Issues and Action

Charter Schools – H.1131
Mary Frantz, LWVM Education Specialist

Urge your legislators to support H.1131 to create a level playing field and fair funding with the goal of resolving tensions between charter and public schools.

The Massachusetts League supports two bills currently before the Legislature designed to balance the needs of charter schools with those of local district schools. These bills will not close any existing charter schools, nor will they deny any new charters. The state Board of Education will continue to have the authority to approve up to 72 Commonwealth and 48 Horace Mann Charter Schools. In addition, these bills will not reduce funding for charter schools.

These bills will help resolve the tensions between charter and local district schools. Their goals are to hold charter schools to high standards of quality, innovation and accountability; ensure a fair process at the Department of Education, and ensure that children in public schools are not adversely affected.

An Act to Provide Parity for Local Public School Tuition Payments for Commonwealth Charter Schools – H.1131

This bill calls for funding charter schools more fairly and reducing the drain on public school districts. It balances the costs of charter schools between local districts and the state by setting a maximum tuition of $5,000 per student, similar to the per-student cost of interdistrict school choice, with additional tuition to be paid from state funds.

Lead Sponsor
Representative Deborah Blumer