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

Charter Renewal - Vote on Mystic Valley Regional Charter School

This month, the Board will vote on the charter renewal application of Mystic Valley Regional Charter School (MVRCS), a regional charter school.

This month, the Board will have its initial discussion of the charter renewal application of Mystic Valley Regional Charter School (MVRCS). The Board will vote on this renewal at its meeting on October 30, 2007.

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, the recommendations regarding renewal are based upon the Department's 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 superintendents of districts sending students to each school have been invited to submit written comment to the Department regarding the renewal of each school's charter. No written comment was received from these superintendents.

The summary document that follows this memorandum was prepared for you as a compilation of the school's record for the term of this charter. 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. I recommend that, based on the evidence gathered in the attached Summary of Review and as further summarized below, the Board renew the charter for Mystic Valley Regional Charter School.

I. Academic Success

• Mystic Valley offers a program based on the use of nationally recognized curriculum models. The primary components of the curriculum are the Direct Instruction literacy program, the Core Knowledge program for history, geography and science, and Saxon math.
• The school received authorization to implement the International Baccalaureate Programme in April 2005. The school has begun to implement this program as an option for students in grades 11 and 12.
• Site visit teams from the Charter School Office found that curriculum in the lower school was well documented and aligned with state frameworks, but that curriculum in the upper school was not as well documented. The Renewal Inspection team found that the curriculum was well developed and rigorous for all grade levels.
• Site visit teams from the Charter School Office found that instruction in the lower school was generally effective and reflective of high academic standards, but that students in the upper school were less engaged and were not asked to employ critical thinking skills. Members of the renewal inspection team found rigorous classroom instruction and high academic standards throughout the school.
• Student performance at all grade levels is frequently assessed. Assessment data is used to place students into flexible instructional groups.
• MVRCS attained AYP in English language arts and Mathematics in the aggregate in all four years of the current charter term at levels higher than state targets. MVRCS did not make AYP in ELA in 2003 for Special Education students and in 2006 for African-American students, and did not make AYP in Mathematics in 2003 for Special Education or African American students, and in 2006 for Low Income Students.

II. Organizational Viability

• MVRCS is financially sound and stable.
• The school's board consists of five members, the minimum number of members allowed by the school's bylaws. Three of the members have served on the board since the school's founding, one has served for six years, and one has served for four years. To date, the board has refused to comply with the Charter School Office's recommendation that the school's bylaws include a provision for specific reasonable limits on successive or total terms that a member may serve.
• Site visit teams and the renewal inspection team found that the school does not comply with the provisions of the state's Open Meeting Law in that board minutes do not consistently reflect a public declaration of the purpose of the executive session, record votes on the question of whether to convene an open session, and indicate whether the board would reconvene in open meeting after executive session. In addition, matters discussed in executive session do not always fall within the allowable purposes outlined in the Open Meeting Law, and board subcommittees do not maintain minutes.
• MVRCS maintains full enrollment. The school has a waitlist for kindergarten through grade 5. It does not enroll new students after grade 5 and enrollment is substantially lower in the higher grade levels.

III. Faithfulness to Charter

• The mission of the school is to establish "a world class educational environment characterized by a well-mannered, disciplined and structured academic climate." Character education, defined as incorporating the virtues and ideals that are embodied in the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution, is integrated into the curriculum throughout the school.
• In August 2007, the Department determined that the MVRCS Mid-cycle Coordinated Program Review Progress Reports do not demonstrate that the school is moving forward to fully implement its Corrective Action Plan. The Department has issued a directive to MVRCS that includes the required steps the school must take to correct previously identified noncompliance areas in special education, civil rights, and English language learners.
• Site visit teams noted strong collaboration between the special and regular education programs.

IV. Dissemination

• The National Core Knowledge Foundation designated MVRCS as an Official Core Knowledge Visit School in 2003. Many teams of educators from local and national sites have visited the school to observe the implementation of the Core Knowledge curriculum sequence.
• In December of 2005, representatives of MVRCS and the Malden Public Schools met to begin a dialogue on successful curriculum strategies in science.

If you have any questions regarding this renewal recommendation 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.

Enclosure:    Summary of Review