Chinese families, clarify how the school will serve all students.

“We are actively aware of racial tone exhibited in local discussion,” Hanyu answerd. “… no one in America should single out race as a base for object for education innovations.”

The Livingston League of Women Voters will host a debate on “Charter Schools and Traditional Public Schools: Can They Coexist?” Sept. 21 at 7:30 p.m. at the Livingston Community Center, 204 Hillside Ave. The free public program will feature speakers Dr. Julia Sass Rubin, founder of Save Our Schools, and Carlos Perez of the New Jersey Charter Schools Association.