The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) has released a tentative schedule for discussion and vote on charter school actions. These include renewal of individual charters, requests for expansion, reporting on conditions and probationary status.
The full document can be downloaded from the September 2017 BESE meeting documents.
Tentative Schedule of Charter School Items
September 2017 through June 2018
Note: All items are tentatively scheduled and may be adjusted within the schedule as needed. Some items may not come before the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (Board) for discussion and vote because the Board has previously delegated authority to the Commissioner or because the Commissioner may not recommend granting a school’s request.
September 26, 2017
- Charter Authorizing Overview
October 24, 2017
November 28, 2017
December 19, 2017
- Amendment of Charter
- Veritas Preparatory Charter School
- Renewal Decisions or Recommendations
- Boston Collegiate Charter School; Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann Charter Public School; Four Rivers Charter Public School; Foxborough Regional Charter School
January 23, 2018
- Amendments of Charters
- Holyoke Community Charter School; Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School
- Waiver of Regulations Request
- Bentley Academy Charter School (Horace Mann)
- Reports on Conditions
- Pioneer Valley Performing Arts Charter Public School; Barnstable Community Horace Mann Charter Public School
- Renewal Decisions or Recommendations
- Abby Kelley Foster Charter Public School; Baystate Academy Charter Public School; Boston Day and Evening Academy Charter School (Horace Mann); Mystic Valley Regional Charter School; Sturgis Charter Public School; UP Academy Charter School of Dorchester (Horace Mann)
- Report on Renewal Decisions by the Commissioner
February 27, 2018
- New Charter Schools Granted
- Amendment of Charter
- KIPP Academy Lynn Charter School
- Report on Conditions and Renewal Decision or Recommendation
- Paulo Freire Social Justice Charter School
- Renewal Decisions or Recommendations
- City on a Hill Charter Public School Dudley Square; Collegiate Charter School of Lowell; Excel Academy Charter School; Helen Y. Davis Leadership Academy Charter Public School; Pioneer Charter School of Science II; Rising Tide Charter Public School
- Report on Renewal Decisions by the Commissioner
March 27, 2018
- Report on Conditions
- Advanced Math and Science Academy Charter School
- Report on Renewal Decisions by the Commissioner
April 24, 2018
- Report on Conditions
- Codman Academy Charter Public School
May 22, 2018
- Report on Probation
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Charter School of Excellence
June 26, 2018
Charter Amendment Requests Pending Board Action
(Grades, or Maximum Enrollment, or Change to Charter Region)
Pursuant to the Charter School Regulations, 603 CMR 1.10(1), the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (Board) must approve certain changes in the material terms of a school’s charter. This year (2017-2018), the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (Department) received requests from four existing charter schools that involve changes to the grades served, the maximum enrollment allowed, or the charter region. If Board members wish to request a copy of any of the submitted amendment requests or have any questions, please contact charterschools@doe.mass.edu.
Section 1.10 of 603 CMR contains several criteria that the Commissioner and the Board may consider in reaching a determination regarding a school’s request to amend its charter. First, “the Commissioner and the Board may consider a charter school’s compliance with applicable state, federal, and local law.” Second, the Commissioner and the Board may consider the evidence regarding the success of the school’s academic program, the viability of the school as an organization, and the faithfulness of the school to the terms of its charter. Third, if seeking an increase in maximum enrollment in certain districts, the board of trustees must qualify as a “proven provider” based on the existing school and meet the performance criteria described in 603 CMR 1.04(4). Fourth, schools must address additional criteria as outlined in the Department’s guidelines on amendments.
We currently anticipate bringing these matters to the Board for consideration no earlier than its meeting scheduled for December 19, 2017, and anticipate completing the process by its meeting scheduled for March 28, 2018. Updates may be found on the Department’s website at Board Meeting Schedule and Agendas.
The Department solicits comments from the superintendents in the school districts within each charter school’s current/proposed district or region. Members of the public may submit written comments regarding a school’s amendment request to: Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, c/o Office of Charter Schools and School Redesign, 75 Pleasant Street, Malden, MA 02148 or by email to charterschools@doe.mass.edu.
| Name of Charter School | Current District or Region | Current Grade Span | Current Maximum Enrollment | Proposed Amendment to Charter |
| Holyoke Community Charter School | Holyoke | K-8 | 702 |
Add grades 9-12; add Chicopee, South Hadley, and West Springfield to charter region; and increase enrollment by 439 seats |
| Name of Charter School | Current District or Region | Current Grade Span | Current Maximum Enrollment | Proposed Amendment to Charter |
| KIPP Academy Lynn Charter School | Lynn | K-12 | 1,586 | Increase enrollment by 1,014 seats |
| Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School | Agawam, Amherst, Amherst-Pelham, Belchertown, Chesterfield-Goshen, Chicopee, Conway, Deerfield, East Longmeadow, Easthampton, Frontier, Gill-Montague, Granby, Granville, Greenfield, Hadley, Hampden-Wilbraham, Hampshire, Hatfield, Hawlemont, Holyoke, Leverett, Longmeadow, Ludlow, Mohawk Trail, Northampton, Pelham, Pioneer Valley, Shutesbury, South Hadley, Southampton, Springfield, Sunderland, West Springfield, Westfield, Westhampton, Whately, Williamsburg, Southwick-Tolland | K-12 | 584 | Increase enrollment by 452 seats |
| Veritas Preparatory Charter School | Springfield | 5-8 | 324 | Increase enrollment by 108 seats |
FY18 Applications for Renewal of Charters
This winter, the Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education (Commissioner) will make recommendations to the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (Board) regarding the renewal of the charters for 17 schools, as indicated below in the table. The Department has solicited comments from the superintendents in the school districts within each charter school’s current district or region. For more information, please see http://www.doe.mass.edu/news/news.aspx?id=24501.
Consistent with the charter school regulations, evidence regarding the success of the school’s academic program, the viability of the school as an organization, and the faithfulness of the school to the terms of its charter guides review of a school’s application for renewal. The Commissioner’s recommendations consider each school’s performance at the time of the charter renewal as well as the progress it has made during the past four years of operation. The evaluation includes a review of evidence such as the school’s academic performance, and assessments conducted by the Department.
We currently anticipate bringing these matters to the Board for consideration no earlier than its meeting scheduled for December 19, 2017, and anticipate completing the process by its meeting scheduled for February 27, 2018. Updates may be found on the Department’s website at http://www.doe.mass.edu/bese/boedate.html.
| Charter School Name | Current District or Region | Maximum Enrollment | Grade Span in Charter |
Current Grade Span |
| Abby Kelley Foster Charter Public School | Auburn, Holden, Leicester, Millbury, Oxford, Shrewsbury, Sutton, West Boylston, Worcester | 1,426 | K-12 | K-12 |
| Baystate Academy Charter Public School | Springfield
|
560 | 6-12 | 6-11 |
| Boston Collegiate Charter School | Boston | 700 | 5-12 | 5-12 |
| Boston Day and Evening Academy Charter School (Horace Mann) | Boston | 405 | 9-12 | 9-12 |
| City on a Hill Charter Public School Dudley Square | Boston | 280 | 9-12 | 9-12 |
| Collegiate Charter School of Lowell | Lowell | 1,200 | K-12 | K-7 |
| Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann Charter School | Boston | 448 | 9-12 | 9-12 |
| Charter School Name | Current District or Region | Maximum Enrollment | Grade Span in Charter | Current Grade Span |
| Excel Academy Charter School | Boston, Chelsea | 1,344 | 5-12 | 5-11 |
| Four Rivers Charter Public School | Frontier, Gill-Montague, Greenfield, Mohawk Trail, Pioneer Valley, Ralph C. Mahar Regional | 220 | 7-12 | 7-12 |
| Foxborough Regional Charter School | Attleboro, Avon, Brockton, Canton, Easton, Foxborough, Mansfield, Medfield, Medway, Millis, Norfolk, North Attleboro, Norton, Norwood, Plainville, Sharon, Stoughton, Walpole, West Bridgewater, Wrentham | 1,700 | K-12 | K-12 |
| Helen Y. Davis Leadership Academy Charter Public School | Boston | 216 | 6-8 | 6-8 |
| Mystic Valley Regional Charter School | Everett, Malden, Medford, Melrose, Stoneham, Wakefield | 1,900 | K-12 | K-12 |
| Paulo Freire Social Justice Charter School | Holyoke, West Springfield, Chicopee, Westfield, South Hadley, Northampton | 500 | 9-12 | 9-12 |
| Pioneer Charter School of Science II | Danvers, Lynn, Peabody, Salem, Saugus | 360 | 7-12 | 7-12 |
| Rising Tide Charter Public School | Barnstable, Bourne, Carver, Duxbury, Falmouth, Lakeville, Marshfield, Mashpee, Middleborough, Old Rochester, Pembroke, Plymouth, Sandwich, Silver Lake, Wareham | 700 | 5-12 | 5-12 |
| Sturgis Charter Public School | Barnstable, Bourne, Carver, Dennis-Yarmouth, Falmouth, Mashpee, Monomoy, Nauset, Plymouth, Provincetown, Sandwich, and Wareham | 850 | 9-12 | 9-12 |
| UP Academy Charter School of Dorchester | Boston | 820 | PK-8 | PK-8 |