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

North Central Charter Essential School - Progress Report on Renewal Conditions

This memorandum provides you with an update regarding North Central Charter Essential School ("North Central") in Fitchburg. In February 2007, the Board of Education imposed four conditions upon the renewal of the charter for North Central. Below is a summary of information gathered regarding the school since February 2007, including a report on the site visit conducted by the Charter School Office in October (http://www.doe.mass.edu/charter/reports/default.html). The Charter School Office will continue to monitor the school's progress. No further action by the Board is required at this time.

The four conditions imposed on the charter for North Central are as follows.

1. By June 30, 2007, the school shall submit a report on actions taken in response to the recommendations of a consultant, who shall be approved by the Commissioner, hired to complete a review of the school's leadership structure and to provide assistance in the hiring process for school leadership.

2. By June 30, 2007, North Central Charter Essential School must submit to the Department's Charter School Office a school improvement plan created through the Department's process for creation of a District Plan for School Intervention.

3. By June 30, 2007, North Central Charter Essential School must have an Accountability Plan approved by the Charter School Office. The Accountability Plan must include annual benchmarks against goals and objectives that align to the school's plan for improvement as referenced in Condition 1. Benchmarks within the Accountability Plan must include the school making Adequate Yearly Progress in the aggregate and for all statistically significant subgroups on all applicable tests.

4. North Central Charter Essential School must demonstrate that it is an academic success by December of 2008 by providing evidence that the school has met or is making substantial progress toward meeting benchmarks in its 2007-2012 Accountability Plan and has made Adequate Yearly Progress in the aggregate and for all statistically significant subgroups on all applicable tests on the spring 2007 and spring 2008 MCAS test administrations.

Condition 1 - Consultant's Report and Actions Taken

North Central has met Condition 1. Condition 1 required the school to engage a consultant to review its leadership structure and assistance in the hiring process for school leadership. North Central received approval from the Commissioner and engaged a consulting firm, Class Measures. On June 22, 2007, North Central submitted a report in response to the consultant's recommendations. The school's report on Condition 1 can be found at http://www.doe.mass.edu/charter/reports/2007/ncces/renewalcondition.pdf or http://www.doe.mass.edu/charter/reports/2007/ncces/renewalcondition.doc.

Condition 2 - School Improvement Plan

North Central has met Condition 2. The school completed a Plan for Charter School Improvement. The school's plan can be found at http://www.doe.mass.edu/charter/reports/2007/ncces/improveplan.pdf or http://www.doe.mass.edu/charter/reports/2007/ncces/improveplan.doc. Accountability and Targeted Assistance has reviewed this plan and provided the school feedback. The results of this review can be found at http://www.doe.mass.edu/charter/reports/2007/ncces/analysistool.pdf or http://www.doe.mass.edu/charter/reports/2007/ncces/analysistool.doc.

Condition 3 - Accountability Plan

North Central has met Condition 3. North Central submitted a draft Accountability Plan in a timely fashion, received feedback from the Charter School Office, and submitted a final Accountability Plan by June 30, 2007. The Accountability Plan can be found at http://www.doe.mass.edu/charter/reports/2007/ncces/accountabilityplan.pdf or http://www.doe.mass.edu/charter/reports/2007/ncces/accountabilityplan.doc.

Condition 4 - Academic Success

North Central has partially met Condition 4 and this condition requires further assessment annually. North Central did not make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in the aggregate or for subgroups in English language arts in 2007 and has the status of Identified for Improvement, Year 2. North Central made AYP in the aggregate for mathematics, however, the school did not make AYP for subgroups for a fifth year and has the status of Restructuring, Year 1 for subgroups because the Low Income subgroup (n=6) did not meet the graduation rate standard of 55%. The school's accountability data for 2007 can be found at http://profiles.doe.mass.edu/ayp/ayp_report/school.aspx?fyCode=2007&orgcode=04740505.

If you would like a hard copy of the documents referred to in this memorandum, have any questions, or require additional information regarding North Central, please contact Jeff Wulfson, Associate Commissioner, at 781-338-6500; Mary Street, Director of Charter Schools, at 781-338-3200; or me.