The Massachusetts charter school initiative : a report of the Massachusetts Department of Education PDF
Preview The Massachusetts charter school initiative : a report of the Massachusetts Department of Education
Massachusetts Department of Education This document was preparedbythe Massachusetts Department ofEducation Dr. David P Driscoll, Commissioner ofEducation Board of Education Members JamesA. Peyser, Chairman, Dorchester Roberta R. Schaefer, Vice-Chairperson, Worcester Charles D. Baker, Swampscott J. Richard Crowley,Andover Judith I. Gill, Chancellor ofHigher Education, Boston William K. Irwin, Jr., Wilmington Jody Kelman, Concord, Chair, StudentAdvisory Council Abigail M. Thernstrom, Lexington Henry M. Thomas, III, Springfield David R Driscoll, Commissioner andSecretaryto the Board The Massachusetts Department ofEducation, anAffirmativeAction employer, is committed to ensuring that all ofits programs and facilities are accessible to all members ofthe public. We do not discriminate on the basis ofage, color, disability, national origin, race, reli- ^S^ Q$£. gi°n sex or sexual orientation. > - "We help7/ IF 350 Main Street Maiden, Massachusetts 02148-5023 Department of 781-338-3000 Education Tel: Ik Massachusetts A Report of the Massachusetts Department of Education This documentprinted on recycledpaper. © Copyright 2001 Massachusetts Department ofEducation Permission is herebygranted to copyany or allparts ofthis document for non-commercial educationalpurposes. Please credit the "Massachusetts Department ofEducation." Cover Art Flower mosaic by Danielle Lemoyne Grade 7, Seven Hills Charter School The Commonwealth ofMassachusetts Department of Education 350Main Street, Maiden, MA02148-5023 Telephone:(781) 338-3000 TTY:N.E.T. Relay 1-800-439-2370 DavidP. Driscoll CommissionerofEducation May2001 Dear Friends: — The Massachusetts Education ReformAct of1993 an ambitious andsus- — tained commitmentto improvingstudentlearning includedamongits provi- sions the creation ofa smallnumberofnew, independentpublic schools: charter schools. Thepurpose ofthese newschools is to increase studentachievement, offerparents more choices, develop innovative schoolmodels, andbe held accountable forresults. As ofthe 2000-01 schoolyear, 35 Commonwealth andfive Horace Mann charters enrollnearly 15,000 students from over 180districts ingrades Kindergarten to 12. Initsbriefhistory, the Massachusetts charterschoolinitia- tivehasgainednationalrecognition forits innovation, strictaccountability, commitmentto high academic standards, as wellas forthe enthusiasmandsup- portthe schoolshave receivedfrom families. Asrequiredbylaw, allcharterschools thathavebeen openforoneyearor more completeanannualreportthatdescribes theirrecordforthepreviousyear. The Massachusetts CharterSchoolInitiative Reportprovidesabriefsummaryof thoseannualreports, supplementedwithinformationfrom documentattion requiredofallpublic schools, includingcharterschools,bythe Massachusetts DepartmentofEducation. Inaddition, the Massachusetts CharterSchool Initiative Reportprovidesananalysis ofthe challengesandlessons thathavebeen learnedinMassachusetts sincetheinitiativebegan Iwouldlike to acknowledge the workofSusan Miller Barker,Associate Commissionerfor Charter Schools, andthe other Department staffwho created this report. The pages that followtellthe storyofwhathas been accomplished byhundreds ofteachers, parents, and others who haveworkedhardto turn their dreams into reality. Charterschools are stillyoungandare one ofmany importantreform efforts underway, and I am pleasedto offer this report forall who are interestedin theirprogress. Myintention is to help allpublic schools succeed, andpart ofthis will depend on howwellwe can share "bestpractices" imongall ofourschools. 'nscoll Commissioner ofEducation A REPORTOFTHE MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENTOF EDUCATION Table of Contents 1. Questions andAnswers 1 Whatis a Commonwealth charter school? 3 Whatis a Horace Mann charter school? 3 Whatis the purpose ofthe charter schoolinitiative? 3 Howare charter schools different? 4 Howare charter schools heldaccountable? 4 Do public school standards applyto charter schools? ... 4 Who can applyfor a charter? 5 On whatgrounds is an application denied? 5 Is there alimit to the number ofcharters? 6 Howmuch demandis there for charter schools? 6 Who mayenrollin charter schools? 7 What studentpopulations are in charter schools? 7 May charter schools give entrance exams? 7 Do charter schools serve specialneeds? 8 Howis charter school funding different? 8 What role does private fundraisingplay? 9 Whatkey challenges do charter schools face? 9 Who is evaluating charter schools? 9 Howare charter schools performingacademically? 10 Howis a charter renewed? 10 2. The Charter Concept 11 What is a Charter School? 13 Why Charter Schools? 15 Freedom 17 Innovation 19 Accountability 21 Choice 23 3. Charter School Nuts and Bolts 25 Becominga Charter School 29 Oversight and Accountability 31 Enrollment and Withdrawal 35 School Financing 37 THE MASSACHUSETTS CHARTER SCHOOL INITIATIVE: 2001 4. Six Key Challenges 41 Accountability for Results 45 School Governance 48 School Facilities 49 School Management 51 .* Special Education 53 Replication ofModels 55 5. OverviewofCharter Schools in Massachusetts 57 Charter Schools in Massachusetts 60 Charter School Initiative Timeline 62 Applications and Enrollment 64 AcademicAchievement 66 SchoolApproaches and Characteristics 68 Facultyand Resources 70 Populations Served 72 Charter School Finances 74 6. School Profiles, 1999-2000 77 Introduction and Explanation 79 Questions about the School Profiles 87 Abby Kelley Foster Regional Charter School 92 Academy ofthe Pacific Rim 96 Atlantis Charter School 100 Barnstable Horace Mann Charter School 104 Benjamin Banneker Charter School 108 Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter School 112 Boston EveningAcademy 116 Boston Renaissance Charter School 120 Cape Cod Lighthouse 124 Champion Charter School ofBrockton 128 City on a Hill Charter School 132 Community Day Charter School 136 Conservatory Lab Charter School 140 Francis W. Parker Charter School 144 Health Careers Academy 148 Hilltown Cooperative Charter School 152 Lawrence Family DevelopmentCharter School 156 A REPORT OFTHE MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Lowell MiddlesexAcademy Charter School 160 Lynn Community Charter School 164 Marblehead Community CharterSchool 168 Marthas Vineyard Public Charter School 172 Murdoch Middle Public Charter School 176 MysticValley Regional Charter School 180 Neighborhood House Charter School 184 New LeadershipAcademy 188 PioneerValley PerformingArts 192 RisingTide Charter School 196 RiverValley Charter School 200 Robert M. HughesAcademy 204 Roxbury Preparatory Charter School 208 Sabis Foxborough Regional Charter School 212 Sabis International Charter School 216 Seven Hills Charter School 220 Somerville Charter School 224 South Boston HarborAcademy 228 South Shore Charter School 232 Sturgis Charter School 236 6. School Profiles, New Schools 241 Academy ofStrategic Learning Charter School 245 CodmanAcademy Charter School 246 Edward Brooke Charter School 247 Framingham Community Charter School 248 Frederick Douglass Charter School 249 Holyoke Community Charter School 250 Lowell Community Charter School 251 Media andTechnology Charter High (MATCH) 252 New Bedford Global LearningCharter School 253 North Central Charter Essential School 254 Northern Bristol County Regional Charter School 255 Questions and Iswers RiverValleyCharierSchool 2 THE MASSACHUSETTSCHARTER SCHOOL INITIATIVE: 2001
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