FAQ: The Quest For A Charter School In Montclair Moves Ahead

The quest for a charter school for high school students in Montclair—Quest Academy—continues with supporters saying they hope to win approval by September 30. Last week, organizers of Quest Academy met with state Department of Education officials, who suggested some last-minute changes to the organizers' application for the charter school.

For example, Quest organizers originally suggested a maximum of 200 to 250 students, but state officials said they preferred a maximum of 300 to 325 students. Instead of lotteries being open to everyone, state officials want them to be more restrictive so that they better favor Montclair students.

Tracey Williams, a certified school counselor and parent of a Montclair High School graduate, has helped spearhead the movement to win state approval for a charter school.

Williams said last week's meeting with state officials was a positive sign.

"It's a good sign that they asked for some changes to make sure our application is completely in order and I think things are moving forward very well," she said.

Williams and other supporters have argued that Montclair High School is no longer a high-performing school and, thus, alternatives are needed.

She said charter schools have opened in other places, such as Princeton, where schools weren't failing—but also weren't performing to high standards.

Indeed, although several of the eight new charter schools scheduled to open in September in New Jersey are in troubled urban areas, a few are opening in suburban areas with functioning school districts. As of September 2009, New Jersey was home to 68 approved charter schools.

Princeton, for example, is seeking to open its second charter school in 2011—one with a Mandarin immersion curriculum.

Williams explained that, because charter school don't have to hire unionized teachers and don't have a lot of hierarchy, they can be more flexible and also funnel more money directly into teaching.

"I believe in competition and I think it makes everyone better," she said.

Currently, Quest supporters complain that there's little communication between 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grade teachers at Montclair High School and that class sizes of 30 to 40 students are simply too large.

But there is still plenty of resistance to the idea of a charter school in Montclair.

Superintendent Frank Alvarez said at a public forum in June that the charter school could cost residents up to $2.1 million in its first year, especially if students in private or parochial schools choose to attend. The charter school receives 90 percent of what the district spends per pupil in taxpayer money. But the district would have to maintain the same level of services, he said.

"I looked at this many different ways, and I don't think charter schools do anything but increase the expenses to local taxpayers," Alvarez said.

Mary Emanuelli, mother of four and president of the Charles H. Bullock Elementary School's PTA, said she doesn't see the need for a charter school in Montclair.

"I think charter schools work in places where there are failing school districts and, as far as I know, Montclair's is not a failing school district," she said.

After speaking with Williams this week, Patch has put together an FAQ on the charter school initiative:

Q) What would the charter school's hours be?

A) The charter school's hours would be longer—from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Mondays to Thursdays and from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Fridays.

Q) When would the charter school open?

A) The goal is to open Quest Academy in September 2011 for 9th and 10th grade students. Eventually the school would include 11th and 12th grades so that it is a complete high school.

Q) How would students be chosen?

A) During the first year, at least 90 percent of students would have to reside in Montclair. Other students could come from outside Montclair. If there were more applicants than vacancies, a lottery would be held.

Q) What about the professional development of the staff?

A) A charter school is a public school so the staff would have the same access to professional development opportunities and the same requirements as staff at traditional schools.

Q) How would the curriculum be formulated?

A) The curriculum would be focused on technology and on art and these two subjects would be incorporated into all subject areas. Classes would be supplemented with real world people—visiting writers and artists and physicists and scientists—and the biggest premise of all would be parental engagement.

Q) Is a charter school a public school?

A) Yes, and so it is indeed funded publicly. In New Jersey, charter schools get 90 percent of per-pupil cost. But they don't receive public money for a facility.

Q) So where would the charter school be located?

A) We have two or three options. There are at least two churches that are available to be converted, and there are other options as well.

Q) To whom is a charter school accountable?

A) A charter school is run by a Board of Trustees, elected by the parents. But the school is also accountable to the state Board of Education. Once approved, the charter school enters into a five-year contract with the state. At the end of that time, if the school has not produced results, the state has the authority to shut the school down.

Q) Do charter schools tend to be higher performing schools?

A) They can be very high performing and they have a strong record in New Jersey.  Indeed, in September 2004, Princeton Charter School became the first charter school in New Jersey to achieve National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence status.

Q) Do you already have parents who have signed up for Quest?

A) We already have 125 families that have expressed an interest in the school.

You can get more information about Quest Academy here. For more information about charter schools read here.