Charter Schools Arrive … at Well-Attended Conference in Atlantic City

Event’s biggest turnout yet underscores growth of alternative education in New Jersey

By John Mooney

It’s nothing compared to the annual teachers convention or even the yearly gathering of school-board members from around the state, but New Jersey’s charter schools are starting to make their presence known on the Atlantic City convention circuit.

About 850 educators and board members representing more than 60 of the state’s 86 charter schools descended this week on Bally’s Atlantic City for their fifth annual conference. It was the event’s biggest turnout yet, representing another step in building charters as a political force in the state.

The event, organized by the New Jersey Charter Schools Association, was helped by having as its keynote speaker state Sen. Teresa Ruiz (D-Essex), arguably the Legislature’s most powerful voice on education issues – not to mention that she is currently working on a new charter school law.

More>>