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

Charter Schools - Approval of Charter Amendment for MATCH Charter Public School

Pursuant to the Charter School Regulations, 603 CMR 1.11(1), the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (Board) must approve major changes in the material terms of a school's charter, including increases in a school's maximum enrollment. MATCH Charter Public School, located in Boston, requests an increase in its maximum enrollment. If granted, the amendment request would be phased in over the course of the next few years.

As required by 603 CMR 1.11(5) for requests that seek an increase in maximum enrollment, comment was solicited from the Boston Public Schools superintendent. No comment was received in response to this solicitation.

In summer 2007, the MATCH Charter Public School (MATCH) board of trustees requested approval of a charter amendment to change the school's maximum enrollment from 220 to 500 students, at the same time changing the school's grade span to include a middle school. The Board voted to grant the school's request to implement a middle school program, but due to limitations on the availability of seats under the 9% net school spending (NSS) cap specified in G.L. c. 71, § 89(i), the school's maximum enrollment was limited to 460 students. In July 2008, the school submitted a new request to increase its maximum enrollment from 460 to 500 students, but I did not bring this request to the Board because revised 9% NSS cap projections continued to indicate that there were not enough seats remaining in Boston to grant this request.

The Department recently conducted another analysis of seats remaining in Boston under the 9% NSS cap, taking into consideration the Board's recent decision to revoke the charter of Uphams Corner Charter School. This new analysis utilizes conservative fiscal assumptions and projects that approximately 164 seats in total are available in Boston. The Department routinely reserves approximately 25% of available seats to allow for fluctuations in net school spending. There are currently enough seats available in Boston to consider granting this request.

This fall, MATCH opened its new 6th grade program with 89 students. Because seats are available under the NSS cap, I recommend that the Board approve the MATCH Charter Public School's request to increase maximum enrollment by 40 additional seats.

MATCH Charter Public School AYP Data Summary

Commissioner's Recommendation

The Department has reviewed this request and it appears reasonable and consistent with the charter school statute and regulations. I recommend that the Board approve the amendment of MATCH Charter Public School as has been described in this memorandum.

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