Semi privately-run charter schools currently drain $104+ million from the BPS budget. Short-term, a number of Boston-based charters seek to expand even more looking for a total of 2700 seats although only 668 seats are available under the cap, according to a report from the State House News Service. See the Mass DOE press release. This expansion would take effect in September 2016.Long-term, some proponents seek to do away with having to jump through charter cap hoops on a yearly basis, and they seek to file an initiative petition while Gov Baker eyes legislation that would do essentially the same thing. See State House News Report here.
Want to work on this issue? Please contact Angela and Jessica.Also, see reports in the Boston Globe, here on the initiative petition and here on the increased charter seats that might materialize as soon as September 2016.