Can Newark’s district, charter schools work together? New nonprofit thinks so
For much of the past decade, the headlines coming out of Newark Public Schools have been about the rancor between die-hard loyalists of traditional public schools and education reformers, many of whom are viewed as outsiders rather than part of the community.
While tension between advocates of traditional and charter schools remains, the noise has subsided considerably. In the roughly 15 months since regaining local control, the state’s largest school district has installed its own superintendent, a homegrown educator who himself is a product of the city’s school system.Read More
New Non-Profit Launches With “Bullish” Outlook on Newark’s Education Future
As public education in Newark undergoes another major transition, a new non-profit organization is launching with a bold vision for what’s possible. The organization, named the New Jersey Children’s Foundation (NJCF), intends to show the rest of the nation that cities can move past the acrimony and us-versus-them politics of education reform to create systems of district and charter schools working together to improve opportunities for ALL children.Read More
Shhh. Here’s a secret, education advocate says. Newark’s schools are actually doing really well.
The national media can’t stop talking about Cory Booker’s record as a champion for Newark’s public schools — but too many get the story flat wrong. “Cory Booker has a school choice problem,” writes New York Magazine. The Los Angeles Times says Booker’s past support for charter schools “could shadow” Booker’s campaign. And Vox writes that “reform opponents and supporters fight bitterly to this day about whether Booker’s overhaul failed or succeeded.”Read More