District/School Administration Administration
The Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education

Charter Renewal - Initial Discussion for Salem Academy Charter School

This month, the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (Board) will have an initial discussion of the charter renewal application of Salem Academy Charter School (SACS). The Board will vote on this renewal at its meeting on February 24, 2009.

Salem Academy Charter School

SACS, a Commonwealth charter school, opened in 2004. SACS is chartered to serve grades six through twelve with a maximum enrollment of 308. In 2008-09, SACS serves 291 students in grades six through twelve. The school opened with grades six and seven and expanded its grade levels each year; 2008-09 is the first year it has operated with its full six through twelve grade span.

The school's mission is "to educate the diverse student population of Salem and the surrounding communities. Through a unique integration of college preparatory classes with service to the community, the school will graduate informed, articulate, and proactive individuals of strong character."

Basis of Recommendations Regarding the Renewal of Charters

The charter school regulations state that "[t]he decision by the Board to renew a charter shall be based upon the presentation of affirmative 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" 603 CMR 1.12. Consistent with the regulations, recommendations regarding renewal are based upon the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's (Department) evaluation of the school's performance in these areas. In its review, the Department has considered both the school's absolute performance at the time of the application for renewal and the progress the school has made during the first four years of its charter.

The superintendent of the Salem Public Schools, the district sending students to SACS, was invited to submit written comment to the Department regarding the renewal of the school's charter. The Department received letters from the Superintendent of the Salem Public Schools and from one member of the Salem School Committee. The letters raised concerns that the school's limited English proficient student population was not representative of the district; that the school was not meeting its obligation to provide greater options to parents and students; and that the school was draining funds from the Salem Public Schools.

The accountability process for charter schools recognizes that in exchange for increased freedom, a school must demonstrate results within the term of its five-year charter or risk non-renewal. The summary document that follows this memorandum compiles the school's record for the term of this charter.

Recommendation for Renewal

Based on the evidence gathered in the attached Summary of Review and as further summarized below, I recommend that the Board renew the charter of SACS, with the condition that the school establish and operate a program of English language learner education in a manner consistent with the requirements of Massachusetts General Laws chapter 71A. By the end of the 2008-09 school year, SACS will demonstrate that it has met this condition by implementing all elements of the Corrective Action Plan issued by the Department on October 10, 2008. Full implementation of the school's English language learner education program shall be in place by no later than the opening of school fall 2009.

Areas of Charter School Accountability

I. Faithfulness to Charter

• As was described in the original charter, SACS uses a standards-based approach for the development of its academic program.
• The school has established a service learning program designed to provide students with an opportunity to apply their academic learning to real-life contexts, while also providing service to the community.

II. Academic Success

• SACS has created a detailed curriculum that is aligned with the Massachusetts curriculum frameworks and the school's mission.
• The school has developed practices that use assessment data to review student performance and plan next steps in curriculum and instruction.
• SACS provides an environment and facility that are safe and conducive to learning.
• Students are not effectively identified or assessed for English language proficiency and the school does not provide sheltered English immersion. The school's deficiencies in these areas were noted in the 2006-07 Year Three Site Visit Report and the June 2007 Coordinated Program Review. A Corrective Action Plan (CAP) was due from the school in July 2007 and was received September 12, 2008. The Department reviewed the proposed CAP, and issued a final CAP plan for the school on October 10, 2008.
• SACS made Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in ELA in the aggregate in all years between 2005 and 2008; however, the school did not did not make AYP in ELA in 2008 for the low income and Hispanic subgroups.
• The school made AYP in mathematics in the aggregate in 2007, but not in 2005, 2006, or 2008. The school made AYP in mathematics for subgroups in both 2007 and 2008.
• NCLB status is Improvement Year 2 for mathematics and No Status for ELA.

III. Organizational Viability

• SACS is currently a fiscally viable organization, though it has had challenges maintaining adequate cash flow for operations in the latter part of the charter term, which the school attributes to investments in capital and infrastructure.
• SACS has implemented the governance and management structure that was originally proposed in its charter. The school's board of trustees consists of seven members, the minimum required by the school's bylaws.
• The percentage of teachers departing during the school year and/or not returning over the past four years has ranged from a low of 23 percent in 2006-07 to a high of 43 percent in 2005-06.

IV. Dissemination

• For the past two years, students and staff have shared the school's service learning approach with other schools at the Department's Annual Statewide Community Service-Learning Conference.
• In 2005, SACS conducted two presentations to charter school leaders focused on its standards-based, information management system.

If you have any questions or require additional information, please contact Jeff Wulfson, Associate Commissioner, at 781 338-6500; or Mary Street, Director of Charter Schools, at 781 338-3200; or me.

Enclosures:
Comment from Superintendent, Salem Public Schools
Comment from School Committee Member, Salem Public Schools

   Summary of Review