New Jersey State Senate Education Committee Chair Senator Vin Gopal, and Assemblywoman Luanne Peterpaul, D-Monmouth, held a press conference today, Jan. 12, 2026, at the State House to seek support for his charter school reform legislation.
Senator Gopal sponsored two bills, S4713, which adds necessary requirements for how charter schools are approved, governed, operated, and overseen to increase transparency and accountability of charter schools; and S4716, which concerns charter school enrollment, student placements, reporting, and athletics.
“This charter school reform legislation establishes comprehensive requirements directly addressing the 30-year-old Charter School Program Act by imposing stricter governance standards as well as training and residency requirements for trustees,” Gopal is quoted saying in a press release, following a press conference. “These bills add new and necessary requirements for increased transparency, accountability, and oversight of New Jersey’s charter schools in response to excessive executive compensation and financial mismanagement.”
NJEA President Steve Beatty, New Jersey Charter Schools President and CEO Harry Lee, and Assemblywoman Verlina Reynolds-Jackson, chair of the Assembly Education Committee, joined Sen. Gopal for the press conference.
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The Senate Education Committee held hearings on the operation of charter schools a year ago after an investigation by NJ Advance Media found a number of charter schools, notably College Achieve Public Schools (CAPS) in Asbury Park, were paying administrators exorbitant salaries, engaging in business dealings that were fraught with nepotism and conflicts of interest, and recruiting students from far outside the district to give their sports teams an unfair advantage.
“The New Jersey Office of the State Comptroller recently released a report that is yet another example of why New Jersey adamantly needs revision of its 30-year-old Charter School Program Act,” Gopal said. “The report found excessive executive compensation and fiscal mismanagement that are not just harmful to our communities, but are unlawful practices that require more comprehensive oversight. New Jersey residents deserve better accountability for their local and state tax dollars that fund these schools.”
Calling the new legislation the first comprehensive one regulating charter schools, Gopal said, “Charter schools are stewards of public education dollars. They play an important role in public education. This legislation establishes various requirements for charter schools, charter school board of trustees members, charter management organizations, and education management organizations.”
Senator Vin Gopal serves as Senate Majority Whip and Chair of the Senate Education Committee, in addition to serving on the Senate Judiciary Committee. He previously served as Democratic Conference Chair (2022-2025) and Majority Conference Leader (2018-2021). Elected in 2018, a lifelong resident of Monmouth County, Senator Gopal represents residents of Asbury Park, Allenhurst, Bradley Beach, Colts Neck, Deal, Eatontown, Fair Haven, Freehold, Freehold Township, Interlaken, Loch Arbor, Long Branch, Neptune City, Neptune Township, Ocean Township, Red Bank, Shrewsbury, Shrewsbury Township, and Tinton Falls.