Massachusetts Charter Schools

Charter Amendment Requests Pending Board Action (Grades, or Maximum Enrollment, or Change to Charter Region)

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 (2018-2019), the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (Department) received requests from five existing charter schools that involve changes to the grades served, the maximum enrollment allowed, or the charter region.

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 in certain districts, the board of trustees 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 bringing these matters to the Board for consideration no earlier than its meeting scheduled for January 22, 2019, and anticipate completing the process by its meeting scheduled for February 12, 2019. Updates may be found on the Department's website at Board Meeting Schedule and Agendas.

The Department solicits comments from the superintendents in the school districts within each charter school's current/proposed district or region. Members of the public may submit written comments regarding a school's amendment request 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.

Name of Charter School	Current District or Region	Current Grade Span	Current Maximum Enrollment	Proposed Amendment to Charter	Public Comment Deadline
Alma del Mar Charter School	New Bedford	K–8	450	Increase enrollment by 1,188 seats	December 3, 2018
Excel Academy Charter School	Boston, Chelsea	5–12	1,344	Increase enrollment by 56 seats (Chelsea)	December 3, 2018
Global Learning Charter Public School	New Bedford	5–12	500	Increase enrollment by 100 seats	December 3, 2018
Pioneer Charter School of Science II	Danvers, Lynn, Peabody, Salem, Saugus	7–12	360	Add grades K-6 and increase enrollment by 420 seats	December 3, 2018
Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School	Agawam, Amherst, Amherst-Pelham, Belchertown, Chesterfield-Goshen, Chicopee, Conway, Deerfield, East Longmeadow, Easthampton, Frontier, Gill-Montague, Granby, Greenfield, Hadley, Hampden-Wilbraham, Hampshire, Hatfield, Hawlemont, Holyoke, Leverett, Longmeadow, Ludlow, Mohawk Trail, Northampton, Pelham, Pioneer Valley, Shutesbury, South Hadley, Southampton, Springfield, Sunderland, West Springfield, Westfield, Westhampton, Whately, Williamsburg, Southwick-Tolland- Granville	K-12	584	Increase enrollment by 368 seats	December 3, 2018

Last Updated: October 11, 2018