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, and Grades Served
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Amendment Requests to Change Charter Region, Maximum Enrollment, and Grades Served

Subject to Approval of the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education

When a school receives its original charter and any subsequent renewals of that charter from the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (Board), the state approves the charter school's broad academic and organizational plans for the next five years. Any substantive changes to those plans require the approval of the Board for an amendment to the school's charter before the changes are implemented. Charter amendments involving the districts specified in a school's charter, maximum enrollment, or grades served requires approval by the Board before implementation.

Schools are encouraged to consult with the Department prior to submission to ensure the request meets the standards for consideration by the commissioner and the Board.

The Amendment Guidelines were updated in May 2023 to include additional requirements related to the Charter School Program (CSP) grant. Additional criteria related to family and community engagement were added to the instructions for all types of requests. Schools are encouraged to consult with the Department to determine if their proposed expansion is eligible for the CSP grant.

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

• Guidelines for Charter Amendments to Districts Served, Grades Served, and Maximum Enrollment

All amendment requests shall include a Charter Amendment Cover Sheet and a Charter Amendment Request Letter.

• Charter Amendment Cover Sheet

• Template of Request Letter for a Charter Amendment to the Districts specified in a School's Charter, Maximum Enrollment, or Grades Served

Deadline for School Year 2023-2024 Requests

All schools who seek to amend their charter region, grades served, and/or maximum enrollment must submit a request by 12:00 noon on August 1, 2023 to CharterSchoolAmendments@mass.gov .

Seat Availability

• FY2024 Enrollment Projections by District for New Applications and Expansion Amendments
  The 2023-2024 projections do not guarantee the number of seats available for award in any district in FY2024. The actual number of seats that may be available for award in any district in any particular year cannot be predicted with certainty and is dependent on several factors, including district enrollment, district spending levels, student enrollment for existing charter schools, and changes in the net school spending caps of individual districts.

Last Updated: May 23, 2023