The Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education

Amendment to the City on a Hill Charter Public School

To:	Members of the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education
From:	Mitchell D. Chester, Ed.D., Commissioner
Date:	April 16, 2010

At the September 2009 meeting of the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (Board), the Board voted to authorize the Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education (Commissioner) to act on its behalf in "(a) granting charter renewals that do not involve conditions or probation; and (b) approving charter amendments that do not involve changes in grade span, maximum enrollment, or districts served," provided that the Commissioner shall report to the Board on all such approvals and, provided further, "that the Commissioner shall notify the Board in advance of all such intended actions, and a Board member may request that the Commissioner place the charter matter(s) on the agenda of the Board for discussion and action."

Under the terms of this delegation, I am reporting to the Board that I have approved the following amendment, after notification to the Board and having received no request to place this amendment on the agenda at the March meeting.

City on a Hill Charter Public School

The Board of Trustees of City on a Hill Charter Public School submitted a charter amendment request, dated December 17, 2009, to amend the school's governance/leadership structure. Currently the executive director and principal report to the board. With the approved change, the executive director reports to the board and the principal reports to the executive director. The role of the executive director is to oversee the school's overall administration, including finance, including final decision-making in all hiring, evaluation, and dismissal of staff, curriculum, and student expulsion issues, as well as set the strategic direction of the school in consultation with other members of the school administration and with approval of the board of trustees. The principal oversees the academic program. The school states that the primary reason for the request is to focus leadership accountability in a single person.

This request is reasonable and consistent with the charter school statute and regulations. As such, I approved this amendment request.