Five charter schools have been given final approval by the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) to open for the 2017-2018 school year.
In order to receive a final charter, each charter school applicant team must meet NJDOE’s rigorous, multi-stage approval process. As part of the approval process, charter school applicants must successfully complete the NJDOE’s preparedness review before being granted a final charter and the approval to open. This review process is designed to determine whether the charter school applicant team has structures in place to ensure academic success, equitability, financial viability and organizational soundness.
“By expanding public school options for families, we are ensuring that more New Jersey children have access to the high-quality education they deserve,” said Education Commissioner Kimberley Harrington.
With the opening of these five charter schools, there will be a total of 89 charter schools and 56,416 authorized charter school seats in New Jersey for the 2017-2018 school year.
| Charter School (approved to open in September 2017) | District(s) Served | Year 1 Grades (enrollment projection) | Year 4 Grades (enrollment projection) |
| Achieve Community Charter School | Newark | K-1 66 students | K-4 426 students |
| College Achieve Greater Asbury Park Charter School | Asbury Park and Neptune | K-1 and 5-6 197 students | K-9 961 students |
| College Achieve Paterson Charter School | Paterson | K-1 and 5-6 276 students | K-9 961 students |
| LEAD Charter School | Newark | 9-12 92 students | 9-12 260 students |
| Ocean Academy Charter School | Lakewood | K-2 160 students | K-5 340 students |