Deadline Looms To Apply To Hoboken's 3 Public Charter Schools

HOBOKEN, NJ — Aside from Hoboken's regular public school district (including Hoboken High School, Hoboken Middle School, and three elementary schools), families can apply to Hoboken's three charter schools. The smaller charters were founded by parents and educators and are free, funded with public money and private donations.

Studens are chosen each year by a lottery held in early January.

This year's deadline to apply for the lottery is Jan. 9. The lotteries will be held later this month.

Once students are accepted, they have a short time to decide whether to attend. Those who aren't accepted right away are often put on a wait list.

The charter schools are:

• Hoboken Charter School, which is K-12, "Committed to social justice and service learning." They're located on Washington Street.
• Elysian Charter School, K-8, "An interdisciplinary and project based learning public school" located at Garden and 15th streets.
• HoLa, K-8, "A dual-language Spanish English immersion public school" on Jefferson Street.

The deadline to apply to be in the schools' lotteries is Jan. 9 at 5 p.m.

Parents may apply to all three charters at once.

Applicants receiving public assistance get triple weight.

See the descriptions below provided by the schools themselves.

The charter schools and the regular district schools frequently hold open houses. Find out more about the charter schools' open houses on their websites. For the public schools, find out about the public school open houses here.

Press Release From Charter Schools

Hoboken's free Charter Lottery Application due Thursday, January 9th!

Hoboken families are encouraged to learn more and apply to enter the lottery for the city’s public charter schools – Hoboken Dual Language Charter School (HoLa), Elysian Charter School, and Hoboken Charter School.

The three public schools are free, open to all Hoboken residents, and do not have any entrance testing requirements. Because demand exceeds available seats, students are randomly selected for entrance to the schools through a lottery system. All three schools offer a weighted preference for Hoboken families who live in public or subsidized housing, or receive public benefits.

Deadline for submitting a free lottery application is January 9th, 2025 at 5 p.m.

Elysian Charter School

Elysian Charter School, a K-8 school, provides an interdisciplinary, project-based learning environment designed to educate and inspire. Our mission is to nurture curious, lifelong learners with strong academic foundations and a deep appreciation for community values. Elysian is located at 1460 Garden Street. For more information about Elysian Charter School, visit ecsnj.or or call 201-876-0102

Hoboken Charter School

Hoboken Charter School, a K-12 school, is a public charter school committed to social justice and service learning grounded in learner-centered practices. The upper school is located at 711 Washington Street and the lower school is located at 713 Washington Street. For more information about Hoboken Charter, visit hobokencs.org or call 201-963-0222, ext 217.

Hoboken Dual Language Charter School (HoLa)

HoLa, a dual language Spanish immersion school, is committed to providing an exceptional education in Spanish and English to develop engaged, well-rounded bilingual citizens. HoLa has been designated as an official International Academy by the Spanish Embassy - the first and only in NJ. In addition to the weighted preference for economic reasons, HoLa also offers a weighted preference for students with limited English proficiency. HoLa has a K-4 elementary school at 123 Jefferson Street and a 5-8 middle school at 301 Garden Street. For more information about HoLa, visit holahoboken.org or call 201-427-1458 (K-4) or 201-222-0673 (5-8).