Harry Lee, President and CEO of the New Jersey Public Charter Schools Association (NJPCSA), issued the following statement today applauding Governor Murphy and legislative leaders for an investment of $20 million in funding for emergent projects and capital maintenance in public charter and renaissance school facilities in this year’s budget:

“We thank Governor Murphy and leaders in the Senate and Assembly for taking this step toward equitable school facilities funding for the 66,000 students in public charter and renaissance schools in the Garden State. This is a matter of fairness and equity for our children, all of whom deserve to attend a school that is safe and secure and provides a healthy learning environment. This could not have been done without the support of our legislative champions, particularly Assemblywoman Angela McKnight, Assemblyman Benjie Wimberly and Senator Troy Singleton, and we will continue to work with the Legislature and Governor to make sure every public school, regardless of type, has access to fair and equitable facilities funding.”

About Public Charter Schools

Charter schools are tuition-free public schools run by non-profit organizations open to all students regardless of zip code, race/ethnicity or ability level. Charter schools operate with more flexibility than traditional public schools in exchange for increased accountability and high financial, academic and managerial standards by an authorizer. A “charter” is a contract with an authorizer detailing the school’s mission, program, performance goals and methods of assessments. In New Jersey, the New Jersey Department of Education serves as the sole authorizer and oversees all public charter schools in the state.

About the New Jersey Public Charter Schools Association

The New Jersey Public Charter Schools Association (NJPCSA) is the non-profit membership association that represents the state’s charter school community and, by extension, charter school students and their parents. There are currently 87 charter schools in New Jersey serving nearly 60,000 students. We are committed to advancing quality public education for New Jersey’s children through the cultivation of excellent public charter schools. The Association seeks to influence legislative and policy environments, leverage collective advocacy, and provide resources to support our members in developing and operating high quality, public charter schools.