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Municipal Services DESE sets hearings for proposed charter schools
The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education will hold five public hearings next month for the seven final charter school applications filed by the Nov. 13 deadline.
The Board of Education is expected to vote on the applications in February.
The first hearing, on Dec. 1, is for the proposed Discovery Charter School of Sustainability, which would draw students from a 24-town area in Franklin County.
Hearings will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. on the following dates:
Dec. 1: Greenfield Youth Center
Dec. 3: Worcester State College
Dec. 8: Lenox Town Hall Community Center
Dec. 10: Lynn Housing Authority Community Room
Dec. 14: Thomas Crane Public Library Meeting Room, Quincy
Written comments may be submitted through Jan. 4, 2010, to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Charter School Office, 75 Pleasant St., Malden, MA 02148, or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
The seven schools would be located across the state, with maximum total enrollment of about 2,000 students. (See details below.) The MMA estimates that approximately $24 million would be deducted from local education aid payments in fiscal 2011 if all seven schools open with full enrollment next year.
Under current law, new education aid deductions in any fiscal year are fully covered by state reimbursement, subject to appropriation in the state budget, with reimbursements declining after the first year.
There are 62 charter schools operating in Massachusetts, according to the Education Department, including 55 private charter schools, called Commonwealth charter schools, and seven in-district Horace Mann charter schools. About 24,000 students are enrolled in charter schools statewide.
The hearings will consider applications for the following proposed charter schools:
• Discovery Charter School of Sustainability, Franklin County, K-6, 260 students
• Hanlin International Academy Charter School, Quincy, 6-12, 308 students
• Housatonic River Charter School, Berkshire County, 7-12, 240 students
• Leaders of Tomorrow Charter Public School, Worcester, 6-8, 270 students
• Lynn Preparatory School, Lynn, K-8, 250 students
• Road to Success Charter High School, Lynn, Peabody and Salem, 9-12, 400 students
• Spirit of Knowledge Academy Charter School, Worcester, 7-12, 275 students
Municipal Services DESE sets hearings for proposed charter schools
DESE sets hearings for proposed charter schools
The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education will hold five public hearings next month for the seven final charter school applications filed by the Nov. 13 deadline.
The Board of Education is expected to vote on the applications in February.
The first hearing, on Dec. 1, is for the proposed Discovery Charter School of Sustainability, which would draw students from a 24-town area in Franklin County.
Hearings will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. on the following dates:
Dec. 1: Greenfield Youth Center
Dec. 3: Worcester State College
Dec. 8: Lenox Town Hall Community Center
Dec. 10: Lynn Housing Authority Community Room
Dec. 14: Thomas Crane Public Library Meeting Room, Quincy
Written comments may be submitted through Jan. 4, 2010, to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Charter School Office, 75 Pleasant St., Malden, MA 02148, or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
The seven schools would be located across the state, with maximum total enrollment of about 2,000 students. (See details below.) The MMA estimates that approximately $24 million would be deducted from local education aid payments in fiscal 2011 if all seven schools open with full enrollment next year.
Under current law, new education aid deductions in any fiscal year are fully covered by state reimbursement, subject to appropriation in the state budget, with reimbursements declining after the first year.
There are 62 charter schools operating in Massachusetts, according to the Education Department, including 55 private charter schools, called Commonwealth charter schools, and seven in-district Horace Mann charter schools. About 24,000 students are enrolled in charter schools statewide.
The hearings will consider applications for the following proposed charter schools:
• Discovery Charter School of Sustainability, Franklin County, K-6, 260 students
• Hanlin International Academy Charter School, Quincy, 6-12, 308 students
• Housatonic River Charter School, Berkshire County, 7-12, 240 students
• Leaders of Tomorrow Charter Public School, Worcester, 6-8, 270 students
• Lynn Preparatory School, Lynn, K-8, 250 students
• Road to Success Charter High School, Lynn, Peabody and Salem, 9-12, 400 students
• Spirit of Knowledge Academy Charter School, Worcester, 7-12, 275 students
Written by MMA Legislative Director John Robertson
