$3M In State Grant For 2 Mercer County Charter Schools

MERCER COUNTY, NJ — Two Mercer County charter schools were given $3 million in grants from the US Department of Education.

Achievers Early College Prep Charter School and Paul Robeson Charter School in Trenton will each receive $1.5 million.

The grants were given after a rigorous review process that included charter school experts from across the country, the New Jersey Charter Schools Association said.

“The Association is proud to award these high-performing charter schools with these grants to increase the number of high-quality educational seats in the State and expand opportunities for all students, particularly traditionally underserved students, to attend public charter schools,” Harry Lee, President of NJPCSA, said in a statement.

“With these grants, we are unequivocally demonstrating our confidence in these schools to deliver on their promise to students, families, and their communities.”

Achievers and Paul Robeson were both approved for similar grants in NJPCSA’s grant cycle last year, but the funds were not released when the NJ Department of Education denied their requests for expansion.

Both schools made expansion requests again this fall and are expecting a decision in February.

In December, the DOE released statewide student achievement data, which showed that public charter schools improved student learning, particularly for low-income students of color.

In Trenton, students at Achievers Early College Prep Charter School and Paul Robeson Charter School are nearly three times more likely to meet grade-level standards than their district peers in English language arts (ELA) and mathematics.

“I am beyond proud of all my students at Achievers Early College Prep,” said Osen Osagie, Co-Founder and Executive Director of the school. “Our students have overcome so many struggles, from the global pandemic to our school’s grade expansion being denied last year. They have continued to apply themselves and these scores prove it.”

Meanwhile, Freya Lund, School Director at Paul Robeson Charter School, said the school community was grateful for the .

“Our students, families and staff consistently demonstrate a relentless commitment to quality outcomes for all students,” Lund said. “We are hopeful that our demonstrated impact over time results in the ability to serve more students and put these funds toward continuing and enhancing our overall school experience for all stakeholders.”

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