The following is a news release from the Maine Charter School Commission.
AUGUSTA – The Maine Charter School Commission announced last week it will accept applications from potential charter school operators who hope to open schools for the 2013-14 school year.
The Commission, a seven-member body that can authorize up to 10 public charter schools statewide over the next decade, published a request for charter school proposals and an application that potential charter school operators must complete in order to open a school for the 2013-14 school year.
Three charter schools have already been approved. Cornville Regional Charter School and Maine Academy of Natural Sciences are expected to open on October 1, 2012. The remaining school, Baxter Academy for Technology and Science in Portland, was approved conditionally to open in fall 2013.
The request for proposals and application are available on the Commission website, at http://www.maine.gov/csc/.
Charter schools are public schools of choice that have more flexibility than traditional public schools over decisions concerning curriculum and instruction, scheduling, staffing and finance. However, they are accountable to the terms of the contracts, or charters, that authorize their existence and the academic standards to which all other public schools are accountable.
The Maine Charter School Commission is considered an “authorizer” under Maine’s public charter school law. Local school boards can authorize additional public charter schools.
Maine Charter School Commission | mcsc@maine.gov
Thank you for your prompt reply. I am pleased that there will be a careful review especially with the virtual schools. The Portland Press Herald article was extremely pointed in their onerous account of what has and is happening concerning charter schools both in Maine and the nation. I wish you all well in your work.
Carl Beckett
Retired Teacher
Mechanic Falls
Carl, thank you for your comment. Please be assured that the Charter School Commission has and will continue to review all charter school applications very carefully. So far, we have only approved charter school operators who are in-state and have not approved any virtual schools yet. As the Commission moves forward, before awarding any contract, we will carefully review their model of providing education to determine if the application meets all of the standards the commission has established. Only at that time will a contract be awarded.
Jana Lapoint
Chair, Maine Charter School Commission
To all Charter Commission Members,
I would ask you to read the Special Report: “The profit motive behind virtual schools in Maine” written by Colin Woodward in the Portland Press Herald on Sunday, September 1st before approving any more charter schools especially virtual schools.
Thank you.
Carl Beckett
Retired Teacher
Mechanic Falls