The New Jersey Public Charter Schools Association (NJPCSA) has reported that recent state testing results highlight the academic achievements of public charter school students, particularly among students of color in under-resourced communities. The 2024 New Jersey Student Learning Assessment (NJSLA) results indicate that Black, Latino, and economically disadvantaged students enrolled in these schools are outperforming their peers across the state.
The scores released by the state Department of Education show that public charter school students scored 9.6 percentage points higher in English language arts (ELA) and 5.1 percentage points higher in mathematics compared to other public school students statewide. Economically disadvantaged students in charter schools also outperformed their counterparts by 12.9 percentage points in ELA and 7.1 percentage points in math.
According to NJPCSA, a significant portion of the state's 63,000 public charter school students come from diverse backgrounds: 85% are Black or Latino, 70% are economically disadvantaged, and 10% receive special education services. These schools serve one-fifth of public school students in New Jersey's former Abbott districts.
NJPCSA President and CEO Harry Lee emphasized the importance of addressing achievement gaps within the state's top-ranked public school system. "While the New Jersey public school system is ranked the top-performing in the country, there remain large achievement and opportunity gaps, as not every child’s needs are being met equitably," Lee stated.
He further noted that charter schools have driven significant achievement gains in urban areas: "When it comes to educating our students, one size does not fit all, and it is undeniable that public charter schools are part of the solution to ensure a strong public-school system in the Garden State."
Overall proficiency improvements were noted among charter school attendees with a rise of 2.3 percentage points in ELA and 3.7 percentage points in math—figures surpassing statewide growth rates.
The NJPCSA's analysis highlighted similar trends across six cities with substantial numbers of charter school enrollees: Camden, Jersey City, Newark, Paterson, Plainfield, and Trenton showed higher proficiency rates on state assessments for their charter school populations.
For instance, Learning Community Charter School (LCCS) in Jersey City significantly exceeded state averages by scoring 25 percentage points higher in ELA and 13 percentage points higher in math.
In Newark alone, where approximately 20,000 students attend public charter schools—80% qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch—charter student performance again surpassed state averages with an ELA proficiency rate of 51.3%, compared to Newark's overall rate of 30.3%.
