Marc's Blog

posted Tue Jan 4 2011 16:50

Yesterday's hearing in New Bedford went great, this was the last of the seven state public hearings on new commonwealth charter applications.

50 supporters of the very impressive Alma Del Mar Charter School founding group crowded a public library conference room to hear a cross section of the New Bedford community testify in favor of the proposal. ADMCS is proposed as a K-8 Expeditionary Learning school taking advantage of the rich historical New Bedford culture to enhance the curriculum inside and outside the school walls.

The Mayor, a City Councilor and member of the School Department testified. They all said very supportive things about the founding group and their proposal. However, they opposed the granting of the charter school because of the financial impact on the district.

New Bedford is still under the 9% cap so this school could be chartered without the "proven provider" statute applying.

Board members from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) in attendance were Jim McDermott and Michael D'Ortenzio Jr.

Next steps timeline for final charter applicants:

1. January - DESE conducts private interviews of founding groups and convenes reviewer discussion groups

2. February - Commissioner Chester makes recommendation to the BESE

3. February 28 - BESE votes

posted Tue Jan 4 2011 10:13

Another great afternoon for charter schools yesterday in Boston when over 150 charter school supporters filled the City Council Chambers to testify on behalf of nine founding groups proposing 16 charter schools in Boston. This was the sixth of seven statewide public hearings on the 23 new charter applications.

Despite a call for protest by the Boston Teachers Union, there was no testimony against the applications.

The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education members present were Chair Maura Banta, Paul Reville, Gerald Chertavian, Harneen Chernow, and Michael D'Ortenzio Jr.

See the Globe article about yesterday's hearing under The Latest on our homepage.

Tonight LAST STOP: New Bedford

posted Tue Jan 4 2011 10:13

Last night in Holyoke was the fourth of seven public hearings on new charter school applications.

The bulk of the testimony was devoted to the Paulo Freire Social Justice Charter School, a proposed 6-12 is to be located in Holyoke and includes 24 districts stretching across central and western Massachusetts. The school is being proposed by Bob Brick and Ljuba Marsh, the two founders of the Pioneer Valley Performing Arts Charter School (PVPA), a highly successful 15 year old charter school in South Hadley. The testimony was provided by some Holyoke residents expressing a need for alternatives, and members of the PVPA community testifying to the success of Bob and Ljuba at PVPA.

Next hearing is Monday, December 6, in Lawrence from 4:00 pm to 6:00pm at the Main Branch of the Lawrence Public Library, Meeting Room, 51 Lawrence Street.

Stay tuned...

posted Tue Jan 4 2011 10:13

In an unprecedented meeting, yesterday Boston charter school leaders met with Boston Superintendent Carol Johnson, her staff and high ranking members of the Menino Administration. The topic of discussion was a possible "compact of collaboration" between Boston charters and BPS addressing the question: "are there ways to work together that would improve the education of all Boston students?"

The meeting was the first in a series to be held over the next couple of months to explore collaboration. Many issues were put on the table in an initial brainstorming session with more in-depth follow-up scheduled for future sessions.

In a related story, the Globe reported this morning that Mayor Menino and Superintendent Johnson announced yesterday the possibility of the city leasing empty, or soon to be empty BPS buildings to Boston charter schools. This is being discussed in the city in relationship to the move by the district to close a number of BPS schools and reorganize/consolidate/move others. Obviously a real estate relationship would be a tremendous breakthrough for charters in the state. As goes Boston so goes.....

posted Tue Jan 4 2011 10:12

Things really HAVE changed. Last night in Springfield was the 3rd of 7 public hearings on commonwealth charter applications

Eighty people filled a room to hear public testimony on the two Springfield applications: nobody spoke against.

In ten years in this job, over 30 public hearings, I'd never seen that!.

Two exciting Springfield applications. Both have strong founding groups and visions and I hope can be chartered.

Veritas Prep, a proposed middle school is led by Building Excellent Schools fellow Rachel Romano. The founding group members and BES reps spoke eloquently about the need for the school and the excellent team of Rachel, the founding board and BES that is in place. A number of Springfield parents also spoke passionately in support of the application.

Collegiate Charter School is a middle/high school proposal collaborating with American International College in Springfield to provide an "early to college" option in Springfield and three neighboring districts. Speaking eloquently in favor of the proposal included an AIC leader, the Hadley Superintendent of Schools, a number of area college faculty, and Springfield parents who spoke passionately in support of this application as well.

The next hearing is tomorrow, from 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm at Holyoke Community College - People's Bank Conference Center, Kittredge Building, Park in Lot E, 303 Homestead Avenue, Holyoke.

I will be there also and hope local supporters in the Holyoke area will be too!

posted Tue Jan 4 2011 10:12

Last night I attended the second of the seven public hearings in Lynn on new commonwealth charter applications. The main focus of the hearing was the Lynn Preparatory Charter School application. As you might recall, this founding group applied last year and was recommended by the Commissioner for chartering to the board of ESE. However, the Commissioner rescind the recommendation a couple of days before the vote due to claims by the Lynn local government that the new charter school would be a "conversion" of a highly successful private school serving underserved Lynn students.

According to the founding group's testimony yesterday the concerns of the department have been addressed and the private school will stay open next year even if the charter is granted. In addition to the founding group members, many Lynn parents testified eloquently about both the need for public school alternatives in Lynn and the success of the founding group at the private school.The Lynn Mayor, Superintendent and a couple of Lynn residents spoke against the proposal, primarily on the private school conversion grounds.

Two founding applicant groups from Boston also testified in this hearing; citing the large number of applicants to be heard at the December 7th Boston hearing as their reason for travelling to Lynn to be heard. Members of the Bridge Boston applicant group spoke eloquently about the need for alternatives in Boston and the skill of members of the founding group in managing a private school, the Epiphany School. One member of the Boston Chinese Immersion Charter School founders testified on behalf of their application also.

Tonight is the hearing at the Springfield Technical Community College, One Armory Square - Bldg 2, Room 703/704 from 4:00pm - 6:00pm. I will be in attendance and hope to see our Springfield area charter public school supporters there too!

posted Tue Jan 4 2011 10:11

The state Charter School Office has released a list of public hearings to be held for public comment on the 23 proposed charter schools invited to submit final applications to the state. Thanks to the new legislation passed in January, allowing for a raise in the charter public school cap in some districts, this is an unprecedented number of applications for consideration.

Your support is needed and I encourage you to attend a hearing in your local area to voice your support for charter public schools. Please visit: http://www.doe.mass.edu/charter/finalists/10/default.html for the dates/times and locations of the hearings. I hope to see you there.

posted Tue Jan 4 2011 10:11

As you know MA state elections are next Tuesday, November 2nd and I hope you will be at the polls. On behalf of the Association's Board of Directors I urge you to vote NO on Question 3.

If Question 3 were to pass it would drop the state sales tax to 3%, which would likely result in a substantial decline in state funding for public education, as aid to cities and towns would be drastically reduced.

As you know, charter school funding is based on the level of funding that district schools receive through state aid to cities and towns. If district school funding goes down, so will charter school funding.

So, while there might be alot of reasons to oppose Question 3, certainly protecting charter schools from potentially devastating funding cuts should be enough to convince you.

Vote NO on Question 3, Tuesday, November 2nd!