Current Legislation

A sweeping education reform bill was approved by the Legislature and signed into law by Governor Deval Patrick in January 2010.

The new law eliminates a statewide enrollment cap and phases in an increase in the local spending cap on charters in the state's lowest performing school districts over a six-year period. The new law effectively doubles the number of children who can attend charter public schools in the neediest communities. These new charters will be reserved for "successful charter operators," allowing the highest performing charter public schools to replicate their models and create networks of successful schools. Approximately 35,000 more children will be able to attend charters in these communities. The availability of more seats is welcome news to the families of the 24,000 students currently on wait lists.

Additionally, the current charter school funding formula was preserved in this legislation.

The new law also imposes new requirements on charters to recruit and retain students from similar demographic backgrounds as district students and places controls on how our schools fill vacancies when students transfer back to districts during the school year. There are also new restrictions imposed on charter school reserve funds and out-of-district enrollments.

Click here to read the law

Click here to read the MCPSA's Public Statement on the Passage of Education Reform Legislation