With January's regular meeting, the Board begins closing out of this year's charter school season. Final votes remain to be taken, possibly at a special meeting on February 11 and, at the regular meeting on February 12.
Two votes taken yesterday, Tuesday, January 22, determine how a charter school may move forward in New Bedford (in accordance with Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 71, Section 89, and 603 CMR 1.00).
Alma del Mar Charter School in New Bedford requested an amendment to expand its enrollment from 594 to 1,044 seats. Commissioner Jeff Riley, Mayor Jon Mitchell, and Founder and Principal of Alma del Mar Charter School Will Gardner agreed on a proposal that would, instead and among other things, increase enrollment to 900 seats and transfer an unused school building from New Bedford Public Schools to Alma del Mar. Alma would be responsible for seeing the building (unused since 2015) is in good repair by its opening in August 2019. (The Department's announcement of the proposal is HERE; others have reported and/or responded, including HERE, HERE, and HERE).
The Motion was approved by the Board:
- Location: New Bedford
- Maximum enrollment: 900
- Grades served: K-8
- Effective school year: FY2020
- Yes: Craven, West, McKenna, Fernandez, Peyser, Sagan, Morton, Mathews, Moriarty
- No: Stewart
- Abstain: Doherty
- The school will participate in good-faith negotiations with New Bedford Public Schools that will result in a memorandum of understanding that supports effective implementation of the proposed collaboration and substantially aligns with the terms of the letter of intent agreed to by both parties and the Commissioner. The memorandum of understanding between Alma del Mar Charter School and New Bedford Public Schools is subject to Commissioner approval prior to execution.
- As soon as possible, the school shall submit a draft enrollment policy that reflects the negotiated integrated enrollment process with New Bedford Public Schools and the proposed growth plan to reach 900 students, for Commissioner approval.
- The school will promptly and effectively communicate with the Department regarding any and all significant matters relevant to the suitability and readiness of a second campus location for occupancy at the start of the 2019-2020 school year. These communications shall occur within a reasonable period of time but in any event no later than 96 hours after occurrence.
- If the Commissioner determines that these conditions have not been met or that necessary legislation has not been enacted this enrollment increase of 450 seats is null and void.
- Location: New Bedford
- Maximum enrollment: 1,044
- Grades served: K-8
- Effective school year: FY2020
- Yes: Craven, West, McKenna, Fernandez, Peyser, Sagan, Morton, Mathews, Moriarty
- No: Stewart, Doherty
- The Board grants this increase of 594 seats if the Commissioner determines that either good-faith negotiations on the memorandum of understanding between the school and New Bedford Public Schools have irretrievably broken down or the necessary legislation has not been enacted in sufficient time for planning and implementation of the model proposed in the letter of intent among the parties.
- The Commissioner shall report to the Board if he determines that this enrollment increase of 594 will take effect.
New Bedford Public Schools Superintendent, Thomas Anderson, and Alma Del Mar's Charter Operator, Executive Director, and Founder, Will Gardner were seated together at yesterday's Board meeting. They commented enthusiastically on the proposed arrangement and also took some questions.
Negotiations are not typical in the charter school process. School Committee and teachers were not part of the new proposal, either. Parents have not had a chance to respond to details of the new proposal in the week since it was announced. The community as a whole has not had an opportunity to contribute to the process as newly proposed and -- based on my questions to the couple seated at the table -- were not likely to. There could be school-based conversations, though.
Had this new proposal had the benefit of a substantive process in New Bedford, and with key stakeholders weighing-in (School Committee members, parents in the neighborhood and across the city, etc.), it might have had my support.
We all have a stake in the solid education of all our people, least of which are countless situations where our personal interests depend on others' competence, empathy, and compassion. I continue to hold that no new charter schools should be approved or expanded until all of our schools are fully funded as recommended by the Foundation Budget Review Commission.
Photo credit: New heating system, pipes/instruments, part of the renovation completed at Bowman Elementary School, Lexington in 2013.