North Star Academy Charter School of Newark, part of the Uncommon Schools network, is one of New Jersey’s very first charter public schools, and after fourteen years has also become one of its most celebrated.
North Star was hailed by President George W. Bush during his visit as “a jewel of excellence,” and the Class of 2004 (100% college matriculation) was touted by the New York Times as a harbinger of New Jersey public education reform. The school and its programs have been featured in a PBS Documentary (“Charter Schools that Work”), Time Magazine (“A Real School of Rock”), and in the recently published book No Excuses: Closing the Racial Gap in Learning. North Star Academy currently serves over 1,600 students in grades K-12 across seven schools: three elementary schools, three middle schools, and a high school.