The Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education
Charter Schools - Recommendations for New Charter Schools
By statute, the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (Board) grants charters for new charter schools at its meeting in February. This memorandum summarizes the charter application review process and my recommendations with respect to pending applications.
The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (Department) received 10 Commonwealth charter school prospectuses in August 2015. Two of the seven applicant groups initially invited to submit final applications decided not to pursue a charter. In November 2015, the Department received final applications to establish five charter schools, one of which subsequently withdrew its application. Below is a summary of the four final applications that were considered.
| Proposed School Name | Districts to be Served | Proposed Opening Date | Grade Span | Max Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| International Academy of Montachusett Charter School | Fitchburg, Leominster, Clinton, North Middlesex Regional, Wachusett Regional | 2016 | K-12 | 1,168 |
| Libertas Academy Charter School* | Springfield | 2017 | 6-12 | 630 |
| New Heights Charter School of Brockton* | Brockton, Taunton, Randolph | 2016 | 6-12 | 735 |
| Old Sturbridge Academy Charter Public School | Brimfield, Brookfield, Dudley-Charlton, Holland, Monson, Sturbridge, Palmer, Wales, Warren, Webster, West Brookfield, Tantasqua, Quaboag, Spencer-East Brookfield, Southbridge | 2016 | K-8 | 360 |
I recommend that the Board grant two charters, one for Libertas Academy Charter School and one for New Heights Charter School of Brockton. Motions are attached for your consideration.
While all applications have strengths and weaknesses, the proposals I am recommending substantially meet the criteria for approval as set forth in the statute and the Board's regulations. I have reviewed these applications through the lens of our charter school accountability framework: the potential success of the academic program, the potential viability of the organization, and the potential faithfulness to the terms of the charter. I believe that the schools that I am recommending for charters have a strong likelihood of success in closing the achievement gap and in improving public education in Massachusetts.
I am not recommending the International Academy of Montachusett Charter School or Old Sturbridge Academy Charter Public School for new charters. As a result of the review process, I determined that these proposals require further development and revision with respect to the charter school approval criteria. These applicant groups will be invited to participate in a debriefing session with the Department to further explain the feedback on their applications. I encourage the applicant groups to reapply in future years after strengthening their proposals.
Included in the attachments are an executive summary of each proposal, written by the applicant group, and a summary of the final application review performed by the Department, including the evidence identified during the application review process. Other documentation is available upon request.
The Review Process for Charter Applications
The Department conducted a multi-step review of the charter applications. The goal in this process is to identify those applicant groups that demonstrate the greatest potential for creating successful, high quality public schools. The review process included the following:
An advisory panel that included both Department staff and external reviewers reviewed each application. Panel members individually reviewed each application based on the published evaluation criteria, and then the entire panel met to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each application based on evidence provided in the application and to suggest questions for the interview with the applicant group.
Four public hearings were held in the districts where the proposed charter schools would be located. One or more members of the Board attended each hearing. All hearings were videotaped; the DVDs are available by contacting the Department at 781-338-3224.
Written comments from the public were solicited at each of the hearings and through the Department's website. The superintendent in each proposed district received the application from the relevant applicant, was informed by the Department of the application links on the Department's website, and was invited to comment. The written comments received for the two schools I am recommending for a charter are provided in the attachments.
The Department conducted interviews with members of the applicant groups and proposed boards of trustees, focusing on the concerns and questions raised in the panel review and public hearings. Interviews are summarized for each applicant group; a copy is included with this memorandum. Audio recordings of these interviews are available by contacting the Department at 781-338-3224.
Department staff prepared a summary of the evidence identified within the application and during the interview of the applicant group's capacity to open and operate a high quality charter school based on response to criteria.
I held meetings with Department staff to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each application when judged against the application criteria.
Enclosed with this memorandum under Tab A are the following materials:
- a list of the public hearings held in November and December 2015;
- a list of the external and internal reviewers who reviewed prospectuses and charter applications; and
- a memorandum detailing the charter application review process and the criteria for review.
Tabs B and C contain the following information for Libertas Academy Charter School and New Heights Charter School of Brockton, respectively:
- an executive summary of the proposal, written by the applicant group;
- a list of the proposed members of the school's board of trustees, and proposed employees;
- a summary of the interview with the founding group;
- a summary of the final application review, including the evidence identified during the Department's application review process;
- a summary of the applicant's credentials as a proven provider; and
- written public comment.
Proven Provider Review
The charter school statute also requires that applicants are "proven providers" when seeking a charter or an expansion in districts where the net school spending (NSS) cap is above nine percent. The two applications recommended for charters propose to serve districts where the NSS cap is above nine percent. Both applicant groups met the proven provider requirement through partnerships with other entities.
The applicant groups of Libertas Academy Charter School (Libertas) and New Heights Charter School of Brockton (New Heights) are partnering with school support organizations to support the development and implementation of the proposed schools. Libertas is working with Building Excellent Schools, and New Heights is working with EDWorks. I determined that Building Excellent Schools and EDWorks qualified as proven providers when prospectuses were submitted, prior to submission of final applications. I also determined that Building Excellent Schools was a proven provider during the application cycles in 2013-2014 and 2014-2015. This is the first year that I have considered EDWorks for proven provider status.
My assessment of proven provider status includes the review of the track record of performance of schools assisted by the school support organization. In determining the eligibility of Building Excellence Schools for proven provider status, I considered the performance of a number of charter schools in Massachusetts that were founded in partnership with Building Excellent Schools. While EDWorks does not currently have a relationship with a charter or district school in Massachusetts, the organization has supported the development of a number of early college district and charter schools across the country. The Department independently compiled relevant performance data of a number of early college district and charter schools in Ohio founded in partnership with EDWorks to assess eligibility for proven provider status.
The proven provider analysis can be found at Tabs B and C with other information regarding these applications. Please refer to these review sheets for the specific data considered in determining proven provider status.
Determining that an entity meets the requirements of a proven provider, however, does not automatically mean that the applicant group and the application have demonstrated the capacity to create a successful, high quality charter school. The Department separately considers the criteria for approval and the capacity of a proposed board of trustees and a proposed school leader to manage and operate a high quality charter school effectively.
Recommendation for Libertas Academy Charter School
This is a proposal for a new Commonwealth charter school, to be located in Springfield, focused on preparing students "to succeed within the college of their choice and to be positive, engaged members of their communities." The educational program will include extended time for literacy and mathematics instruction, and the school aims to provide strong academic supports for all students. The applicant group includes the proposed school leader, a current Building Excellent Schools fellow. The proposed board of trustees intends to contract with Building Excellent Schools for ongoing leadership and board development. The proposed school intends to open for the 2017-2018 school year.
The superintendent of the proposed school's sending district, Springfield, was invited to submit public comment on the school's application. No comment was received.
I recommend that the Board grant a charter to the board of trustees of Libertas Academy Charter School.
Recommendation for New Heights Charter School of Brockton
This is a proposal for a new Commonwealth charter school, to be located in Brockton and serving residents of Brockton, Taunton, and Randolph, focused on preparing students for college. The school plans to implement an early college model, in partnership with Massasoit Community College and supported by EDWorks, a national organization specializing in early college design. The applicant group includes the proposed school leader and most members of the school's leadership team. The proposed school intends to open for the 2016-2017 school year.
The superintendents of the proposed sending districts, Brockton, Taunton, and Randolph, were invited to submit public comment on the school's application. See the attached public comment under Tab C.
This is the third application of the New Heights group, and the Department has observed considerable growth over time in the group's capacity and ability to address the prior concerns identified by the Department. In this year's charter application process, the applicant group sufficiently responded to previous Department feedback regarding effective implementation and oversight of the early college program and provided clear evidence that the group is reflective about its proposed program and demonstrates continuous improvement in its approach to planning and preparation for the proposed school.
The applicant group has made adjustments to its proposed charter region in each of the three years of submission. In last year's charter application, the applicant group proposed a single sending district for its proposed charter region, Brockton, which has not been identified as a lowest 10 percent district. In this year's application, the applicant group added Taunton and Randolph to the proposed school's charter region which results in a composite district that is in the lowest 10 percent. The award of a charter to the New Heights group is not dependent on the Board awarding charters to other applicants serving districts in the lowest 10 percent.1 In its application and during its interview with the Department, the applicant group indicates that approximately 90 percent of student enrollment will come from Brockton, based on enrollment interest from families. The applicant group also indicates that it will use any projected budget surpluses to provide transportation to students from Randolph and Taunton. To ensure equal access to all families and students across the proposed charter region, I recommend requiring the school to submit a plan to provide transportation to students from Randolph and Taunton.2 This would be a condition of the school's charter.
I recommend that the Board grant a charter to the board of trustees of New Heights Charter School of Brockton. As described above, the motion for approval includes a condition requiring the school to develop and submit to the Department a plan to provide transportation to students from Randolph and Taunton.
Cliff Chuang, Associate Commissioner, and Alyssa Hopkins, Coordinator of New School Development, will be at your meeting on February 23, 2016 to assist with the discussion. In the meantime, if you need any additional information, please contact Cliff (781-338-3222), Deputy Commissioner Jeff Wulfson (781-338-6500), or me.
Attachments:
Motion for Board Action on Libertas Academy Charter School
Motion for Board Action on New Heights Charter School of Brockton
Tab A - List of the public hearings held in November and December 2015; List of the external and internal reviewers who reviewed prospectuses and charter applications; Memorandum detailing the charter application review process and the criteria for review.
Tab B - Libertas Academy Charter School (executive summary of the proposal, written by the applicant group; list of the proposed members of the school's board of trustees and proposed employees; summary of the interview with the founding group; summary of the final application review, including the evidence identified during the Department's application review process; a summary of the applicant's credentials as a proven provider); and written public comment.
Tab C - New Heights Charter School of Brockton (executive summary of the proposal, written by the applicant group; list of the proposed members of the school's board of trustees and proposed employees; summary of the interview with the founding group; summary of the final application review, including the evidence identified during the Department's application review process; a summary of the applicant's credentials as a proven provider); and written public comment.
Tab D - International Academy Montachusett Charter School (executive summary of the proposal, written by the applicant group; summary of the final application review, including the evidence identified during the Department's application review process)
Tab E - Old Sturbridge Academy Charter Public School (executive summary of the proposal, written by the applicant group; summary of the final application review, including the evidence identified during the Department's application review process)
1 Before any other charters may be awarded, at least two charters approved in any year must be granted for charter schools located in districts where overall student performance on the state assessment test is in the lowest 10 percent statewide in the two years prior to the submission of the charter application. Both the Libertas Academy Charter School and New Heights Charter School of Brockton meet this requirement.
2 Students from Brockton will receive transportation from Brockton Public Schools in accordance with the district's transportation policy.