Baker proposes adding up to 12 new charter schools

BOSTON – Gov. Charlie Baker has proposed expanding the state’s cap on charter schools to add up to 12 new ones or expansions annually.

Baker on Oct. 8 said he would seek to file legislation to exceed the current cap of 120, to add up to 12 new Commonwealth charter schools, which are tuition-free, public schools granted a five-year charter by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. The goal is to focus the growth in districts that are performing in the bottom 25 percent statewide.

“This legislation puts mechanisms in place to make sure that charter schools … serve more of the students they aim to educate, including low-income students, English language learners, and students with learning disabilities,” Baker said in a release.

The proposed legislation would:

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n Expand access to charter schools in the state’s lowest-performing districts.

n Allow charter schools to use a weighted lottery system that provides additional weight to high-need students and those from families with low incomes, as well as students within a particular geographic zone.

n Enable charters to become part of choice-based district enrollment systems. •

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