News Article - Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

For Immediate Release
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Contact:	JC Considine 781-338-3112

Board of Elementary and Secondary Education Approves 2 New Charter Schools and Expansion Request from Existing Charter School

Commonwealth's second virtual school also receives certificate to operate

MALDEN - The Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education voted today to grant charters to the founders of two proposed charter schools in Fall River and Springfield and approve an expansion request from an existing charter school in Fall River to add 583 seats to its current enrollment. The Board also voted to grant a virtual school certificate to the founders of the state's second virtual school in Dedham. The two groups receiving charters today were among six groups that submitted final applications this year. As part of the 2013-14 charter school application cycle, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education received ten prospectuses from groups seeking to open new charter schools. Elementary and Secondary Education Commissioner Mitchell Chester invited the founders of six of those groups to submit final applications. Earlier this month, the Commissioner recommended that the Board vote to grant charters to two out of the proposed six charter schools. The two new charter schools approved on Tuesday were:

Argosy Collegiate Charter School, a Commonwealth charter school that will open in Fall River in fall 2014. The school will enroll 644 students in grades 6-12 when it reaches its full capacity.
Springfield Preparatory Charter School, a Commonwealth charter school that will open in Springfield in fall 2015. The school will enroll 486 students in grades K-8 when it reaches its full capacity.

The Board also voted to approve an expansion request for the following existing charter school:

Atlantis Charter School, a Commonwealth charter school in Fall River that currently serves 795 students in grades K-8, will increase its enrollment by 583 students. This will permit the school to implement its original proposed K-12 grade span.

The new virtual school approved on Tuesday was:

TEC Connections Academy (TECCA) Commonwealth Virtual School, a virtual school proposed by The Education Cooperative (TEC) in Dedham that will open in fall 2014. The school may enroll up to 2,000 students in grades K-12 through 2016-17, the proposed year it would reach full capacity.

TECCA will become the state's second virtual school, joining the Massachusetts Virtual Academy at Greenfield Commonwealth Virtual School, which is currently in operation. For more information on charter schools, go to Massachusetts Charter Schools. For more information on virtual schools, go to Commonwealth of Massachusetts Virtual Schools.

Last Updated: February 25, 2014