~Photos by Donald Norton

With just one month until the election the Save Our Public Schools No On 2 campaign is heating up in Somerville. Mayor Curtatone, the Somerville Teachers Association, and Progress Together hosted a rally to mobilize around Question 2.

Speakers included:
Gina Garro, Somerville Parent
Jackie Lawrence, Educator and Somerville Teacher Association President
Carrie Normand, Somerville Parent and Chair of the Somerville School Committee
Denise Provost, State Representative
Pat Jehlen, State Senator
Joe Curtatone, Somerville Mayor

The rally took place on Somerville High School’s concourse Thursday afternoon. After the rally they went out and canvassed the neighborhood directly surrounding the high school and made calls at the Somerville Teachers Association.

Question 2: An Act to Allow Fair Access to Public Charter Schools

A YES VOTE would allow for up to 12 approvals each year of either new charter schools or expanded enrollments in existing charter schools, but not to exceed 1% of the statewide public school enrollment.

A NO VOTE would make no change in current laws relative to charter schools.

SUMMARY

This proposed law would allow the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to approve up to 12 new charter schools or enrollment expansions in existing charter schools each year. Approvals under this law could expand statewide charter school enrollment by up to 1% of the total statewide public school enrollment each year. New charters and enrollment expansions approved under this law would be exempt from existing limits on the number of charter schools, the number of students enrolled in them, and the amount of local school districts’ spending allocated to them.

If the Board received more than 12 applications in a single year from qualified applicants, then the proposed law would require it to give priority to proposed charter schools or enrollment expansions in districts where student performance on statewide assessments is in the bottom 25% of all districts in the previous two years and where demonstrated parent demand for additional public school options is greatest.

New charter schools and enrollment expansions approved under this proposed law would be subject to the same approval standards as other charter schools, and to recruitment, retention, and multilingual outreach requirements that currently apply to some charter schools. Schools authorized under this law would be subject to annual performance reviews according to standards established by the Board.

The proposed law would take effect on January 1, 2017.