Massachusetts Charter Schools

Charter Amendment Requests Pending BESE Action (Grades or Maximum Enrollment)

Pursuant to the Charter School Regulations, 603 CMR 1.10(1), the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (Board) must approve certain changes in the material terms of a school's charter. This year, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (Department) received requests from 18 existing charter schools that involve changes to the grades served, and/or the maximum enrollment allowed. If you wish to request a copy of any of the submitted amendment requests or if you have any questions, please contact charterschools@doe.mass.edu. Section 1.10 of 603 CMR contains several criteria that the Commissioner and the Board may consider in reaching a determination regarding a school's request to amend its charter. First, "the Commissioner and the Board may consider a charter school's compliance with applicable state, federal, and local law." Second, the Commissioner and the Board may consider the 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. Third, if seeking an increase in maximum enrollment, the board of trustees in some districts must qualify as a "proven provider" based on the existing school and meet the performance criteria described in 603 CMR 1.04(4). Fourth, schools must address additional criteria as outlined in the Department's guidelines on amendments. We currently anticipate that these matters may be brought to the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education for consideration no earlier than its November 17, 2015 meeting and no later than its March 22, 2016 meeting. Please check Board Meeting Schedule and Agendas webpage for updates. Comment is solicited from the superintendents in the school districts within each charter school's current/proposed district or region for Commissioner and Board consideration. Members of the public may submit written comments regarding a school's amendment request for Commissioner and Board consideration to: Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, c/o Office of Charter Schools and School Redesign, 75 Pleasant Street, Malden, MA 02148 or by email to charterschools@doe.mass.edu. The deadlines for public comment vary by school request, please see below for additional information. Each deadline is guided by the Board's anticipated schedule to consider various charter school matters, including proposed charter amendments.
Name of SchoolCharter Region/DistrictCurrent Grade SpanCurrent Max EnrollAmendment RequestPublic Comment Deadline
Alma del Mar Charter SchoolNew BedfordK-8360Increase maximum enrollment by 90 seatsDecember 18, 2015
Boston Collegiate Charter SchoolBoston5-12665Increase maximum enrollment by 30 seatsDecember 18, 2015
Boston Preparatory Charter Public SchoolBoston6-12400Increase maximum enrollment by 520 seats;
Add grade 5		December 18, 2015
Boston Renaissance Charter Public SchoolBostonPK-6944Increase maximum enrollment by 66 seatsDecember 18, 2015
Bridge Boston Charter SchoolBostonPK-8335Increase maximum enrollment by 65 seatsDecember 18, 2015
Brooke Charter School Roslindale;
Brooke Charter School Mattapan;
Brooke Charter School East Boston		Boston, ChelseaK-8510Increase maximum enrollment by 659 Boston and 52 Chelsea seats; Add grades 9-12; Consolidation of three charter schools into one charter schoolDecember 18, 2015
City on a Hill Charter Public School Circuit StreetBoston9-12280Increase maximum enrollment by 5 seatsDecember 18, 2015
City on a Hill Charter Public School Dudley SquareBoston9-12280Increase maximum enrollment by 5 seatsDecember 18, 2015
Codman Academy Charter Public SchoolBostonPK-12345Increase maximum enrollment by 20 seatsDecember 18, 2015
Community Charter School of CambridgeCambridge6-12360Increase maximum enrollment by 60 seatsNovember 13, 2015
Conservatory Lab Charter SchoolBostonPK-8444Increase maximum enrollment by 40 seatsDecember 18, 2015
Global Learning Charter Public SchoolNew Bedford5-12500Increase maximum enrollment by 100 seatsDecember 18, 2015
Helen Y. Davis Leadership Academy Charter SchoolBoston6-8216Increase maximum enrollment by 275 seats;
Add grades 5 and 9-12		December 18, 2015
KIPP Academy Boston Public Charter SchoolBostonK-8588Increase maximum enrollment by 588 seats;
Add grades PK and 9-12		December 18, 2015
Neighborhood House Charter SchoolBostonPK-8400Increase maximum enrollment by 428 seats;
Add grades 9-12		December 18, 2015
Pioneer Charter of ScienceChelsea, Everett, and Revere7-12360Increase maximum enrollment by 420 seats;
Add grades K-6		December 18, 2015
Pioneer Valley Performing Arts Charter Public SchoolAgawam, Amherst-Pelham, Athol-Royalston, Belchertown, Central Berkshire, Chicopee, Easthampton, Erving, Frontier, Gateway, Gill-Montague, Granby, Greenfield, Hadley, Hampden-Wilbraham, Hampshire, Hatfield, Holyoke, Longmeadow, Ludlow, Mohawk Trail, Monson, Northampton, Palmer, Pioneer Valley, Quaboag, Ralph C Mahar, South Hadley, Southwick-Tolland, Springfield, Ware, West Springfield, Westfield7-12400Increase maximum enrollment by 12 seatsDecember 18, 2015
South Shore Charter Public SchoolAbington, Braintree, Brockton, Cohasset, Duxbury, East Bridgewater, Halifax, Hanover, Hanson, Hingham, Holbrook, Hull, Kingston, Marshfield, Norwell, Pembroke, Plymouth, Plympton, Quincy, Randolph, Rockland, Scituate, Weymouth, and WhitmanK-12610Increase maximum enrollment by 890 seatsNovember 13, 2015




Last Updated: September 21, 2015



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