MASSACHUSETTS

Lori Shyavitz & Lester Eggleston Jr.

Background Information
        The 1993 Education Reform Act signed into law by 
Governor William Weld-R, provided sweeping changes to the 
Massachusetts educational system.  For example, tenure has 
been eliminated, teachers need to be recertified every few 
years, and the formation of charter schools has been 
approved.  The act was proposed by the Joint Committee on 
Educational Arts & Humanities as a result of public demand to 
do something about the decay of public schools.  Steve Wilson 
was appointed by Governor Weld to help draft the charter 
schools legislation. (National Public Radio, Oct. 25, 1993, 
Transcript #1281-9).  Since it's inception there have been 
sixty-seven proposals for charter school submitted for 
approval.  Seventeen are scheduled to open in September of 
1995. (Palumbo,  Mar. 15, 1994, p. 39).

Funding:
        Senate President William Bulger is calling for the state 
to allocate funds to prevent the impoverishment of the 
remaining schools in the public school district.  The 
prevailing view is that since charter schools are under state 
control, the state should be responsible for their funding.  
Four options have been presented by legislators.  Three of 
them call for the direct state funding of charter schools.  
The fourth uses the school choice funding formula.  This plan 
reimburses communities who lose students to other districts 
seventy-five percent of the money lost in the first year, 
fifty percent in the second year, and twenty-five percent in 
the third year (Athans, Mar. 8, 1995, p. 23).  As the members 
of the Massachusetts legislative committee proposed shifting 
the responsibility of funding charter schools to the state, 
House Ways and Means Chairman, Thomas Finneran stated that 
"no additional funds were available to charter schools" 
(Wong,  Mar. 29, 1995).  
        Recently,  the House Ways and Means Committee 
recommended that $8 million dollars should be allocated to 
the communities containing charter schools to help defray 
their costs for the upcoming year.  This would help allay the 
fears that charter schools would take money out of the public 
school system.  Groups opposed to charter schools, such as 
the Massachusetts Teachers Association, have also reacted 
positively to the committee's proposal.  President Robert 
Murphy stated, "Clearly it is good in the sense it should 
reduce the harm to public schools. . .  It appears [the 
funding] is separate from the education reform money" (Wong, 
May 9, 1995, pp. 1, 26).  Public school programs, such as new 
kindergarten classes, are still in danger of being cut due to 
the lack of complete funding for charter schools at the state 
level.  Local districts must fund charter schools.
        The praise given to the House Ways and Means Committee's 
proposal to assist in providing funds to charter schools by 
their opponents (such as teachers unions) may be short-lived.  
One day after the House publicized its plan, the Senate Ways 
and Means Committee recommended that money originally 
designated for statewide educational reform should be used to 
support charter schools.  The Massachusetts teachers unions 
(who are opposed to this concept) have argued that "the 
[funds created in the 1993 Education Reform Act] were chiefly 
designed to boost public education statewide" (Wong, May 10, 
1995, p. 34) and that the loss of this money would result in 
cutbacks in existing programs.  
        The gap between the quality of a traditional public 
school education and a charter school education may expand 
tremendously in impoverished communities.  In Boston, for 
example, the per pupil expenditure is normally $5851.  
Students enrolled in charter schools will receive $7013.  
Therefore, these students may be able to receive more 
educational benefits.  "The losers will be students whose 
'regular' schools have no libraries, guidance counselors or 
algebra courses" (The Boston Globe, March 16, 1995, p. 35).

Innovation:
        Proponents of charter schools view them as entities that 
encourage innovation in a public school system that does not 
allow for "big, substantive changes" (Aucoin and Wong,  Mar. 
26, 1995, p. 1).  Charter schools are "laboratories of 
change" which may implement more challenging curricula, 
smaller class size (and, therefore, individualize 
instruction), longer school days, greater parental 
involvement, and integrative learning (Aucoin and Wong, Mar. 
26, 1995, p. 1).  For example, families with elementary 
school-aged students enrolled in the Boston Renaissance 
Charter School will be given a home computer.  Charter 
schools can "encourage experimentation, strengthen 
accountability and weaken bureaucratic abuses and gridlock 
associated with top heavy administrations and teacher unions" 
( Providence Journal-Bulletin, April 18, 1995, p. 8A).  Such 
reform has been minimal in the current system due to the 
volume and the extent that regulations rule public education 
in Massachusetts.  
        State Education Secretary, Piedad Robertson, claims 
charter schools will "energize public schools" (Aucoin and 
Wong, Mar. 26, 1995, p. 30).  Due to the success of students 
(such as higher test scores) which is assumed to occur after 
the implementation of their innovative programs, charter 
schools will become the model for improvement throughout 
public schools. 

Segregation Effect:
        Opponents to charter schools fear that their 
introduction will benefit the most motivated students and 
parents and students in the upper tracks.  The "hard to 
educate" children will be left behind.  However, schools have 
been formed to educate Òat riskÓ kids such as high school 
dropouts or potential dropouts (the Lowell Middlesex Academy 
Charter School), and for homeless youths and wards of the 
state (Boston University Charter School at Fort Devens).  
        Similarly, opponents claim that wealthy students will be 
the group that is best served from their creation.  However, 
students from affluent families are not able to circumvent 
the enrollment system in that according to Massachusetts's 
charter school law, lotteries must be held if the number of 
applicants exceeds the number of slots for a school (Taylor, 
Mar. 26, 1995, Northwest Weekly p. 1).  This is seen in the 
Community Day Charter School in Lawrence, where the students 
in grades K-6 were chosen through a lottery with those 
children living in the charter school's community getting 
priority.  
        Also, ethnocentrism may become a problem for charter 
schools.  For example, the Academy of the Pacific Rim, which 
was supported by Boston's Asian community, will focus on 
Asian languages and culture.  In a city with a history of 
fragile inter-ethnic relations, this may create further rifts 
between the members of Boston's Asian population and other 
ethnicities.

Ignoring Reform in the Public School:
        Opponents to charter schools warn that they are not the 
cure-all to American public education.  The President of the 
American Federation of Teachers, Albert Shanker stated in a 
gathering at Harvard University's Graduate School of 
Education "more energy is going into creating those 
alternatives than into making fundamental improvements in 
existing public schools where a majority of school children 
are - and will be - enrolled" (Hart, Apr. 2, 1995, p. A33).  
Currently, the charter schools can only serve less than one 
percent of the state's school population (Gannett News 
Service, Apr. 4, 1995).


Supporters:
        Governor William Weld-R.
        Steve Wilson - Special Assistant to Governor Weld.  He 
                helped to draft the charter schools legislation.
        Martin Kaplan - (Democratic Chair of the Education 
                Committee) 
        Robert V. Antonucci - Commissioner of Education
        Representative Mark Roosevelt (D - Beacon Hill) - Chief 
                sponsor in the House of Representatives.
        Senator Thomas Birmingham (D - Chelsea) -  Chief sponsor 
        in the Senate.  "When viewed in it's totality, I think that 
        it is simply incontrovertible that this bill represents an 
        historic and giant step forward for education in this 
        commonwealth." (National Public Radio, Oct. 25, 1993, 
        Transcript #1281-9).


Opponents:
        Massachusetts League of Women Voters-  Doesn't believe 
that one person (Secretary of Education), should have sole 
power over which charter school applications are accepted.  
(National Public Radio, Oct. 25, 1993, Transcript #1281-9).
        Massachusetts Municipal Association - Financial 
Components- Senate President William Bulger, are calling for 
the state to allocate funds to prevent the impoverishment of 
the remaining schools in the public school district.  The 
prevailing view is that since charter schools are under state 
control, the state should be responsible for their funding. 
        Massachusetts Federation of Teachers
        Education Association of Worcester
        Massachusetts Association of School Committees

        
Court Case:  
                One example of the legal battles going on between 
opposing sides is the proposed suit to be filed by the law 
office of Carl D. Goodman.  They are in pursuit of  
preliminary and permanent injunctions prohibiting the use of 
tax dollars for the funding of charter schools. They propose 
that General Legislation chapter 71, section 89 is invalid on 
the basis that:
                        (1) the statute does not provide for the 
establishment of public schools, but the establishment of 
private schools which are funded by public funds.  This is in 
violation of the Anti-Aid Amendment to the Massachusetts 
Constitution. (Mass Const. amend. art. XVIII;)
                        (2) The Charter School law does not provide 
for public accountability.  This is in violation of Part 1, 
Art. V of the Massachusetts Constitution; and
                        (3) that the delegation of authority to 
approve charter school applications to the Secretary of 
Education was an improper delegation of legislative 
authority.
A memorandum is scheduled to be filed within 2-3 weeks of May 
17th, 1995.  

        
Legislation
        The number of charter schools allowed in Massachusetts 
is limited to 25.  Charters are assigned for a period of five 
years and will not go into effect until September, 1995.  
Charter school students do not pay tuition.  Only three 
quarters of one percent of the number of children attending 
public schools in Massachusetts can be enrolled in charter 
schools.  Thus, 2964 is the maximum number of children who 
can attend the seventeen charter schools due to open in 
September, 1995.  Finally, the formation of charter schools 
will not influence Proposition 2 1/2.1
        These schools may be sponsored by a business or 
corporation, at least two certified teachers, or greater than 
or equal to ten parents.  Although charter schools are viewed 
as a means to increase local control in education, school 
boards and parent groups are eliminated from the chartering 
process in that a charter school application can only be 
approved in the MassachusettsÕs Executive Office of 
Education. The sponsors submit their application to the State 
Secretary of Education (Piedad Robertson) who has the 
authority to approve or reject the charters.  There is no 
appeals process.  
        Even though charter schools are open to all students (on 
the basis of space availability), preference for attendees is 
given to students who live in the district in which it is 
located.  If the number of applicants exceed the number of 
available slots, a lottery is held to select the remaining 
students.  However, Massachusetts does give trustees the 
right to set minimum academic standards for student 
eligibility in their charters.  The students are able to 
return to their district's public school at any time during 
the school year if they are unhappy with their charter school 
education.    
        The manner in which charter schools are funded depends 
upon whether or not they are situated in communities 
containing a positive foundation gap or a not positive 
foundation gap.  If there is a positive foundation gap, the 
district in which the student lives is required to pay the 
charter school the average cost per student.  On the other 
hand, if there is no positive foundation gap, the district 
pays the lesser of the average cost per student in their 
district (if that is the location of the charter school) or 
that of the charter school's.  In Boston, the average cost 
per student was determined by dividing the current school 
budget by the number of students enrolled.  Funding for 
special needs students is the responsibility of the district 
in which the student lives.
        Although charter schools are public schools, they are 
independent of outside control over their integral and daily 
operations.  Thus, they do not have to comply with most state 
regulations (excluding those pertaining to health, safety, 
and anti discrimination).  In addition, no private or 
parochial schools can submit a charter application.  
Similarly, locations for charter schools are restricted to 
space in an existing public school, a public building, or 
space in a privately owned building (such as an office 
building or a mall).  Thus, finding space to hold a charter 
school has been an obstacle of the sponsors. 
        Teachers hired for charter schools do not maintain their 
union ties (if they previously taught in a public school 
system).  They are only covered as public employees in 
matters pertaining to collective bargaining and tort 
liability.  The teachers have the option of taking up to a 
four year leave of absence to teach in a charter school.  If 
at the end of four years they would like to continue teaching 
in the charter school, they are required to resign from their 
teaching position in the traditional public school district.  
Teachers are not required to be certified, but each charter 
must specify their necessary qualifications.  
        Charter schools are required to provide parents or 
guardians of their students as well as prospective families 
with an annual progress report.  "Students in Charter Schools 
are required to meet the same performance standards, testing 
and portfolio requirements set by the board of education for 
students in other public schools" (Chapter 71, Section 89 of 
the 1993 Massachusetts Education Reform Act).  This report 
cites the schools' budget and solvency, the manner in which 
they have been meeting the goals stated in the charter, and 
the schools' achievements.  If the conditions of the charters 
are not fulfilled, the school may be placed on probation and 
ultimately shut down.  "If they can't deliver, we'll shut 
them down." Piedad Robertson (Aucoin and Wong. The Boston 
Globe.  Mar. 26, 1995, p. 30).

Results of Law:
        Piedad Robertson, the Secretary of Education, has 
approved twenty-one charter schools.  (seventeen of which are 
scheduled to open in September, 1995).  They are:

        1) Boston: Academy of the Pacific Rim Charter School
        2) Boston: Boston Renaissance Charter School
        3) Boston: City on the Hill Charter School
        4) Boston (Dorchester): Neighborhood House Charter 
                School
        5) Boston: YouthBuild Charter School
        6) Cambridge: Benjamin Banneker Charter School
        7) Lower Cape Cod (Brewster): Cape Lighthouse Charter 
                School
        8) Chelmsford: Chelmsford Charter School
        9) Fall River: Fall River Atlantis Charter School
        10) Fort Devens (Ayer/Harvard): Boston University 
                Charter School
        11) Fort Devens (Ayer/Harvard): Francis W. Parker 
                Charter School
        12) Franklin: Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter School
        13) Hull: South Shore Charter School
        14) Lawrence: Community Day Charter School
        15) Lawrence: Lawrence Family Development Charter School
        16) Lowell: Lowell Middlesex Academy Charter School
        17) Marblehead: Marblehead Community Charter School
        18) MarthaÕs Vineyard:  Martha's Vineyard Charter School
        19) Springfield: North Star Academy Charter School
        20) Springfield: Sabis International Charter School
        21) Williamsburg: Western Massachusetts Hilltown Charter 
School

Descriptions of the first schools approved can be found 

Of these schools,  five will specifically target "at risk" 
children,  and five schools will house elementary-age 
students.2  Three schools will  educate various grade levels,  
and two are specifically for middle schoolers.3  Finally, two  
Massachusetts  schools will base their schools on science and 
the Asian culture respectively.4

Conclusions:
        Although Massachusetts has passed charter school 
legislation giving the schools a great deal of autonomy 
(charter schools are considered to be separate corporate and 
political entities), questions regarding their funding and 
the limits on their creation still remain.  In 1998, there 
will be a study and evaluation of the established charter 
schools by the Department of Education.  Depending upon their 
review by the general court, the laws governing their 
regulation will either become more restrictive or allow  for 
more independent control.  Charter schools are viewed as the 
means to decrease state bureaucracy in education.  However, 
charter school applications can only be approved by the State 
Secretary of Education.  This seems to be a paradox to the 
supporters' attempts to decentralize the government.  As the 
first 17 schools are not scheduled to open until September, 
1995, the effect of charter schools on Massachusetts's 
education system has yet to be determined.



The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
                        Executive Office of Education
APPROVED 1994 CHARTER SCHOOL APPLICATIONS
Below is a summary of 12 charter school proposals that the 
Executive Office of Education has assessed as possessing the 
necessary criteria, in accordance with Chapter 71,  89 of the 
Education Reform Act of 1993, for becoming fully operational 
charter schools. 

1.  Boston:  City on a Hill Charter School
Basic Facts:   The proposal for City on a Hill was submitted 
by two certified teachers, presently working in the Chelsea 
school system. This school intends to enroll 60-100 students, 
representing diverse ethnic, racial and socio-economic 
backgrounds. The school's grade levels will be 7-12. To date 
these two teachers have raised $59,000. A Working Cabinet has 
been assembled to raise funds and promote the school's model. 
Among those already committed to serving on this cabinet are: 
Christopher Lydon; Alden Raine (former Director, MassPort); 
Sylvia Schoenbaum (immigration attorney); Tom Hennesey 
(Headmaster, Boston High School, and former New England 
Patriot); and others.
A National Advisory Board formed to promote the school 
include: Michael Dukakis (former Governor of Massachusetts); 
Edwin Delattre (former President of St. John's College, 
current member of the National Endowment for the Humanities, 
and Dean of Boston University's School of Education); and 
John Stewart (Education Director of the John F. Kennedy 
Library).
School Focus:  Civic Education emphasizing commitment to 
community service and/or work internships will be a basic 
component of every student's program; weekly "Town Meeting" 
where students and staff are encouraged to engage in dialogue 
concerning school policies and direction.

2. Boston: YouthBuild Charter School
Basic Facts YouthBuild, a non-profit Community Based 
Organization located in Roxbury, provides former drop-outs 
and disenfranchised youth with academic and vocational 
skills. YouthBuild offers a full-time academic program 
combined with
a vocational construction component which includes, 
renovating abandoned buildings as housing for homeless 
families. Students are also exposed to computer technology, 
particularly business and construction software, making 
YouthBuild's job placement highly successful. In the class of 
1993, 80% of YouthBuild graduate qualified for job placement, 
and 100% of them were placed in jobs averaging $10/hour. With 
a 70% retention rate and on-third of its graduates going on 
to higher education, YouthBuild has generated extensive local 
and national attention.
Grade Levels YouthBuild's students will not be placed in 
traditional grade levels, instead they will be in competency-
based groups. Individual Education Plans track the academic 
and vocational progress of each student.

3. Boston: Boston Renaissance Charter School
Basic Facts In a partnership between the Horace Mann 
Foundation and the Edison Project, the Boston Renaissance 
Charter School intends to implement its ambitious school 
design which is the result of 18 months of research and 
development grounded in original educational innovations. The 
school will be located in Boston's South End, serving a 
racially, ethnically, and socio-economically diverse student 
population.
Every student will have a computer in his or her home, 
allowing content interaction between teachers, students, and 
parents. The school will be open for 12 hours per day, with a 
7-8 hour academic day, for 210 days of instruction (30 days 
longer than the mandated minimum). Among the school's 
objectives are: teaching all students a second language; 
ensuring computer and technological literacy; encouraging 
heavy parental activity and involvement; strengthening 
character and values in all students.
The school intends to open in August 1995 with an anticipated 
first year enrollment of 700, growing to 1,100 over a period 
of 6 years. Beginning with grades K-6, the school will evolve 
into a full K-12 operation.

4. Boston: Neighborhood House Charter School
Basic Facts: The applicant, Federated Dorchester Neighborhood 
Houses, Inc. (FDNH), intends to establish a K-8 school with 
an enrollment of 135 at-risk students (drop-outs, court or 
DYS involved students with histories of academic, emotional 
and behavioral problems). The FDNH's charter school, The 
Neighborhood House Charter School, will operate for 227 
school days. The school's teacher/student ratio will be 
limited to 1:10. The FDNH has a long and successful track 
record in addressing the needs of at-risk students. It 
presently operates two well-known middle schools, the Log 
School and the Little House, both with sizable waiting lists. 
The charter school proposal has generated extensive community 
support, such as: Georgette Watson of the Governor's Alliance 
Against Drugs; Dr. Barry Zuckerman; Ralph Martin, Suffolk 
County District Attorney; Linda Carlisle, DSS Commissioner; 
and numerous other community based organizations.
School Focus:  One of the basic tenets of the school is the 
belief that the neighborhood community and the school are 
one. The charter school will integrate school-based services, 
by joining together classroom education, social services and 
parental involvement. Each family enrolled at the school will 
be required to participate in the Family Cooperative, 
creating a social infrastructure among families, and offering 
GED and ESL classes, as well as other support services. In 
addition to an Individual Learning Plan for each student, 
families will be asked to commit to a Family Learning Plan. 
According to the school's proposal, standards set in the 
Basic Skills will meet or exceed the academic standards set 
by the Board of Education.

5. Lower Cape Cod (Brewster): Cape Cod Lighthouse Charter 
School
Basic Facts: The Lighthouse Charter School's founding 
coalition include
parents, community and institutional leaders. Several local 
institutions have already agreed to join the school to form 
the "educational village", they are: the Cape Cod National 
Seashore; Center for Coastal Studies; the Cape Cod Museum of 
Natural History; the Academy for Performing Arts; and the 
Castle Hill Center for the Arts. The school's governing Board 
of Trustees will consist of parents, teachers, students, and 
representatives of the above institutions. The school will 
serve approximately 100-120 students in grades 6-8, with the 
possibility of expanding to include grades 9-12.
School Focus : The Lighthouse Charter School holds as its 
central belief that "it takes an entire village to raise a 
child" (African proverb). The school will foster an 
appreciation for the environment and institutional resources 
around which science curriculum and thematic learning will be 
based. Mastery of basic skills will serve as the school's 
central focus.

6. Fort Devens (Ayer/Harvard): Boston University Charter 
School
Basic Facts:  Boston University Charter School intends to 
establish a residential school, operating 24 hours a day, for 
students who are unsupported by a home or family structure, 
specifically homeless youth and wards of the state. The 
school will draw on the vast human and physical resources 
made available as a result of military realignment (e.g. 
former military personnel with teaching and training 
experience, accountants and engineers, in career transition 
due to military contraction will be utilized). The school 
will initiate operations with 150 students in grades 7-11 and 
will add grade 12 in the second year increasing the student 
population to 180 students. The Boston University Charter 
School is the outgrowth of a successful summer (1993) 
program, First in Peace. Boston University's initiative is 
being led by Rear Admiral W. Norman Johnson, USN (ret.), Vice
President and Dean of Students. A career Naval officer, a 
native of Roxbury, and a decorated Vietnam combat veteran, 
Admiral Johnson played a key role in the racial integration 
of the Navy and in developing educational and technical 
training and support programs to promote equity and diversity 
in the armed forces.
School Focus: The Boston University Charter School will 
prepare students to enter higher education or technical 
careers upon graduation. A close relationship between BU's 
various schools/departments and area businesses will be 
developed allowing students to choose a path suitable to 
their interests. Community service and volunteerism will be 
required for all students. The school will rely both on 
traditional academic instruction and vocational/technical 
(hands-on) approaches.

7. Fort Devens (Ayer/Harvard): Francis W. Parker Charter 
School
Basic Facts: The Francis W. Parker Charter School takes its 
name from the New England native schoolmaster and Union Army 
colonel who was referred to as the "father of progressive 
education" by John Dewey. Initially the Parker School will 
enroll 100 students in grades 7-8. It anticipates growing to 
350-400 students in 3 to 4 years, expanding one grade level 
at a time to cover 7-12. The school will be located near the 
intersection of Route 495 and Route 2, thus drawing a diverse 
student population from such communities as Lawrence, 
Worcester, Gardner, and Concord; all within a 30 minute 
commute.
School Focus: The Parker School's philosophy is based on the 
nine principles of the Coalition of Essential Schools. A 
strong emphasis is placed on such basic or core skills as 
reading, writing, and mathematics; rather than attempting to 
cover the content of many subjects, the school will instead 
focus on depth and mastery in a few essential areas. "Less is 
More" describes the Coalition of Essential School's 
philosophy of the secondary school curriculum. Total Quality 
Management principles will be used. Students and parents will 
be asked to enter a compact prior to admission.

8. Franklin: Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter School
Basic Facts: The Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter School 
plans to locate in the Town of Franklin, "the fastest growing 
town in the Commonwealth." The school's Founding Coalition is 
made up of local parents. With a rapidly increasing 
elementary and secondary school children in the town, the 
charter school will off-set this surge by enrolling 270 
students in grades K-8. The school will limit classroom size 
to under 20 students at all times.
School Focus: The Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter School 
plans to provide its students with a classical education 
based on the Core Knowledge Sequence. A strong emphasis is 
placed on Basic Skills acquisition. The school's goal for 
academic performance is for its students to attain levels at 
least 10% higher than those students in the same grades in 
traditional public schools.

9. Hull: South Shore Charter School
Basic Facts: The South Shore Charter School will initially 
enroll 60 students: 20 in a K-1 class, and 40 in grades 11 
and 12. The school's Founding Coalition include teachers, 
parents, members of the local business community, public 
officials, and representative of higher education. The 
founders intend that the school become a Family Learning 
Resource Center for the South Shore area. Parental 
involvement in the child's learning process is central to the 
school's philosophy. In addition, the school volunteers will 
be recruited.
School Focus: Significance is placed on interdisciplinary 
projects. Students will have the option to take classes at 
various colleges and universities (and earn college credit). 
Students will be exposed to environmental issues through 
participation in the Hull Environment and Service Corps -- 
the first Youth Community Service and Conservation Corps in 
the US that is part of a Public High School.

10. Lawrence: Community Day Charter School
Basic Facts: The Community Day Charter School is a 
neighborhood school developed and supported by parents. 
Support for this school's proposal include various public 
officials, a college president, State Representative Gary 
Coon, State Senator John O'Brien, members of the business 
community, many other respected community members. The school 
plans to enroll 140 students in grades K-6, with a 
teacher/student ratio of 1.5 to 20.
School Focus:  The school's academic approach is based on 
interdisciplinary learning, integrated themes and mixed age 
grouping. The bilingual program proposed is a form of 
immersion -- non-English speaking students and English 
speakers will learn together, with instruction in English. 
Parents will also receive ESL and literacy training.

11. Lowell: Lowell Middlesex Academy Charter School
Basic Facts: The Lowell Middlesex Academy Charter School 
proposal is the outgrowth an existing school sponsored and 
operated by Middlesex Community College (MCC). Established in 
1989, Lowell Middlesex Academy has served over 400 students, 
all of whom were drawn from the official dropout rolls of 
Lowell High School. The Academy Charter School plans to 
enroll 100 students in grades 9-12. Maximum class size will 
be 20 students. The school will follow the MCC academic 
calendar. Classes will be held between 11:00 AM and 8:00 PM. 
The school will continue to operate at its current location: 
the City Campus of Middlesex Community College, in downtown 
Lowell. Students will continue to have access to the 
college's facilities, including the library, computer labs, 
and cafeteria.
School Focus: The Lowell Middlesex Academy Charter School is 
based on the Middle College model developed by New York 
City's LaGuardia Community College; it will provide an 
academically challenging environment for at-risk youth (ages 
16-22). The school intends to implement a new curriculum that 
departs from the traditional, lecture- oriented approach. 
Instead, interdisciplinary and hands-on activities, community 
service and job internships, will be combined in an 
integrative fashion. The school will increase its involvement 
with the college's 2+2 Program (allowing high school students 
who participate in college classes to receive both high 
school and college credit).

12. Williamsburg: Western Massachusetts Hilltown Charter 
School
 Basic Facts: The Western Massachusetts Hilltown Charter 
School proposes establishing a regional school with an 
enrollment of 35 students (47 by 1999) in grades K-4. The 
school intends to offer a rural educational alternative in 
the area. The school will be accessible to the seven 
hilltowns in Hampshire County: Chesterfield, Curnrnington, 
Goshen, Plainfied, Westhampton, Williamsburg, and 
Worthington. The Founding Coalitions consists of parents, 
teachers, and community members.
         
School Focus: This charter school seeks to be a "community" 
school, using a child- centered educational approach where 
children are encouraged to take initiative, make decisions 
and follow through on tasks. The school will employ the 
Reggio Emilia educational philosophy, based on the premise 
that the arts provide the ideal language for young children 
to creatively investigate and learn. The applicant cites five 
primary issues this school will address: 1) the need for a 
child-centered approach to education; 2) the need for a 
collaborative approach to education; 3) the importance of a 
thematically unified curriculum fully integrating the arts; 
4) integrating family involvement in the educational process; 
and 5) the need to integrated the school experience into the 
rich fabric of the community and rural environment.