Charter schools have long been high on Gov. Chris Christie’s agenda, and they will receive an added boost in support on the federal level from President Trump and his new education secretary, Betsy DeVos, a fervent advocate of charter schools and other non-traditional alternatives to public schools. But charter schools remain controversial due to their alleged comparative lack of accountability and the ability to filter out weaker students. Critics say they unnecessarily drain resources from public schools, damaging overall public education. We asked advocates on both sides of the issue — Carol Burris, executive director of The Network for Public Education, and Nicole Cole, president and CEO of the New Jersey Charter Schools Association — to offer their views on the proper future for charter schools in New Jersey and across the nation.
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