Category Archives: Charter schools

Maine Charter Commission approves contracts with three new public charter schools

The following is a news release from the Maine Charter School Commission.

AUGUSTA — The Maine Charter School Commission in a public meeting held Tuesday in Augusta discussed, voted and signed three public charter school contracts – culminating months of work on the part of the schools and the commission. The Maine Charter School Commission has the responsibility to approve up to 10 public charter schools in the State in 10 years. The three schools are the Baxter Academy for Technology and Sciences to be located in Portland; the Fiddlehead School of Arts and Science in Gray; and the Harpswell Coastal Academy in Harpswell. These three schools will open September 2013. Continue reading

Charter school commission to hold public hearings

The Maine Charter School Commission will hold two public hearings to discuss Proposed Rule Chapter 001, Commission Organization and Operation, and Rule Revision Chapter 002, Procedures for Commission Authorization of Public Charter Schools.

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Bowen testimony in opposition to amend charter school funding

The Maine Legislature’s Education Committee held a public hearing April 1 on legislation that eliminates the requirement that local funding follow a student to a charter school; adjusts the funding transferred from school districts to charter schools; and amends several funding requirements for charter schools.

Education Commissioner Stephen Bowen delivered the following testimony in opposition to LD 533, An Act to Eliminate the Requirement that Local Funding Follow a Pupil to a Charter School; LD 889, An Act to Adjust Funding Forwarded from School Districts to Charter Schools; and LD 1057, An Act Related to Public Funding of Charter Schools. Continue reading

Questions, answers and discussion from the Governor’s Education Conference

There wasn’t time to answer all the questions at the Governor’s Conference on Education: Putting Students First at Cony High School on March 22. So we’ve assembled them here and will be posting more questions and answers over the coming days.

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Notice of public meeting to discuss Baxter Academy

Update: This article was corrected on March 14 to reflect the date and time change of the meeting.

The Maine Charter School Commission will hold a public meeting with the board of Baxter Academy for Technology and Science, a Maine charter school set to open in Portland next fall. The meeting will be held Monday, March 25, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Cross State Office Building (room 104) in Augusta.

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Maine Charter Commission Approves Two New Charter Schools

The following is a news release from the Maine Charter School Commission.

AUGUSTA — The Maine Charter School Commission approved two new charter schools on Tuesday to open next fall: the Harpswell Coastal Academy and the Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences in Gray.

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Commissioners cry foul over charter funds vote

AUGUSTA – Maine’s finance and education commissioners questioned Education Committee action on Wednesday that they called the opening salvo in a campaign to undermine the state’s new public charter schools before they have barely gotten started. Continue reading

Notice of public input for proposed charter school Fiddlehead School of Arts and Science

The following notice was released by the Maine Charter School Commission.

As the Maine Charter School Commission reviews the application of the Fiddlehead School of Arts and Science as a public charter school, an in-person interview and public hearing will be held on Monday, Jan. 28, 2013, in Room 400 of the Burton M. Cross State Office Building, 111 Sewall Street, Augusta.

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Notice of public input for proposed charter school Harpswell Coastal Academy

The following notice was released by the Maine Charter School Commission.

As the Maine Charter School Commission reviews the application of the Harpswell Coastal Academy as a public charter school, an in-person interview and public hearing will be held on Friday, Jan. 18, at Cundy’s Harbor Community Center, 837 Cundy’s Harbor Road, Harpswell.

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Commission takes action on five charter school applications

The following is a news release from the Maine Charter School Commission.

AUGUSTA – The Maine Charter School Commission has the responsibility to approve up to 10 public charter schools in the state in 10 years. Tuesday, the Commission met to consider five applications for a public charter school.

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