BOSTON — Massachusetts has experienced a decline in its national ranking of charter school laws, primarily due to the state’s refusal to expand the publicly funded alternative schools.
The National Charter School Law Rankings and Scorecard, published by the Center for Education Reform based in Washington, D.C., assigned Massachusetts a “C” grade for its charter school laws in 2023, marking a 10-point drop from the previous year’s assessment.
According to Jeanne Allen, the founder and CEO of the center, Massachusetts, which was once among the top-ranking states for fostering extensive educational opportunities through charter schools, has faltered by neglecting to remove caps, authorize new schools, and promote growth.
The report evaluated charter school laws across all 50 states and territories, assessing criteria such as charter school expansion, operations, and equity to determine the rankings.
Massachusetts was among eight states, including California, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania, that saw a decrease in their rankings compared to the 2022 report.
While some states made significant improvements in their rankings by enhancing charter school laws or expanding charter school provisions, only Florida, Arizona, and Washington, D.C., received an “A” grade.
The report emphasized the pivotal role of charter school laws in creating an environment conducive to the success of charter schools, highlighting the importance of robust legislation in enabling citizens to establish such schools.
In Massachusetts, the number of charters is capped at 120 statewide, with 82 currently in operation, serving approximately 47,000 students. These figures encompass both Horace Mann and innovation charters, which are established and supervised by local school districts.
Compared to the roughly 1,820 traditional public schools in the state catering to about 915,000 students, charter schools operate with more flexibility in curriculum, class size, and school day duration. Admission to charter schools is determined through a lottery system, drawing students from nearby districts.
Despite offering increased parental choice, particularly in underperforming districts, charter schools face opposition for allegedly attracting high-performing students and diverting resources from traditional schools.
In a significant setback for charter school advocates, Massachusetts voters rejected Question 2 in 2016, a ballot initiative that sought to permit the addition of up to twelve new or expanded charter schools annually. This rejection came despite strong support from then-Governor Charlie Baker.
Efforts to lift the charter school cap through legislative measures on Beacon Hill have been met with limited success, with proposals failing to garner sufficient backing.
Christian M. Wade, who reports on the Massachusetts Statehouse for North of Boston Media Group’s publications, can be contacted via email for further information.