Official Site of The State of New Jersey
Renaissance Schools
In 2012, the Legislature enacted the Urban Hope Act (N.J.S.A. 18A:36C) to empower qualified school districts to partner with experienced non-profit organizations to open high-quality renaissance school projects. The Commissioner of Education subsequently adopted regulations to establish a process for implementing the Urban Hope Act.
Core Values
- Focus on student outcomes: The Performance Framework is used to focus everyone's attention on student achievement— all other considerations are secondary.
- High expectations: The Department is committed to ensuring that New Jersey families have access to charter schools that will "raise the bar" and "close the gap." There is also the commitment to conducting our authorizing work consistent with New Jersey Charter Schools Association's (NACSA's) principles and standards.
- Safeguard public interests: The NJDOE's decisions are based on applicable laws and regulations with a focus on whether or not schools are spending public funds responsibly, practicing sound governance, and adhering to relevant laws and charter requirements.
- Transparency: Using rigorous and transparent processes, as well as the best data available, the Department provides stakeholders with clear, relevant and timely information about charter schools, charter school authorizing and charter school performance.
- Continuous improvement: The Department expects to learn from its authorizing work and improve over time. It encourages input from stakeholders and reflects on its practice to identify opportunities for improvement.
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*NACSA's Principles and Standards