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State Closes Newark Charter School With 2 Weeks Left

State officials have closed a Newark charter school with just two weeks left in the year, officials announced.

University Heights Charter School

University Heights Charter School

Photo Credit: Google Maps

The nearly 700 students at University Heights Charter School (UCHS), a pre-K-8 public charter school in Newark, were told on June 1, the New Jersey Public Charter Schools Association said Friday, June 3.

The reason for the closure was not immediately known.

This leaves parents scrambling to find a plan for the summer and the fall.

"The lack of care, compassion, and planning for such a high-stakes decision that impacts so many low-income families is unconscionable," said President & CEO, New Jersey Public Charter Schools Association Harry Lee.

State education officials in 2020 closed the M.E.T.S. Charter School, which had campuses in Newark in Jersey City.

Since 2006, UCHS has served the Newark community with support from Bethany Baptist Church, one of the city's largest and oldest Black churches. The school was set to deliver a robust summer enrichment program starting on July 6. 

"The charter community stands ready to work with the affected families to try to find placements in charter schools for these students," he said. 

"We implore the Murphy Administration to work with the charter sector in Newark - some of the best charter schools ever created - to serve more students so that Newark parents can exercise their right for self-determination for their children."

This is a developing story. Check back for more.

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