Camden becomes first test of Urban Hope Act

NJ Spotlight reports Camden has become the first test of the Urban Hope Act, part of Gov. Christie’s push for education reform.

According to the NJ Spotlight report, this week the Camden school district will become the first to seek proposals from nonprofit organizations — with potential for-profit partners — to build and run new schools in the city under the recently enacted Urban Hope Act.

The Urban Hope Act, which was signed by Gov. Christie this winter, allows up to four new schools to be created with the district’s agreement while operating independently. NJ Spotlight says the lead agency in the new schools would need to be a nonprofit, but it can employ for-profit companies to build and manage the school.

Request for proposals (RFP) were expected to be sent Friday, with interested parties to submit their plans to the district by late June, according to NJ Spotlight.

You can read the rest of the story by John Mooney on NJ Spotlight’s website.