Marc's Blog

posted 08/26/2010

As summer is winding down, things are picking up on the charter school front. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) announced in a press release that they received 42 new applications for charter schools! Thanks to the new education reform law enacted in January, the cap on charters in certain cities/towns has allowed for more charter growth. To see the list of applications received please visit The Latest section of our website.

Additionally, Massachusetts was recently named one of the awardees in the second phase of the federal Race to the Top (RTT) funding program. The state will receive $250 million dollars over the next four years to implement education reforms. Under this program Commonwealth charter schools are allotted money, which they can apply to receive, and use for approved activities under the grant.

Interestingly enough, a new survey shows that the public and teachers have opposing views on the Race to the Top program and merit pay, a component of the RTT program. Harvard University's Program on Education Policy and Governance and the journal Education Next released results of a survey earlier this week indicating the public supports the need for the Race to the Top program and teacher merit pay, teachers largely oppose both.

However, the majority of charter schools in Massachusetts already have some sort of "merit" pay system for teachers and adhere to the basic principles of RTT with great success. It is these very standards and incentives that have made Massachusetts charter public schools some of the best in the country!

 

posted 08/04/10

In a surprise move today, the U.S. Senate moved forward legislation that would send $10 billion directly to school districts to head off projected teacher layoffs and an additional $16 billion in new medicaid assistance to states freeing up funds to be spent elsewhere in state budgets. The bill is assured passage after a Republican fillibuster was defeated on a vote of 61-39 vote with all Democrats and the two Maine Senate Republican voting yes and all other Senate Republicans voting against.

The U.S. House will likely come back from summer session next week to consider adopting the bill in time for the new school year.

This was a new version of the recent House bill that sought to pay for this school aid through cuts, among other things, to education reform programs including the U.S. Charter School Program. The bill adopted by the Senate today has no such reductions, instead paying, according to today's New York times website, for the aid primarily by reducing a stimulus food stamp increase and closing a tax loophole on multinational corporations.

Marc

 

posted 07/24/2010

Federal Charter School Funding Cuts Avoided!

Late last night the U.S. Senate voted down a U.S. House of Representative proposal for a $10 billion teacher jobs bill. The House bill, which President Obama had threatened to veto would have been funded partially by cuts in the U.S. Charter School Program, Race to the Top fund and the Teacher Incentive Fund. The action came on a procedural vote with 46 voting in favor of the bill and 60 being needed.

The charter school movement throughout the country mobilized in an unprecedented scale to help defeat the measure. Massachusetts Senators voted in the following way:
Senator Kerry voted in favor of the bill (to cut charter funding)
Senator Brown voted against the bill (to prevent charter cuts).

Thank you to the thousands of you who emailed them!

Marc

 

posted 07/16/2010

Early next week The United States Senate will debate an appropriations bill that includes a new $10 billion education jobs fund just passed by the US House of Representatives. This bill would provide funds to states to help prevent thousands of teachers in district public schools across the country from losing their jobs. A good thing.

Unfortunately, the bill aims to pay for this by slashing federal charter school funding by $100 million or 40% of its current level. It will also use funds to pay for the jobs bill from the highly successful Teacher Incentive Fund and Race to the Top program.

The federal charter school program provides start-up funds for new charter schools and supports the dissemination of best practices from charter schools. This bill would cut off start-up funds to new Massachusetts charter schools that would be created by the recent raising of the state charter cap.

Please click on the "Take Action" button on our homepage to send a message today to our Senators to oppose these cuts!

Stay tuned for updates.

 

posted 07/15/2010

A quick update on the "new charter" front:

The DESE has received an unprecedented 63 letters of intent for new charters. This is three times what they've been receiving in recent years. The prospectus, the next step in the application process, is due on August 2. We expect some drop-off from the Letters of Intent to prospectus, but even so, we will be in unchartered waters for the volume of applications. Very exciting!

 

posted 06/08/2010

The Legislature's Conference Committee will convene today to begin the long and potentially contentious process of reconciling the House and Senate versions of the FY 2011 State Budget. Part of those deliberations will include the new charter funding formula proposal that is contained in the Senate version of the budget.

The Conference Committee is made up of 3 members of the House and 3 members of the Senate. They meet behind closed doors hammering out compromises until the final budget is done at which point both branches will vote to approve it and send it to the Governor for signature (and/or vetoes).

The state fiscal year ends on June 30 so usually (though not always) the next fiscal year's budget is approved before then.

A letter from the MCPSA stating our objections to the proposed charter funding formula change was sent to Speaker DeLeo today as well as copied to the House conferees and other members of Speaker DeLeo's leadership team relevant to this issue.

I will keep you updated as we hear more on the deliberations.

 

posted 06/02/2010

The MCPSA has turned its attention to the Legislature's Conference Committee which will consider the Senate's proposed charter school funding formula change.

The following three points summarize what is happening:

1. The new language is a mere four months after a major Education legislation which entailed a number of significant compromises by charter schools (reserve limits, out of district enrollment limits, demographic targets, and limits of where and for whom the charter cap lifting would serve). Our understanding was that this was a deal that would stand for a while (more than four months) and give us peace in the statehouse.
2. This new language will subject all additional charter school funds from one year to the next to the annual appropriations process. This will leave this money at risk each year. It will have a tremendous impact on high quality existing and replicating schools that wish to expand or replicate 100% of their funding would be subject to the annual appropriations act.
3. This hindrance of new charter growth could cost the Commonwealth valuable points in the second round of the Race to the Top competition.

I will keep you posted as things progress.

Marc

 

posted 02/25/2010

Another interesting development from Tuesday's Board of Elementary and Secondary Education meeting, the Lowell Community Charter Public School (K-8) was granted a 5 year renewal with two years of probation and a long list of conditions.

The most dramatic condition is the elimination of grades 5-8 over the next two years with a reduction in total enrollment from 990 to 610.

As you remember, LCCPS was recommended for closure by Commissioner Chester in January but when the Lowell Public School District announced that they could not absorb the children into the district should the charter school closed, Commissioner Chester set out to find an alternative path.

Stay tuned!

 

posted 02/23/2010

In a peculiar turn of events this morning, the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education granted a new charter to the Spirit of Knowledge Charter School in Worcester while the Commissioner pulled his recommendation at the last minute of the Lynn Preparatory Charter School.

We are very excited about a new charter school opening in Worcester. However we are puzzled by the last minute events surrounding the Lynn Preparatory Charter School application. It seems that the Commissioner grew uneasy about the affiliation of the founding group with an existing private school and whether relationship violated the state prohibition on the conversion of a private school to a charter school.

While we understand the concerns raised, it is troubling that these concerns were raised at the 11th hour when this application, and the affiliation of the founding group has been well known since August. Raising the issue at the last minute allowed the founding group no ability to explain their relationship to the existing private school or make an argument why their application didn't violate the law. The first the founding group heard about the Commissioner's concerns was at the BESE meeting this morning.

 

posted 01/27/2010

Alas, the celebration is over and we're back in the trenches, so to speak....Three charter school news stories yesterday reflect the intense, ongoing political struggle over charter schools.

First, was yesterday's vote by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to close the Robert M. Hughes Charter School in Springfield. As you remember, the school was accused of an orchestrated cheating on MCAS last spring.  The vote was 10-0.

The second story as reported in the State House News, is that Attorney General Martha Coakley revealed in an interview Monday night that her office is investigating the Gloucester charter awarding.  This comes on the heels of an appearance yesterday by the Inspector General in front of the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. He reiterated the findings of his recent report on Gloucester, resulting in a combative exchange with Secretary Reville and Commissioner Chester, which itself followed impassioned appeals to the BESE by Gloucester State Senator Bruce Tarr and Representative Ann Ferrante.

Lastly, an article in yesterday's Boston Herald revealed that the Inspector General has widened his charter school investigation to include the February 2008 Board of Education's denial of the Brockton charter school application. As you remember, this denial was led by then Board of Education Chair Paul Reville this time against a positive recommendation for chartering from the Charter School Office and then interim Commissioner Nelhaus and resulted in an outcry from the charter school community....another front opened....

Yikes!

 

posted 01/22/2010

We did it! On Monday, January 18th, Governor Patrick signed the Education Reform Bill into law!

This landmark legislation allows for a raise in the charter public school cap from 9% to 18% in the lowest performing 10% of school districts. Finally, more children across the state will benefit from the excellent educational opportunities offered by Massachusetts charter public schools.

This truly was a grassroots effort of parents, friends and supporters of charter public schools flooding legislators with letters, emails and phone calls in support of the legislation. We have heard from many legislators that these efforts made a tremendous impact.

Thank you to everyone for your time and support of this legislation!

 

posted 01/14/2010

At 5:45 this evening the Massachusetts House of Representatives joined the Massachusetts State Senate in approving the Conference Committee report on the Education Reform bill. This bill now awaits signature by the Governor to become law!  

Overall we are very pleased with the bill.  It accomplishes our primary objectives: to double the cap in underperforming districts while not changing/reducing the charter school tuition and facilities funding formulas.

Here's a brief rundown of some of the issues in the bill that we have been closely watching:

• District cap raised from 9-18% in lowest performing 10% districts, statewide cap of 4% eliminated, growth model issue deferred to future.
• Funding formula unchanged
• Charters can form educational collaboratives
• Charter renewals remain at 5 years

We would not have been able to achieve this momentous victory without the tremendous advocacy of literally thousands of charter school parents, staff, trustees, friends and students. It was truly an effort from the grassroots, an expression of commitment and passion for high quality public education for all the children of Massachusetts. Thank you so much for your participation!

 

posted 01/13/2010

While the Conference Committee continues work on reconciling the House and Senate versions of the Education Reform Bill, there are two noteworthy items in today's Boston Globe.

First, a Globe editorial supports clearing up any confusion in the charter approval process and the tightening of charter public school assessments as recommended in the House and Senate versions of the Education Reform Bill. Additionally, the piece also supports the charter issued to the Gloucester Community Arts Charter School! We are pleased with the editorial.

Secondly, a new study, released today by the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools in Washington finds that Massachusetts has the most charter school caps of any state in the country. The report recommends that states not be granted Race to the Top money because of restrictive charter caps. It's not clear from the article or report if the group feels that the proposed "smart cap" raise being considered in the Legislation would be enough to turn around their recommendation.

More to come when the Conference Committee releases the final version of the Bill.

 

posted 01/11/2010

Friday we began our meetings with staff to the conference committee. We presented our side-by-side comparison of the Senate version and House version of the Education Reform Bill. There are some parts of the Senate bill we like better and some from the House. Our goal is to get the best of both bills into one GREAT bill.

The six member conference committee met officially for the first time yesterday, at 4:30 p.m. behind closed doors.  Tentative final vote on the conference committee report is talked about for Thursday. Should be quite a week.

More soon.

 

posted 01/08/2010

We have completed our detailed analysis of the House bill and, overall we are very pleased.

The only problematic amendment that was adopted was some further tightening of the recruitment requirements for new charter schools in districts over 9%.   This language is not in the Senate bill so will be subject to conference.

All the really unfriendly amendments targeting charters on funding, facilities, out of district enrollment restrictions, quotas, surplus and the cap were defeated.  And all attempts to close or give the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education power to close the Gloucester Charter School were also defeated.

The marathon now heads into the final stretch.  And as in any marathon, the last couple of miles are the hardest. The focus now shifts to the conference committee which will begin their work today, and hope to conclude by Tuesday so the Governor can sign the bill on Wednesday.

Our task is now to get the best of both the Senate and House version into the final bill (as opposed to the worse of each!).  I have met with our advocacy team and am spending today at the State House.

In the last 48 hours over 2200 emails were sent through our website and over 100 parents attended the press conference in the state house. Thank you for your time and support, reports from the state house were that we had a major impact!

 

posted 01/07/2010

At 12:15 a.m. this morning, after a marathon 11 hour session, the House passed the Education Reform bill 119-35.

During the last 15 minutes a number of rewritten and consolidated amendments were adopted without being read in their entirety out loud.  I believe only one charter issue remained to be resolved: the so-called "backfilling" issue, or procedures of charters to fill vacancies in our schools.  We have reason to believe that a good compromise for us was adopted, but until the rewritten amendments are posted online later this morning I won't know for sure.

More details to come later.

But all indications are a great day for charter schools, thank you to everyone for your support!

 

posted 01/06/2010

The debate is on in the House!  Over 1,700 letters have been sent to Representatives asking them to support the House Education Reform Bill as is and not pass any unfriendly charter amendments.

However, are opponents are working hard, we have been told they are mounting an effort at reducing the charter school funding formula.

Now more than ever we need your support. If you have not already done so, please click the link below and email your Representative:
http://advocacy.masscharterschools.org/link/target/macsa39554919.aspx

Once you send your letter, share the above link with your friends and family so they can also support Massachusetts charter public schools.

Thank you!

 

posted 01/04/2010

The House Ways and Means Committee has released their version of the Education Reform Bill. Overall, we are encouraged by the House's work and we look forward to continuing our work with House leadership to ensure that more children have access to charter schools in low performing districts across the state.

Bill Highlights, that would change existing Commonwealth charter public school law include:

• Tuition Reimbursement - No change to the formula.
• Raising the Cap - Increase from 9-18% in lowest 10% performing districts.
• Charter Applicants - Only proven providers for charters in districts above 9%, in lowest 10% districts less than 9% proven providers get priority.
• Recruitment and Retention Plans - Required for all charters.

The Ways and Means version now goes to the full House for debate and vote beginning Wednesday, January 6th. Amendments proposed by House members are due today, January 4 at 5:00 p.m. We are expecting hundreds of amendments, many of them will be unfriendly to charters. We will have a tremendous challenge this week fighting off these amendments on the floor of the House.

Please stay tuned for further updates!

posted 12/22/2009

The House Ways and Means Committee is still working on their version of the Education Reform Bill. We have had many discussions with House leaders and are advocating strongly for our issues.

Rumors are that the committee's version of the bill will surface sometime next week, probably Tuesday 12/29, Wednesday 12/30 or Thursday 12/31. Then there will be a few days for House members to submit amendments. We expect there to be many. Debate on the bill is scheduled to begin on Wednesday, January 6 and continue for at least two days.

Regardless of what is in the House Ways and Means version, there is very likely to be a large number of unfriendly amendments proposed and debated on the floor including changes to our funding formula, among other things.

We will continue to update you on the situation as it unfolds and hope you will support charter public schools during this legislative debate.

 

posted 12/14/2009

A quick update on Legislative activity on the Education Reform bill.The House leadership is hard at work drafting their version of the Education Reform bill. We are engaged in ongoing dialogue with House leaders and their staff on the content of the bill. Particularly we are having intensive discussions about the following issues

1. The size and breadth of the cap raise
2. Who can apply for a charter in the lowest performing districts
3. Whether districts should be required to give charters first offer on vacant district school buildings
4. Enrollment mandates and restrictions
   
   1. recruitment and retention plans targetting high need students
   2. requirements for filling vacancies (backfilling)
   3. out of sending district access for families

We have also circled back to members of the Senate and their staff to discuss the Chang-Diaz/Jehlen amendment in the Senate bill that reduces the Districts where the cap is to be raised from 30 to 4.

Rumours are that the House Democrats will hold a private caucus next week to discuss the outline of the bill. We've been told that its likely that the House will take up the bill their first day back in session on January 6th. If that is true, then the House Ways and Means Committee version will have to appear a couple of days before then (January 4?) so House members can submit amendments. And we expect many.

All of this, of course, is subject to change. However, we do continue to work hard to influence the course of events. It will be critical in January for us to be united and mobilized.

 

posted 12/02/2009

An analysis of the Senate version of the Education Reform bill has discovered that an amendment approved by the senate on the floor during debate would effectively limit the districts where the cap would be raised from the 30 that we were expecting to 4. These districts are:; Holyoke, Springfield, Fitchburg and Winchendon. This excludes, among others, Boston, Lawrence, Lowell, Lynn, Fall River, New Bedford among others.

This amendment was filed by Senator Chang-Diaz from Boston and Senator Jehlen from Somerville.

We have alerted the House leadership of this issue

 

posted 11/26/2009

The MCPSA continues to advocate for a raise in the cap on new charters without new mandates and bureaucratic restrictions on existing charter schools that stifle the quality and innovation we're trying to replicate by raising the cap.. We continue to believe this is possible to achieve. However, the fight is a long way from over.

We are still analyzing the Senate's version of the Ed. Reform bill. We have discovered problematic amendments inserted on the Senate floor and are trying to measure their potential impact. We will have a full report for you when you return from break on Monday. We anticipate things will pick up steam again very quickly between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

While we analyze the charter aspects of the Senate bill we can't help but notice the changes made in the Senate bill on the "school intervention" aspects of the bill. The two major reforms in this aspect of the bill allowing dramatic powers be granted to Superintendents and the Commissioner to unilaterally change work rules and personnel to turnaround chronically underperforming schools are gone. From our vantage point, a major victory for the MTA.

It's curious that there has not been more of an outcry from the Governor, Superintendents, or Mayors about these changes to the bill.

More soon.

posted 11/19/2009

House Speaker DeLeo has announced that the House will wait until after the legislative recess to take up the Education Reform Bill. The House returns in January.

Although the Legislature will be on recess we will continue work on this legislation to protect charter public school interests in Massachusetts and raise the cap.

posted 11/18/2009

Geez, that was hard work. Here's a long update after a brutal couple of days. And we're nowhere done yet.

Late Tuesday afternoon the MCPSA reached an agreement with Senate leadership on a compromise that will protect the charter school funding formula. Instead of shifting charter "growth" funding into a line-item, it will be shifted into Chapter 70 where it will be treated like district funding, our basic principle. I think it will be okay. In addition, facilities per pupil funding will be indexed for inflation, though still subject to appropriation as it currently is.

Early Tuesday evening the Senate approved the full Ed Reform bill by a vote of 28-11. The bill now goes to the House where its fate is uncertain. The House is scheduled to adjourn for the holiday season tonight. Reports out of the house indicate that consideration will likely be delayed until January, but that remains to be seen and anything can happen.

We would never have been able to protect the funding without an unprecedented grassroots uprising from charter parents, trustees and supporters. At least 2350 emails were sent through our system and hundreds of phone calls were made. Our lobbyists in the state house reported great feedback from legislators on our efforts. THANK YOU AND GREAT WORK. And kudos, as always to our government and public relations people Jack Brennan, Lynda Bernard and Dom Slowey, and our Boston parent organizers Betsy Alvarez-Diaz and Dani Morello. You have a really great team working for you!

So, the exciting news is that the statewide charter caps have been lifted and our funding protected for now.

Other good stuff:

• Charters are now able to form Educational Collaboratives among themselves, or with districts
• Charters have first crack at vacant district school buildings
• Charters now have access to district lists to mail info to prospective families (through third party mail house).

HOWEVER, there are a number of new restrictions and mandates on the cap raise and on existing charter schools included in the Senate bill that we hope to address in the House budget.

These include:

1. New rules on filling charter vacancies (backfilling). Under the Senate bill charters have to fill vacancies in the grade in which they occur except in the highest grade in your school and 11th and 12th grade.
2. New rules preventing charters from accepting students outside their declared sending districts without an amendment of their charter from the BESE.
3. While the bill lifts all statewide caps on charters and doubles the district cap to 18% in the lowest 10% performing districts, new rules require all new charter applicants in lowest performing districts to be "proven providers" thus severely limiting charter growth in these districts.
4. New demographic recruitment and retention mandates and accountability requirements
5. New reporting requirements and limits charter reserve accounts to 20% of operating budget excluding facilities savings accounts, bank reserve requirement and 4th quarter payments

And there's probably more. There were a host of amendments and amendments to amendments that were passed but language wasn't made public so we'll have to wait until the new version of the bill is published, hopefully today.

For a pro-charter bill that's sure alot of stuff for us to deal with...Not sure what happened to the Horace Mann/union sign-off provision. That was subject to amendments to amendments as well...will give more thorough briefing when we get the bill...but for now its on to the house for what promises to be a crazy day...if we see the bill being taken up we will send out an alert, but don't want to mobilize if we don't have to. We'll need everything we can generate at a later date if the bill gets delayed.

posted 11/17/2009

The Senate is debating 93 amendments. So far they've only been dealing with more peripheral amendments having little/nothing to do with charters or underperforming schools, though there is a long discussion going on about the Charter renewal process due to the Gloucester experience.

Negotiations are still underway behind the scenes between the various constituencies including us. Still not clear how things will play out for our concerns or others in the amendments.

MEANWHILE, over in the House, things are getting very sticky for the Education Reform bill. As the House awaits possible Senate action, the House has been discussing the bill behind close doors in caucus. Word has leaked out that there is much controversy about the bill and comments by members indicate a strong possibility that the House will not take up the bill before tomorrow's recess.

posted 11/17/2009

Your work yesterday made a huge difference. Over 2500 emails were sent from charter parents and supporters supporting equal funding for charter school students.

We also had over 1500 new parents sign up on our website.!

As a result of your efforts we have been approached by the Senate and have engaged in negotiations with the Senate late last night and this morning over this issue. We're cautiously optimistic that we can reach some resolution.

In the meantime other issues still exist that we are working on with the Senate. The Senate was scheduled to convene at 11:00 a.m. this morning but are still in back room discussions.

We'll keep you posted throughout the day as events unfold. Thanks again for your tremendous commitment to charter school students!

posted 11/17/2009

We have been engaged in negotiations about the charter school funding formula with the Senate since late last night and they have continued through this morning. Other issues also remain.

The Senate is scheduled to begin debate at 11:00 a.m. this morning. You can watch the webcast at: http://masslegislature.tv/?l=sen_video

Hopefully we will have more to report on soon. Stay tuned!

posted 11/16/209

The Senate began debate this afternoon on the Education Reform bill. The first amendment to be considered was a proposal to require a local referendum in each district in order for the cap to be raised in that district. A cumbersome and potentially very divisive process that would be bankrolled by the teachers unions and school districts...so something we oppose.

It passed 22-16

This surprised everyone so the Chair called a recess, and the body came back a while later to entertain a motion to reconsider. That passed so the motion is still under consideration (not decided yet). The chair then called a recess until 6:00 p.m. so they could go in the back room and argue. Watch it live at: http://masslegislature.tv/?l=sen_video

This is not a good sign. If the districts can generate this kind of vote, things do not portend well for us during the rest of the debate....

It could be a long night...

posted 09/22/09

A tremendous thank you to supporters who joined us at the State House on September 17th to support H. #4163, the Governor’s proposal to raise the cap on charter public schools, as well as sent emails to their legislators urging them to support H. #4163. Over 1,000 emails were sent in a 24 hour period, way to go!

Continue to support charter public schools in Massachusetts by visiting this site for the latest news and signing up for Action Alerts. I also invite you to become a fan of our newly launched Facebook page, Lifting the Cap on Massachusetts Charter Public Schools. Please spread the news and invite your friends and family to become fans too!

posted 08/05/09

Today a broad group of prominent business, community and charter leaders from across the political spectrum will file a ballot question to lift all caps on charter schools. Specifically the question would:

1. Eliminate all charter school caps
2. Give preference for new charters to applications in districts at or below the statewide average on MCAS performance.
3. Require the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to approve new charters in the lowest 10% performing districts proposed by proven charter providers that are serving significant numbers of high need students unless there's a compelling reason not to.
4. Allow one Board of Trustees to manage more than one charter school
5. Protect the charter school funding formula as it is presently written. (There is uncertainty whether this aspect of the question will be allowed by the Attorney General. Just in case, an alternative question without this component will also been filed).

The question must be approved by the Attorney General and then 66,000+ signatures must be gathered from registered voters by the first week of December. If the signatures are gathered and certified by the state, then the Legislature has the month of January to consider the question. If they do no pass it, then an additional 11,000 signatures must be gathered in the spring to place the question on the ballot in NOVEMBER, 2010.

The purpose of the filing of the question is to prod the State Legislature to raise the cap on charters without creating an unequitable funding formula for charters. Only if the Legislature fails to act, or enacts laws that are detrimental to charter schools, will the ballot question go forward.

Today's Boston Globe story on the question is below. The text of the question is attached.

This is obviously a new and dramatic turn in charter school politics so if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask....

Boston Globe Article:

Backers seek end to charter school cap Ballot item wider than Patrick's plan

By James Vaznis, Globe Staff | August 5, 2009

The number of charter schools in Massachusetts could increase without limit under a ballot question that proponents will file today, putting a reticent Legislature on notice that inaction on expansion proposals could place the issue in voters‚ hands.

Charter school supporters intend to file the necessary paperwork by today‚s deadline to officially launch the effort to repeal the state-imposed cap, which has left more than 20,000 students on waiting lists for available slots.

The ballot question, if it meets legal criteria and gains the necessary signatures, would go before voters in the next statewide election in November 2010.

Click here to read full article

posted 08/05/09

Today a broad group of prominent business, community and charter leaders from across the political spectrum will file a ballot question to lift all caps on charter schools. Specifically the question would:

1. Eliminate all charter school caps
2. Give preference for new charters to applications in districts at or below the statewide average on MCAS performance.
3. Require the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to approve new charters in the lowest 10% performing districts proposed by proven charter providers that are serving significant numbers of high need students unless there's a compelling reason not to.
4. Allow one Board of Trustees to manage more than one charter school
5. Protect the charter school funding formula as it is presently written. (There is uncertainty whether this aspect of the question will be allowed by the Attorney General. Just in case, an alternative question without this component will also been filed).

The question must be approved by the Attorney General and then 66,000+ signatures must be gathered from registered voters by the first week of December. If the signatures are gathered and certified by the state, then the Legislature has the month of January to consider the question. If they do no pass it, then an additional 11,000 signatures must be gathered in the spring to place the question on the ballot in NOVEMBER, 2010.

The purpose of the filing of the question is to prod the State Legislature to raise the cap on charters without creating an unequitable funding formula for charters. Only if the Legislature fails to act, or enacts laws that are detrimental to charter schools, will the ballot question go forward.

Today's Boston Globe story on the question is below. The text of the question is attached.

This is obviously a new and dramatic turn in charter school politics so if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask....

Boston Globe Article:

Backers seek end to charter school cap Ballot item wider than Patrick's plan

By James Vaznis, Globe Staff | August 5, 2009

The number of charter schools in Massachusetts could increase without limit under a ballot question that proponents will file today, putting a reticent Legislature on notice that inaction on expansion proposals could place the issue in voters‚ hands.

Charter school supporters intend to file the necessary paperwork by today‚s deadline to officially launch the effort to repeal the state-imposed cap, which has left more than 20,000 students on waiting lists for available slots.

The ballot question, if it meets legal criteria and gains the necessary signatures, would go before voters in the next statewide election in November 2010.

Click here to read full article

posted 08/04/09

The Legislature's Education Committee has scheduled a hearing on the governor's bill to raise the cap on charters and create readiness schools for Thursday, September 17th at the State House. Not sure what time yet.

Please put it on your calendar and we'll be in touch soon with more details.

thanks!
Marc

posted 04/02/09

In a bold attempt to promote charter school growth U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan has linked the allocation of federal education stimulus funds to a state's progress on removing Charter School caps. Here's the quote from yesterday's press release from the Secretary:

"The guidelines released today promote comprehensive education reform by receiving commitments from states that they will collect, publish, analyze and act on basic information regarding the quality of classroom teachers, annual student improvements, college readiness, the effectiveness of state standards and assessments, progress on removing charter caps, and interventions in turning around underperforming schools."

You can read the whole press release here: http://www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2009/04/04012009.html

posted 02/19/09

Today the State Auditor released a long-awaited, very positive report on charter school financial management and reporting practices. Below is the press release from the Auditor. Give it a read, its a nice perspective from a tough critic. This will be helpful with the legislature.

DeNUCCI SAYS CHARTER SCHOOLS IMPROVE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AND REPORTING PRACTICES (2-19-09)

State Auditor Joe DeNucci

Contact: (617) 727-6200, EXT. 123

FEBRUARY 19, 2009

DeNUCCI SAYS CHARTER SCHOOLS IMPROVE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AND REPORTING PRACTICES

State Auditor Joe DeNucci reported today that Massachusetts charter schools have improved their financial reporting and bidding practices, and continue to be fiscally sound.

DeNucci stated in an audit that the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (formerly known as the Department of Education) has adopted his recommendation calling for consistent financial reporting by charter schools. A prior audit had revealed that the state was limited in its ability to make effective financial comparisons of charter schools because they used several different reporting methods. In the latest audit, DeNucci noted that DESE now requires charter schools to use the same method of financial reporting.

DeNucci's audit also disclosed that DESE now collects detailed revenue and expenditure data from charter schools that are comparable to those used in public school districts. That will enable more accurate financial comparisons between public schools and charter schools. Finally, 56 of the 57 charter schools contacted in DeNucci's review have developed fiscal policies and procedures for the procurement of goods and services. The remaining school did not provide information on its procurement practices.

DeNucci's audit also examined net income and net asset amounts reported by the charter schools, which receive their state funding through deductions in the local aid accounts of public school districts in which the charter school students reside. The review concluded that most charter schools continue to operate from a fiscally sound position. In fiscal year 2006, 46 of 57 charter schools reported positive net income averaging $365,053, or 8 percent of their total revenue. The other 11 charter schools reported net losses averaging $178,873. Also, as of June 30, 2007, 57 charter schools operating with students had combined net asset balances totaling $91,499,434, with an average balance of $1,605,253.

The funding of and financial health of charter schools is currently a subject of discussion in state government. Governor Patrick's fiscal year 2010 budget contains a provision that would require DESE to adopt regulations creating a reporting requirement to monitor charter schools' net asset balances at the end of each fiscal year.

"My report shows that most charter schools in Massachusetts continue to be financially viable," said DeNucci. "I appreciate that the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has adopted my recommendations for better reporting of charter school finances."

posted 01/23/09

Today on WBUR Governor Patrick hinted that his FY 2010 state budget proposal to be released next Wednesday would contain an initiative concerning the charter school cap and the achievement gaps. More soon!

Thanks to the many folks who emailed in questions. It's why we got a question asked about charters!

Stay tuned!

posted 01/15/09

State Budget Update:

Yesterday the Legislature granted Governor Patrick emergency "9C" powers to enact further budget cuts in the FY 2009 Massachusetts state budget. These powers enable the Governor to make cuts in local aid.

The Governor now has 15 days to submit to the Legislature his plan for meeting the budget deficit now estimated to be over $1 billion out of a $22 billion (and shrinking) state budget. The Chapter 70 allocation to cities and towns for education represents approximately $5 billion of the state budget and is now on the chopping block.

There are no details as to how much the Governor will reduce Chapter 70 and other local aid accounts. However the emergency powers limit him to $650 million. How much, and what methodology how uses to allocate the budget reduction i.e. across the board or targeted, will determine how much an individual charter schoolâs funding will be impacted. Remember, as goes your sending districtâs funding so goes yours.

More soon.

posted 01/09/09

Yesterday afternoon on the radio Governor Patrick responded to a question about the Harvard/MIT study and the charter school cap. Here is the transcript of his comments as transcribed by yours truly. If you'd like to hear the interview yourself, go here. The question about the study is at the 16:00 minute mark. Here's the transcript as best I could copy it:

"First of all, I appreciate the study, I think it's a great study, I've been briefed on it. I guess the researchers were particularly strong, and I think it underscored some of what we have known all along about the strength of many charter schools as one of the ways in which we experiment with more successful ways of educating our young people..now this whole bit about the cap is a total red herring - we're not at the cap. You do understand that don't you? We can add more charter schools. It's a total red herring. We're not at the cap. But its one of those rallying cries. But I've said, look, I'm interested in a conversation about the cap once we've solved the funding mechanism - if you leave the funding mechanism in place and you remove the cap then all the money gets drained off to charters and there's nothing left for where 95% of students get their education."

For the record, there are a significant number of major urban areas that are at the cap i.e. don't have enough room for a new charter school, or in some cases have room for one small room....the DOE rightfully prohibits us from getting to the full 9% because of the fluctuations in the district spending that could leave us over the cap and therefore not paid for those students. We estimate the average charter school is 300-500 children with a few in the 200-300 range and many more much bigger than 500. Here's the list:

UNDER 200 Slots available
Boston
Cambridge
Everett
Greenfield
Holyoke
Hull
Malden
North Adams
Northampton
Randolph
Somerville

UNDER 300 Slots available
Chelsea
Lowell
Salem

UNDER 400 Slots available
Attleboro
Fall River
Fitchburg
Revere

posted 01/08/09

Yesterday, the Boston Foundation released an impressive new study conducted by a research team from Harvard and MIT. The study found that Boston Charter Schools are significantly outperforming Boston pilots and traditional district schools. What makes this report different from others is the methodology, which addressed two of the most frequent criticisms leveled at earlier studies of charter schools: that their students are not representative of traditional Boston schools but rather are more likely to perform well because they attract more academically-motivated students and parents; and that charters tend to shed students who do not perform up to their standards, again creating an elite student body that will inevitably outperform their BPS peers. Even when accounting for these charter students showed impressive gains that stunned even the researchers.

The most striking finding is that the effect of a single year spent in a charter school was equivalent to closing half of the black-white achievement gap. Between fourth grade and eighth grade, test scores of charter middle students rose from slightly above Boston averages to slightly below Brookline's - more clear evidence that charters are rapidly closing the achievement gap.

posted 09/09/08

Obama, McCain, and the Clinton support charters. What's the matter with Governor Patrick?

September 9, 2008 - The Massachusetts Charter Public School Association today called on Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick to join the presidential nominees of both parties and support the expansion of charter public schools.

Campaigning in Ohio today Sen. Barack Obama pledged to double federal funding for charter schools.

"I believe in public schools, but also believe in fostering competition among public schools," Obama said at a high school Dayton. "If we're going to make a real and lasting difference for our future, we have to be willing to move beyond the old arguments of left and right and take meaningful, practical steps to build an education system worthy of our children and our future."

Last week, Sen. McCain reiterated his support for giving parents expanded educational choices, including charter public schools.

Patrick's lack of strong leadership on charters is at odds with both Obama and Republican nominee Sen. John McCain, as well as former President Bill Clinton and NY Sen. Hillary Clinton - who all strongly support the expansion of charter public schools.

Its clear that something's missing in the education equation in Massachusetts. The charter public school program in Massachusetts is a national model that has provided educational opportunity and hope for a better future to tens of thousands of children across the state. This seems to be recognized everywhere but in the Governor's Office. Patrick‚s recent blueprint for education reform mentioned charters "only in passing."

The lack of support from the Governor's Office stunts charter growth and threatens their continued success. In many communities, including some of the worst performing districts, charter expansion is frozen by one of three caps the state has imposed on charters. Legislation to lift that cap is pending in the Legislature, but the Governor opposes it. Meanwhile, there are more than 21,000 students on wait lists - almost as many as are enrolled in the state's 61 charter public schools.

Gov. Patrick needs to take a more proactive, supportive stand on charter public schools. It's not enough to say you support charters; you must show leadership on important issues related to charters. Lifting the cap on charters in the most economically depressed school districts should be a centerpiece of the Governor's education reform agenda.

posted 06/30/08

Marc's take on the Readiness Project and Charters

During last week's rollout of the Readiness Project recommendations I received numerous emails asking, "what does this mean for charters"...So, for what its worth, here's my take. These reactions are mine alone and do not represent any official position of the MCPSA.

State of the movement:

First of all, charter school trustees, leaders, faculty, students, families and supporters should feel very very proud. Despite years of attacks by determined charter opponents from the school districts, we've been able to continue to grow at a rate of 3-4 charters a year with a number of our existing charters going through significant expansions. And, more importantly, the quality of our schools has continued to increase, with the number of schools accomplishing extraordinary performance increasingly annually. We now have charter schools in every major urban area at the top in their perspective city and a cadre of urban, suburban and rural schools leading the Massachusetts public education system through a new wave of innovation. In addition, while still a challenge for our schools, we have been able to crack the difficult nut of charter school facilities financing bringing into the market a significant number of lenders who just a few years ago wouldn't go near enterprises they found "risky". Many of our schools have moved into wonderful, permanent homes. Demand for our schools continues to be very high, waiting lists continue to grow and our support among the general public seems higher than ever.

We have won the debate on charter success:

While the Governor does not support charter school expansion as we know it, he has clearly embraced the charter school model as the template for his new "Readiness Schools." In fact, I can say with much joy and confidence that we have won the debate of "are charter schools successful?" The Governor and new Secretary of Education have stated in many different forums that charter schools are successful and we now need to take their success to the larger school district. So the debate has changed from "are charters successful?" to "what's the best way to expand this successful model?" This is a tremendous accomplishment and seismic shift in the debate and should not be lost or underestimated.

Readiness Schools: Districts on the spot and our path to raising the cap:

So, it is with great irony that we find ourselves in this new position: our Governor and Secretary of Education have embraced the charter school model yet have just released a 12 year plan for education reform and we're not in it. There is no way to paint a rosy picture on that cold hard fact. Hard to find a silver lining in that cloud. But, alas, don't despair, I believe that within the Readiness Report lies a huge opportunity for us.

It is a great compliment to our schools that the Readiness Schools are an attempt to take the successful charter model and bring it into the school districts. While it looks great on paper to say, "let's give Districts the freedoms that charters have and watch them go!" those of you who have worked in a school district bureaucracy and/or labored to start and maintain a high-quality charter school know that the reality will be much different than the fantasy. It is very hard for me to envision school committees suddenly creating autonomous schools, stripping school superintendents from control, and taking away all the working conditions bargained over the last 50 years by the local teachers unions. In reality there will be tremendous resistance within the bureaucracy to such changes, and the pace of change, if at all, will be snail's. Perhaps I'm one of those "naysayers" the Governor referred to last week...or perhaps I'm a veteran of school and social change that knows that the school district system as we know it in Massachusetts is a dinosaur and needs to be overhauled before anyone can dream of it creating numbers of high quality, autonomous schools that put students before adults.

So here's the silver lining: the Governor and Secretary have said, "if the districts can't or won't make these reforms, then we will look outside the system". "Outside the system" means charters. Of course we are cynical about such statements, and know they aren't necessarily worth the paper they're written on (or teleprompters for that matter)! But this does provide us with a major opportunity.

If these district Readiness Schools can meet the same high standards that our charters do, and they can achieve the same success with students across the demographic and geographic spectrum that we do, if they can create autonomous successful schools that are closing the achievement gap, then more power to them, maybe we've done our job. Therefore, I think it is very important for the charter school community to fully engage with the administration in the development of the Readiness School model. It is our schools that hold the standard of quality and we must insist that quality be at the forefront of the creation of these schools: not political expediency to take the pressure of the charter school movement off of the school districts, or the Governor for that matter.

But if they don't, if they cannot measure up to charters, then we will have a powerful argument, and this administration's pledge to go to the Legislature and demand the cap be raised.

Next Steps:

If we are to engage with the administration to promote quality as the primary objective of these Readiness Schools, then we should propose some guidelines. Below are a few preliminary ideas. They are not the position of the MCPSA as of yet, just my initial thoughts, I'd appreciate feedback!

Initially we should insist on the following:

• Readiness Schools should be created through an application process that embodies the rigor of the state charter school granting process.
• Readiness Schools should be held to the same high standards of accountability, evaluation and inspection that charters are.
  
• Readiness School founding groups should be required to study, visit and learn from our successful charters.
  
• School Committees and Superintendents creating Readiness Schools should undergo mandatory training as authorizers conducted by the MA DOE Charter School Office and/or the National Association of Charter School Authorizers.

Please don't think that I'm naïve enough to think that in two years the Governor will look at the state of "Readiness Schools" and proclaim "its time to raise the charter cap!" He will not give up easily on this initiative and no matter how bad Readiness Schools turn out, there is no doubt that we will have a difficult time changing the Governor's mind about charter school expansion. He will stick to his guns for as long as he can, and he will not want to admit defeat, nor relish the charter school movement's expansion in the face of such a defeat. And even if we were to turn the governor around on raising the cap, we still face a determined MTA that still fights us at every turn and is as powerful in the Legislature as ever. They will not look kindly on our efforts to raise the cap regardless of what the Governor says. But the political ground has shifted and if we are strategic; if we continue to produce high quality schools that are closing the achievement gap, if we open our doors to district reformers engaged in the Readiness School formation process; if we continue to grow at a rate of 3-4 new charters a year, this new political dynamic will work in our favor.

Would love your feedback!

posted 06/11/08

Yesterday Secretary of Education-elect Paul Reville briefed me on a new initiative of the Governor that will be proposed in the Readiness Project report to be released on June 25th. Below is my summary of his briefing to me. The Globe story about the proposal will be sent in a separate email to follow

The proposal calls for the creation of "Readiness Schools" which is an attempt to bring important elements of the charter school movement to school districts across the state: autonomy, flexibility, choice, and teacher/administrative ownership of schools. Specifically, there will be 4 kinds of "Readiness Schools" proposed. Each of these kinds of schools will be authorized by the local school committee but will NOT need union sign-off. There are A LOT of details that need to be worked out, but here's the rough outline as explained to me by Secretary Reville. Most, if not all of these ideas would need legislation that the Governor will file inithe legislature in January, 2009.

4 Kinds of Readiness Schools

1. Teacher-led groups within the district can come together and form a professional practice and do a conversion or a new school. There will be some kind of teacher vote for conversion, but NOT a union sign-off. Would have a performance based contract with the school committee. A rubric for that contract would be developed by the state.
2. Supt./School Committee could designate a school to become a Readiness School. This would also require a teacher vote, but would have no union sign-off.
3. District could invite an outside educational provider from a list of providers approved by the state to manage a school(s). District would go thru an rfp process with approved vendors. No faculty vote or union sign-off
4. Where underperforming schools have hit the end of the accountability road, District would be obligated to hire an outside educational provider to manage these schools. This would be the only "obligatory" Readiness School.

Under the Governor's proposal, in all these schools salary, benefits and grievance procedures for firing would stay the same under the existing collective bargaining contract while working conditions would become management prerogative.

Funding these schools would get a weighted average per pupil ˆ similar to ch. 70. based on demographics.

Governor's message is "let's give districts this autonomy and see if they can rise to the occasion. They've wanted to have the tools that charters have. Here they are."

Not sure what happens if districts don't participate, or aren't successful.

posted 02/27/08

Yesterday the MA Board of Education voted to approve 3 new charter schools: a Commonwealth charter serving Boston, a Commonwealth charter serving the Springfield region and a Horace Mann in Haverhill.

However, in an unprecedented move, the Board voted to reject the Department of Education's recommendation for a new commonwealth charter in the Brockton area to be run by SABIS educational management company. This was the first time in the history of the MA charter school movement that the Board rejected a recommendation from the Department for a new charter school.