How immigration in Newark is leading to more kids with super powers 

In a city where schools have long been defined by challenges, immigrant students are quietly outperforming expectations–and even their peers across New Jersey.

As Newark experiences a big influx of newcomer students — leading to enrollment growth at both district and charter schools at a time when other cities are losing enrollment — we have an opportunity to show the nation the power of bilingualism.

In Newark, public school students who were formerly classified as English language learners are not only outperforming the state average in literacy, they are outperforming the most affluent kids in the state.

Data from the state Department of Education for the 2024 administration of the NJSLA state exams shows that 64% of former English language learners in Newark passed the English stat