As National School Choice Week brings attention to the importance of educational freedom, I am calling on Governor Murphy and my colleagues in the New Jersey Legislature to recognize school choice as a critical component of a student’s success. New Jersey lags behind other states in providing families with diverse educational options, leaving many students trapped in underperforming schools simply because of their zip code.
Having personally experienced both Catholic and traditional public schools as a student—and later serving as an educator in both traditional public and public charter schools—I have seen firsthand the power of school choice. Families deserve the ability to select the best educational path for their children, whether it be public, charter, private, parochial, renaissance, magnet, homeschooling, virtual options, or vocational programs.
New Jersey currently restricts the number of charter school authorizers to just one—the Department of Education—whereas states like Florida, Arizona, and New York allow multiple authorizing entities, enabling greater expansion and innovation in charter schools. Even worse, Governor Murphy—alleged champion of the marginalized and economically disadvantaged—blocked charter school expansion for six years by not granting approval of even a single new charter school application.
Furthermore, special interest groups with agendas that do not have students’ best interests at heart have unfairly targeted public charter schools, working to restrict their growth despite clear demand from families. Instead of supporting, collaborating, and working alongside innovative educational solutions, these groups have consistently lobbied against charter expansions and school choice, limiting opportunities for thousands of students. Rather than hindering progress, we must work to ensure all students, regardless of their background, have access to high-quality education.
This bottleneck has left thousands of families on waitlists for high-quality charter schools, while neighboring states rapidly increase access to alternative education models. Currently, approximately 28,000 students are on waiting lists for public charter schools in New Jersey, demonstrating the urgent need for greater access to these institutions.
Additionally, our state’s Interdistrict Public School Choice Program, designed to allow students to attend public schools outside their home district, has been stunted due to artificial enrollment caps and funding constraints. This limits opportunities for students who may benefit from specialized programs or different learning environments, and despite its original intent to increase educational access, the program has been weakened by funding restrictions and arbitrary enrollment limits, leaving thousands of students without the opportunity to attend a school that better fits their needs. Many districts have been forced to cap participation due to inadequate state support, effectively denying students access to higher-performing schools. In the current school year, 119 choice districts accepted 5,174 students, leaving 60% of applicants without placement. This significant shortfall underscores the urgent need to expand the program to accommodate the growing demand from families seeking better educational opportunities for their children. To truly empower families, the program must be expanded with increased funding, transparency, and flexibility, allowing more students to benefit from schools that align with their individual strengths and aspirations.
The Interdistrict Public School Choice Program offers significant benefits beyond the students it serves. By providing state aid to cover the cost of educating participating students, the program brings additional funding to choice districts, helping to stabilize local taxes and preserve essential programs. Many school districts facing declining enrollment have leveraged this initiative to improve cost efficiency and utilize available classroom space effectively. As a result, 24 school districts across Sussex, Morris, and Warren Counties have embraced the program. Most importantly, in alignment with the principle of home rule, participation remains entirely voluntary, with local boards of education retaining full authority over whether to opt into the program.
Here in New Jersey’s 24th Legislative District, families seeking alternatives must often navigate an overly restrictive system fraught with barriers of both geography and transportation, particularly in rural areas. Those factors aside, existing choices include Pope John XXIII Regional High School, Veritas Christian Academy, and Sussex County Charter School for Technology in Sparta. Morris County families have options including the Academy for Biotechnology at Mountain Lakes High School, Gottesman RTW Academy in Randolph, Pequannock Township High School Choice Program, and St. Therese School in Succasunna. In Warren County, families have access to Ridge and Valley Charter School in Blairstown and Warren County Technical School in Washington, in addition to a multitude of traditional public schools—many successful—in each respective district of residence. No school is “one-size-fits-all,” and all children—regardless of zip code—deserve equal opportunities to thrive.
School choice is not about dismantling public education; it is about strengthening it through competition, accountability, and empowerment. Every child deserves a school that meets their individual needs, and every parent deserves the right to choose that school. School choice empowers families to select schools that best align with their values, ensuring that their child’s education reflects their academic, moral, and developmental priorities. Funding must not be blindly allocated; instead, it should follow the student. A diverse coalition of New Jersey residents supports expanding school choice and empowering parents in education. This broad alliance includes urban African-American and Latino communities, the religious Jewish community, and issue-oriented organizations such as the America First Policy Institute.
I urge my colleagues in the Legislature and Governor Murphy to prioritize expanding school choice in New Jersey. It is time to remove unnecessary barriers, allow for more charter school authorizers, and fully fund and expand the Interdistrict Public School Choice Program. Families across our state are demanding options, and we have a responsibility to answer that call.
