The New Jersey Department of Education is putting the final touches on its Round 2 Race to the Top grant application and is seeking support from charter schools. At stake is $400 million in funding for New Jersey public schools.

 

The NJCSA supports this initiative, and we are hopeful that the proposed program will significantly improve the charter school climate in New Jersey, as well as benefit all public school students throughout the state. We urge all charter schools to sign on to the grant MOU by Tuesday, May 25, to support this application. In the event that the State receives the grant, they have promised $100,000 of grant money to all districts and charters that sign on.

 

Many of the initiatives mentioned in the grant -- the effective use of formative data, promoting higher academic standards, weighing student performance in teacher assessments, developing more efficient data collection and access systems -- have already taken hold in charter schools around the state. While the grant does not demonstrate a commitment to charter school funding equity or charter school facility funding, we believe it promises worthwhile initiatives and deserves our support.

 

MOUs must be signed by Tuesday, May 25, so don't delay! Contact your school leaders and trustees to ensure that the right people have the information they need.

 

The NJCSA has signed an agreement to bring the Elevate Charters initiative to New Jersey. The pilot program, designed to help established schools build organizational capacity and achieve excellence in student outcomes, will include five to seven schools. When fully implemented, the program will provide a framework through which the Association can offer cost-effective assistance to schools in the areas of gap analysis, strategic plan development, data-driven decision making, and organizational improvements. While many schools have initiated their own efforts, our hope and expectation is that the Elevate Charters program will lend greater coherence to charter school improvement efforts and lead to more cost-effective gains in charter school quality.

 

Elevate is a CSO-aligned collaborative with a mission to help charter schools build capacity to be strong organizations that generate undeniable student success. Elevate has already established successful partnerships in the region, working with the New York and Delaware charter school organizations.

 

If you believe your school is a good candidate for this program, contact Rick Pressler, NJCSA Interim Director, at 609.98.9700, ext. 4412.

 

E-Rate Advantage is dedicated to working with its clients to ensure they receive all E-Rate funds to which they are entitled. As a member of the E-Rate Management Professionals Association, E-Rate Advantage is chartered with promoting the highest standards of professional conduct in the application process. They provide a complete set of services from filing the initial 470 application to securing a Funding Commitment Decision Letter from USAC. For further information, please contact Robert Sniecinski, CEO, at rjs@erateadvantage.com or 908-735-6986.

 

NJCSA's Associate Member program welcomes businesses and organizations that support New Jersey's charter schools.