AFTER MONTHS of headlines but little actual news, we're pleased to note some forward momentum on charter schools in New Jersey.
Charter schools are privately run, but they receive public funding and are tuition-free. They are held to many of the same standards as traditional public schools but are not required to hire unionized teachers. Many have unorthodox schedules, specialized curriculum and strict codes of conduct. We believe charters spur educational innovation and provide choice for families, and support moves by President Obama and Governor Christie to encourage them.
Under state law, charter schools are supposed to receive 90 percent of whatever the local school district spends per student, but the vagaries of public funding mean that many receive far less. And they have been frozen out of federally subsidized