Bill Text: MA S237 | 2009-2010 | 186th General Court | Introduced

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Bill Title: For legislation relative to data collected for charter schools

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2009-01-20 - Public Hearing date 5/12 at 1:00 PM in Gardner Auditorium [S237 Detail]

Download: Massachusetts-2009-S237-Introduced.html

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The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Ms. Jehlen

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
                Court assembled:

                The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the passage of the accompanying bill:

An Act Relative to Data Collection for Charter Schools.

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PETITION OF:

 

Name:	District/Address:
Ms. Jehlen	Second Middlesex
Elizabeth A. Malia	11th Suffolk
Frank I. Smizik	15th Norfolk
James Dwyer	30th Middlesex
Pam Richardson	6th Middlesex
Kay Khan	11th Middlesex
Katherine Clark	32nd Middlesex
Matthew C. Patrick	3rd Barnstable
Stephen L. DiNatale	3rd Worcester
Denise Provost	27th Middlesex
Tom Sannicandro	7th Middlesex
Mary E. Grant	6th Essex
Barbara A. L'Italien	18th Essex
Bruce E. Tarr	First Essex and Middlesex
Susan C. Fargo	Third Middlesex
Robert L. Rice, Jr.	2nd Worcester
Jennifer M. Callahan	18th Worcester

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand and Nine

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An Act Relative to Data Collection for Charter Schools.

                Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

            SECTION 1.  Section 89 of chapter 71 of the Massachusetts General Laws, as appearing in the 2006 edition, shall be amended by striking subsection (gg) and inserting in place thereof the following subsection:-

(gg) Each charter school shall submit to the board of elementary and secondary education, to the local school committee, to each parent or guardian of its enrolled students, and to each parent or guardian contemplating enrollment in that charter school an annual report. The annual report shall be issued no later than August 1 of each year for the preceding school year. The annual report shall be in such form as may be prescribed by the board and shall include at least the following components: (1) discussion of progress made toward the achievement of the goals set forth in the charter; and, (2) a financial statement setting forth, by appropriate categories, the revenue and expenditures for the year just ended, including net assets; the amount of any and all funds transferred to a management company; and, the percentage of the school's budget spent on administration.

SECTION 2.  Section 89 of chapter 71, as so appearing, shall be further amended in subsection (kk) by adding at the end thereof the following sentence:-

In the event that the board revokes a charter, or if a charter ceases to exist for any reason, the charter school shall, within six months of the revocation or dissolution of said charter, submit to the board a detailed financial accounting of all the school’s assets, including all equipment and supplies.

SECTION 3.  Section 89 of chapter 71, as so appearing, shall be further amended by striking subsection (pp) and inserting in place thereof the following:-

 

(pp) The commissioner of education shall collect data on the racial, ethnic and socio-economic make-up of the student enrollment of each charter school in the commonwealth, including a comparison with each school’s sending district or districts.  This data shall also include the following: the number of students that have left each charter school and the reason for leaving; the number of teachers that have left each charter school and the reason for leaving; the number of administrators that have left each charter school and the reason for leaving; the number of homeless students enrolled in each charter school and in the district in which the charter school is located; the number of students in the care of the Department of Youth Services enrolled in each charter school and in the district in which the charter school is located; the number of students in the care of the Department of  Social Services in each charter school and in the district in which the charter school is located; the number of students on the waiting list in each charter school including how the waiting list is established, how students are selected for enrollment and how students are removed from the waiting list; a comparison of the projected enrollment and the actual enrollment in each charter school; the number of students enrolled in each charter school who have individual education plans pursuant to chapter 71B and those requiring English language learners programs under chapter 71A. Said data shall be filed annually with the clerks of the house and senate and with the joint committee on education not later than December 1.