Although the media has reported that the founders of the Hua Mei Charter School in Maplewood have decided not to apply a third time to the state for approval, a founder of the Quest Academy Charter High School in Montclair said Thursday that she has not yet given up on the idea.

The founders of Hua Mei had proposed a K-5 Mandarin-immersion charter school that would draw mainly from the South Orange-Maplewood and West Orange school districts — although spots could have been available for students outside of those districts if space allowed. The school would have opened as a K-2 school in 2012 and expanded thereafter.

The application was rejected for the second time last month when eight urban charters were approved while no suburban charters were given the green light. Both Governor Christie and NJ State Acting Education Commissioner Chrisopher Cerf have made comments indicating their view that charter schools are appropriate for struggling urban districts, not suburban districts deemed successful. However, Cerf has not released reasons for specifically rejecting Hua Mei's application a second time.

The application to establish the Quest Academy Charter High School in Montclair also was rejected by the state last month—for a fifth time.

Quest founder Tracey Williams said she and others are still considering all options and she's asking that the public weigh in by emailing info@questacademynow.us.

She also invites the public to check out information about Quest by going here.

Williams said she still hasn't found out why the Quest founders' latest application was denied.

"We are still waiting to take a look at the basis for the denial because we may file another appeal," said Williams, who is still waiting for a decision on a previous appeal.

"As far as reapplying goes ... maybe," she said. "Even [state education officials] said that our proposal would make a good school.

"Would the public like to weigh in? Or join us in our efforts?" she asked, noting that she's still trying to gauge how much support there is in Montclair for a charter high school.

Quest founders say the school would have opened in the fall of 2012 with smaller class sizes and a standards-based curriculum that would have focused on technology and visual arts.

The Quest application has been strongly criticized by Montclair Superintendent Dr. Frank Alvarez, as well as by many parents in Montclair. Critics have expressed fears that the school would siphon money away from the public high school.

At an anti-charter school rally in Maplewood last month, Montclair resident Stan Karp spoke about how Montclair schools had often been cited as a national model of quality integrated public education.

What do you think? Let us know in the comments section below.

Maplewood Patch editor Mary Mann contributed to this article.