Academy for Urban Leadership Charter School

The Academy for Urban Leadership Charter School is the sole public charter high school serving grades 7-12 in Perth Amboy, New Jersey. With an enrollment of 376 students, the school faces significant academic challenges, as evidenced by its consistently low test scores across English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science compared to state averages.

Despite maintaining a relatively high graduation rate of 91.1% and a low dropout rate of 1.2%, the school's academic performance is a major concern. Its English Language Arts proficiency rates range from 4.5% to 23.2%, while Mathematics proficiency rates are extremely low, ranging from 0% to 8.3%. Science proficiency stands at just 9.4%, compared to 28.1% statewide. The school's chronic absenteeism rate of 16.6% is also higher than the state average, which likely contributes to the academic struggles.

Serving a high-need population, with over 60% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, the Academy for Urban Leadership Charter School faces significant challenges in supporting student learning and success. The school's statewide ranking has declined from 399th out of 415 high schools in 2021-2022 to 386th out of 426 high schools in 2023-2024, indicating a relative decline in performance compared to other schools in New Jersey. Addressing the academic deficiencies and providing additional support to students will be crucial for the school to improve its outcomes and better serve its community.