Hua Mei Charter School Makes First Cut in Latest Review

Proposed charter school would draw students from West Orange

Charter schools are inching ever closer to West Orange. The charter school application for Hua Mei, a Mandarin-immersion school that would draw students from West Orange, is one step closer to being approved, according to NJ Spotlight.

Hua Mei is one of 17 proposed charter schools in New Jersey that is still in the running, according to Gov. Chris Christie. So far, more than half of the 42 charter school applications have been rejected.

If approved, Hua Mei would be housed in the St. Joseph’s RC Church on Prospect Avenue in Maplewood and draw students from South Orange-Maplewood and West Orange.

Superintendent of Schools Dr. Anthony Cavanna said Hua Mei would would drain money from school district.

“If students from West Orange want to attend the charter school, the district has to pay a 90 percent per pupil expenditure to the charter school and it will add to the budget,” he said at Monday’s board of education meeting.

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