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Mass. bill would require local approval before state funding for charter schools
Summary
Representative Adam J. Scanlon of North Attleborough filed House No. 692 on Jan. 6, 2025, proposing that commonwealth charter school applications receive local approval from every town or school district expected to enroll students before they are eligible for funding under Section 89 of Chapter 71.
Representative Adam J. Scanlon of North Attleborough filed House No. 692 on Jan. 6, 2025, proposing that commonwealth charter school applications receive local approval from every town or school district expected to enroll students before they are funded under Section 89 of Chapter 71 of the Massachusetts General Laws.
The bill inserts a definition of “local approval” into Section 89 of Chapter 71 and specifies that local approval may be granted by: approval of an elected school committee for each district expected to enroll students; approval by voters at a town meeting in each town expected to enroll students; or, for a city without an elected school committee, by a vote of the city council and the mayor. The bill states that only charter applications that have received the local approval of every town or school district expected to enroll students shall be funded pursuant to the provisions of Section 89.
The bill also says that if the board approves a charter application without the required local approvals, the application “shall be funded by the board, exclusive of Chapter 70 or other local funds.” Chapter 70 is Massachusetts’ primary statutory school-aid framework; the bill therefore distinguishes state board funding from Chapter 70 and other local funding sources.
Section 3 of the bill makes its provisions applicable only to commonwealth charter school applications submitted after the date the act becomes effective. The filing identifies the measure as part of the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court (2025–2026) and is listed in the House docket as House No. 692.
The transcript provided is the bill text as filed; it records the sponsor and the statutory language but does not record committee referral, debate, votes, or public comment. No formal vote or implementation timeline is recorded in the filing itself. The measure would require further legislative action to become law and take effect for future charter applications as specified.
