Board Votes Not to Renew Charter for Lynn Charter School

MALDEN - Citing organizational and academic flaws, the Board of Education voted 7-2 on Tuesday not to renew the charter of the Lynn Community Charter School.

Calling the decision a "difficult" one, board members said the school had not remained faithful to the terms of its original charter.

"The staff and leadership of the school have made a heroic effort to create an innovative school that expands and improves educational opportunities for urban students who face many difficult challenges," said Board Chairman James Peyser. "Nevertheless, there is little evidence that the school has been successful in raising student achievement, and its governance structure is in disarray."

Education Commissioner David P. Driscoll agreed.

"While this was a most difficult decision to make, it was the right thing to do," he said. "It is critical that we hold firm on high standards for charter schools."

Board members unanimously voted to waive the March 1 deadline for charter school renewal to give LCCS officials 15 days to decide if they want seek an adjudicatory hearing.

The Charter School Review Board answers three questions when evaluating a school: Is the academic program a success? Is the school a viable organization? Is the school faithful to the terms of its charter? For LCCS, the answer to all three questions was no.

The board also voted to award 5 new charters at Tuesday's meeting. The schools are the Four Rivers Charter School in Greenfield; the Roxbury Charter High School for Business, Finance and Entrepreneurship in Boston; the Smith Academy for Leadership Charter School in Boston; the South End College Preparatory Charter School in Boston; and the Uphams Corner Charter School in Boston.

For more information on charter schools please visit the Department of Education website www.doe.mass.edu/charter.