Board Governance and Charter Amendments

Board Governance

• Obligations and Responsibilities of Boards of Trustees
• Use of the Board Member Management System
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Notification and Amendments

• Significant Matters and Changes that Require Notification to the Department
• Amendments of Board and School Policies, such as Bylaws and Enrollment Policy, and Mission-related Elements
• Amendment Requests to Change Charter Region, Maximum Enrollment, Grades Served, and new or existing Management Contracts
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Amendments of Board and School Policies, such as Bylaws and Enrollment Policy, and Mission-related Elements

Subject to Approval of the Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education

All amendments to board approved policies that require alignment to published Department guidance require provisional approval by the Department prior to Commissioner approval. Provisional approval ensures that all changes align to current Department guidance and requirements. Please refer to the table below to determine the staff member who will review and provide provisional approval to the type of document the school seeks to amend. Prior to submission, any specific questions regarding Department guidance or the review process should be directed to the individual named below. Please submit the draft document directly to the individual via email.

Preliminary approval is required for changes to:

All other amendments to terms of the school's charter may be voted upon by the board and submitted directly to the Department via csamendments@doe.mass.edu for Commissioner approval without consultation with the Department.

Consultation with Department staff is not required prior to submission for changes to:

• School name;
• Mission;
• Governance or leadership structure;
• Educational programs, curriculum models, or whole-school designs that are inconsistent with those specified in the school's charter;
• Membership of the board of trustees;
• Schedule (e.g. length of school year, school week, or school day); and
• Location of facilities, if such change involves relocating or expanding to another municipality within the charter region.

If a school is proposing to permanently change its schedule, length of school year, school week, or school day), the school must also submit a completed School Schedule Template with the request.

For information on how to complete an amendment request, please refer to the Amendment Guidelines below:

All amendment requests shall include a Charter Amendment Cover Sheet and a Charter Amendment Request Letter for Commissioner Approval. Charter Amendment Request Letters should briefly describe how the board came to decide to submit the charter amendment, why the amendment should be granted, and indicate specific concerns if the request is not granted, as applicable.

Templates for both documents can be found below.

Last Updated: May 20, 2020