Shalom Academy Charter School Gets Federal Grant

The won a $200,000 federal grant as part of nearly $5 million awarded to charter schools, the U.S. Department of Education said.

Shalom Academy’s opening was pushed back after state education officials said the school requested a delay and did not submit a certificate of occupancy for a proposed Englewood location. The Hebrew-immersion school is planned to open in September 2012 serving Teaneck and Englewood, but will undergo another review next July. 

Raphael Bachrach, the school's founder, could not be immediately reached for comment late Thursday.

Shalom Academy was one of 23 new or recently opened charter schools to get grant money, an Education Department news release said.

"High-quality charter schools have an important role to play in the overall strategy of successful school reform," U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said in the release. "These organizations have an opportunity to spread successful practices and expand effective public charter school choices for more students and parents."

Critics have said Shalom Academy would not offer a diverse educational program and pull money from local public school districts.