Massachusetts Charter Schools

Charter Amendment Requests Pending BESE Action (Grades or Maximum Enrollment)

Pursuant to the Charter School Regulations, 603 CMR 1.10(1), the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (Board) must approve certain changes in the material terms of a school's charter. This year, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (Department) received requests from 18 existing charter schools that involve changes to the grades served, and/or the maximum enrollment allowed. If you wish to request a copy of any of the submitted amendment requests or if you have any questions, please contact charterschools@doe.mass.edu. Section 1.10 of 603 CMR contains several criteria that the Commissioner and the Board may consider in reaching a determination regarding a school's request to amend its charter. First, "the Commissioner and the Board may consider a charter school's compliance with applicable state, federal, and local law." Second, the Commissioner and the Board may consider the evidence regarding the success of the school's academic program, the viability of the school as an organization, and the faithfulness of the school to the terms of its charter. Third, if seeking an increase in maximum enrollment, the board of trustees in some districts must qualify as a "proven provider" based on the existing school and meet the performance criteria described in 603 CMR 1.04(4). Fourth, schools must address additional criteria as outlined in the Department's guidelines on amendments. We currently anticipate that these matters may be brought to the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education for consideration no earlier than its November 17, 2015 meeting and no later than its March 22, 2016 meeting. Please check Board Meeting Schedule and Agendas webpage for updates. Comment is solicited from the superintendents in the school districts within each charter school's current/proposed district or region for Commissioner and Board consideration. Members of the public may submit written comments regarding a school's amendment request for Commissioner and Board consideration to: Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, c/o Office of Charter Schools and School Redesign, 75 Pleasant Street, Malden, MA 02148 or by email to charterschools@doe.mass.edu. The deadlines for public comment vary by school request, please see below for additional information. Each deadline is guided by the Board's anticipated schedule to consider various charter school matters, including proposed charter amendments.

Name of School	Charter Region/District	Current Grade Span	Current Max Enroll	Amendment Request	Public Comment Deadline
Alma del Mar Charter School	New Bedford	K-8	360	Increase maximum enrollment by 90 seats	December 18, 2015
Boston Collegiate Charter School	Boston	5-12	665	Increase maximum enrollment by 30 seats	December 18, 2015
Boston Preparatory Charter Public School	Boston	6-12	400	Increase maximum enrollment by 520 seats; Add grade 5	December 18, 2015
Boston Renaissance Charter Public School	Boston	PK-6	944	Increase maximum enrollment by 66 seats	December 18, 2015
Bridge Boston Charter School	Boston	PK-8	335	Increase maximum enrollment by 65 seats	December 18, 2015
Brooke Charter School Roslindale; Brooke Charter School Mattapan; Brooke Charter School East Boston	Boston, Chelsea	K-8	510	Increase maximum enrollment by 659 Boston and 52 Chelsea seats; Add grades 9-12; Consolidation of three charter schools into one charter school	December 18, 2015
City on a Hill Charter Public School Circuit Street	Boston	9-12	280	Increase maximum enrollment by 5 seats	December 18, 2015
City on a Hill Charter Public School Dudley Square	Boston	9-12	280	Increase maximum enrollment by 5 seats	December 18, 2015
Codman Academy Charter Public School	Boston	PK-12	345	Increase maximum enrollment by 20 seats	December 18, 2015
Community Charter School of Cambridge	Cambridge	6-12	360	Increase maximum enrollment by 60 seats	November 13, 2015
Conservatory Lab Charter School	Boston	PK-8	444	Increase maximum enrollment by 40 seats	December 18, 2015
Global Learning Charter Public School	New Bedford	5-12	500	Increase maximum enrollment by 100 seats	December 18, 2015
Helen Y. Davis Leadership Academy Charter School	Boston	6-8	216	Increase maximum enrollment by 275 seats; Add grades 5 and 9-12	December 18, 2015
KIPP Academy Boston Public Charter School	Boston	K-8	588	Increase maximum enrollment by 588 seats; Add grades PK and 9-12	December 18, 2015
Neighborhood House Charter School	Boston	PK-8	400	Increase maximum enrollment by 428 seats; Add grades 9-12	December 18, 2015
Pioneer Charter of Science	Chelsea, Everett, and Revere	7-12	360	Increase maximum enrollment by 420 seats; Add grades K-6	December 18, 2015
Pioneer Valley Performing Arts Charter Public School	Agawam, Amherst-Pelham, Athol-Royalston, Belchertown, Central Berkshire, Chicopee, Easthampton, Erving, Frontier, Gateway, Gill-Montague, Granby, Greenfield, Hadley, Hampden-Wilbraham, Hampshire, Hatfield, Holyoke, Longmeadow, Ludlow, Mohawk Trail, Monson, Northampton, Palmer, Pioneer Valley, Quaboag, Ralph C Mahar, South Hadley, Southwick-Tolland, Springfield, Ware, West Springfield, Westfield	7-12	400	Increase maximum enrollment by 12 seats	December 18, 2015
South Shore Charter Public School	Abington, Braintree, Brockton, Cohasset, Duxbury, East Bridgewater, Halifax, Hanover, Hanson, Hingham, Holbrook, Hull, Kingston, Marshfield, Norwell, Pembroke, Plymouth, Plympton, Quincy, Randolph, Rockland, Scituate, Weymouth, and Whitman	K-12	610	Increase maximum enrollment by 890 seats	November 13, 2015

Last Updated: September 21, 2015