As we reach the 20th anniversary of charter schools in New Jersey, a rapidly-growing number of parents from across New Jersey want their voices heard in the education debate. Last April, two legislators introduced a bill intended to stop the growth of charter schools. Nearly 40,000 messages to stop this bill were sent to elected officials in NJ.

The Better Education Institute, JerseyCAN, PC2E, NJ BAEO, DFER, and the New Jersey Charter Schools Association sponsored the NJ Charter School Parent Day at the State House in Trenton.  Charter school leaders, parentsand alumni representing schools from around the state joined together to share their voices with state legislators in Trenton on December 14.  iLearn Schools’ representatives had the opportunity to witness committee meetings and greeted legislators from across the state, including Assemblywoman Shavonda Sumter (D-35), Assemblyman Benjie Wimberly (D-35), Assemblyman Robert Auth (R-39), Assemblyman David Wolf (R-10), Assemblywoman Holly Schepisi (R-39) Assemblyman Joseph Lagana (R-39), Assemblyman F. Parker Space (R-24), as well as Mr. Evo Popoff,  CIO and Assistant Commissioner at the NJDOE, and Mr. Harold Lee, Director of the NJDOE Office of Charter Schools.