NEWARK, NJ – October 24, 2011 – Thirteen Newark charter schools have signed a groundbreaking agreement to ensure they are upholding the highest principles of transparency and public accountability, serving an unmet need in Newark, striving for educational excellence, and fulfilling their missions to educate all students in the most equitable manner possible.

The Newark Charter School Compact was developed by the Newark Charter School Fund, a three-year- old organization committed to increasing the number of high-quality schools in Newark by improving charter schools, expanding successful schools, and developing promising new schools. Newark currently has 18 charter schools serving about 7,600 students.

This story original appeared in LocalTalkNews.com

Newark’s University Heights Charter School is one of just 18 charter schools from across the country, and only two in the tri-state area, to be honored by the New Leaders for New Schools’ Effective Practice Incentive Community (EPIC) program for accomplishing breakthrough student achievement gains.

Educators at the school will receive individual financial rewards in exchange for working with New Leaders for New Schools to document and share the practices that led to their successes.