Two others include urban communities in the regions they serve. There's a simple reason why the scales tip to one side. Jeanne Allen, president of the Center for Education Reform in Washington, D.C., points out that the most obvious problems in education are in urban centers. In the suburbs what is different is that while there's uneven achievement oftentimes, and while there are still problems and challenges, it doesn't always look that bad. Allen said parents might find that the traditional public schools don't meet their children's needs.
Charter schools are . . .
For every community that someone says . . . 'these are really great schools,' there's probably 10 percent or more of the children for whom they are not great. Green Willow's founders include 13 parents and educators, most from northern Bergen County. She tacked up fliers in libraries and health food stores last March seeking others with a similar vision. De Vries was already versed in the operation of a charter school. Her two sons attend the Unity Charter School in Morristown, where she participated on a restructuring and planning committee.