Latino Action Network Testifies in Support of Assembly Bill 2147 Which Would Increase Accountability and Transparency in New Jersey Charter Schools

On Thursday, February 2, 2012 the New Jersey Assembly Education Committee considered Assembly bill 2147 (bills A3356/S3005/S3001 last session), which would increase Charter School educational and financial accountability and transparency and address the fact that New Jersey Charter School students do not represent the demographics of their sending districts.  Christian Estevez, Executive Vice President of the Latino Action Network, testified in support of A-2147 which would reform the state’s broken charter school law.  This bill was favorably reported out of committee by a unanimous bipartisan vote.  You can read his testimony below.

TESTIMONY BY

THE LATINO ACTION NETWORK

BEFORE THE NEW JERSEY ASSEMBLY EDUCATION COMMITTEE

FEBRUARY 2, 2012

DELIVERED BY:

Christian Estevez, Executive Vice President

Latino Action Network

P.O. Box 943

Freehold, NJ 07728

Phone: (973) 418-7012

esteveznj@gmail.com

Good afternoon, my name is Christian Estevez and I am the Vice President of the Latino Action Network.  We are a statewide advocacy organization dedicated to mobilizing New Jersey’s Latino community to seek greater social, economic and educational justice.

I thank you for the opportunity to testify today in support of Assembly Bill A-2147 which improves accountability and transparency in New Jersey’s Charter Schools.

While our state has some of the best schools in the nation, it is also abundantly clear that many of the schools in our urban communities are in crisis.  We must do everything that we can to improve the educational opportunities available to the children in our urban communities.  We recognize that quality Charter Schools can play an important role in the provision of additional educational opportunities for our children.

We see quality Charter Schools as a part of the solution to the crisis faced by many Latino families.  We welcome any approach that contributes positively toward helping those children with the most need.  However, in cases where any school, whether they are a Charter School or a regular public school, is not providing quality opportunities to our children, they become part of the problem instead of being part of the solution.