SCHOOLS

Operating Schools

72

Total Enrollment

20,496

Resource

The National Charter School Directory offers complete listings, including school address, program description, and website.

LAW

Grade

C

Rank

17th out of 40 laws

Resource

CER's 2010 point-by-point profile of New Jersey's charter law looks at approval process, operations, funding, and teacher and student provisions.

EQUITY

Funding

The state's funding law creates inequities. New Jersey's charter schools receive, on average, $12,500 per pupil, compared to $16,931 for conventional public schools.

Resource

More information on equity issues at Charter School Funding: Following the Money.

ACHIEVEMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY

Test Scores

New Jersey charter schools, which target underperforming minority students, produce better results than those regular public schools serving similar populations.

In Newark, 75 percent of charters made AYP compared to only 40 percent of conventional district schools, and in Camden, 66 percent of charter schools made AYP, compared with only 18 percent of conventional public schools.

Closures

Charter school closures are evidence of accountability in action. As of February 2009, 19 New Jersey charters have closed their doors, mostly from either being under-funded or managed poorly.

Resource

Accountability Report 2009: Charter Schools: In-depth information about charter achievement and accountability, including state-by-state analyses and closure listings.