Charter School Update: The Courier-Post details the three new charter schools approved for Camden: City Invincible (K-8, 600 kids), Hope Community (K-4, 300 kids), and the Charter School for Global Leadership (9-12, 600 kids).

The Asbury Park Press Editorial Board challenges Gov. Christie to prove that charters are better than traditional public schools:

But what seems to be the central thesis of Christie’s call for reform — that charter schools are better than regular public schools and that good teachers can overcome all obstacles — deserves to be fully debated.

So far, that discussion has not been nearly as rigorous as it deserves to be. The state has been unable, or unwilling, to document how New Jersey’s existing charter schools, some of which have been in operation for well over a decade, have fared relative to other public schools. It is essential the state compile, analyze and share that information with the public and indicate what has worked well in the charter schools, and what hasn’t as more charter schools open each yea

The Press of Atlantic City notes that while Compass Academy Charter School was approved (which will serve Vineland and Millville), four other applications in the area were rejected.

And here’s the Star-Ledger’s round-up of the eight new charter application approvals.

The Herald News Editorial Board suggests that NJ school boards “give November elections a chance.” So far 17 towns are taking that advice, according to the Trenton Times, which quotes Frank Belluscio of NJ School Boards Association: “There is far greater interest in the election change than anticipated, and we expect additional boards to take action (this) week.”

Earlier this week Gordon MacInnes suggested in NJ Spotlight that the Urban Hope Act was a conspiracy to bolster patients to Cooper Hospital. (Here’s my take.)However, Assemblywoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (who represents Trenton, one of the three targeted cities) begs to differ: she says in a press release that the Urban Hope Act “was a Democratic bill built not through confrontation, but through consensus with educational experts such as our teachers.. This was, overall, the right approach, and one that I support for the benefit of Trenton’s children.”

John Mooney at NJ Spotlight reviews the six education proposals contained in Gov. Christie’s State of the State speech this week, including tenure reform. The Governor also underlined the concession he’s made to charter opponents, specifically in high-performing suburban school districts, “pledging to focus on our failing school districts.”

Education Law Center has sent a letter to Sen. Teresa Ruiz, Chair of the Senate Education Committee, and Assemblyman Patrick Diegnan, head of the Assembly Ed Committee, demanding an investigation “into the Christie Administration’s refusal to address hundreds of emergency health and safety repairs in urban school buildings across the state.”

Lakewood Update: From the minutes of a recent Lakewood School Board meeting:

“I’m Aasind Johnson, I am Senior Class President at the high school. It’s common knowledge, that the money that our public Board of Education has seems to go to the private schools. And I have nothing against the private schools, I have nothing against the Jewish Community. I believe in equality for all people.”

Board President Mr. Meir Grunhut – “I hope you have that documented. Don’t get up and start throwing accusations. There’s a budget exact to the penny. How much money goes to public school; how much money goes to non-public schools.You’re here to give a report, and not here to give your opinions.”

Arne Duncan has $550 million in new Race to the Top money and he wants to use it to reward individual districts for implementing education reform principles, like data-driven teacher evaluations, tenure reform, and turning around failing schools. (Politics K-12)