THIS PAST WEEK, we were shocked to learn the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is moving toward approval of an expansion proposal from KIPP Academy Lynn Charter School. Acting Commissioner Russell Johnston’s recommendation that the state education board approve a plan to add 450 seats at the school represents selective enforcement of the long-standing and clear regulations governing charter school expansion in the Commonwealth.
We urge the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to reject this ill-considered proposal.
Allowing the expansion would siphon an additional $8 million a year from our district public schools, on top of the $30 million already lost to charters annually.
Charter schools must meet various state guidelines and regulations in order to expand. Because of the existing level of charter school spending in Lynn, those regulations include the requirement that KIPP Academy Lynn show that it is a “proven provider” in educating the community.
For a school’s expansion plan to even be considered, the “proven provider” regulations stipulate that it must have proficiency scores in English language arts and math “for all students and one or more targeted subgroups” that are similar to statewide averages over no less than a three-year period. As we outlined to the state education department, no matter how you look at the data, KIPP Academy Lynn does not meet this requirement. Combined proficiency rates for KIPP students in grades 3-8 are significantly lower than state averages, especially in English language arts.
KIPP Academy Lynn has said that their students “reflect the beautiful and vibrant diversity of the City of Lynn.” That claim is as incomplete as the school’s representation of its achievement levels.
The Lynn Public Schools welcome all students. Our doors are open at all times of the year to students from all backgrounds. Over 43 percent of Lynn Public Schools students are English language learners and nearly 24 percent are in their first or second year here in Massachusetts. By contrast, KIPP Academy Lynn’s student body is 15 percent English language learners, with less than 2 percent of its students in their first or second year here.
In 2018, KIPP Lynn tried to expand, relying on the same claims and talking points. The state education department did not move the application forward. Considering that not much has changed in terms of their proficiency levels or their ability to serve the needs of all Lynn students, we remain bewildered as to how the KIPP proposal can be allowed to move forward to a vote of the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.
Not only will this have grave implications for our students, families, and schools in Lynn, it sets a very dangerous precedent.
The people of Lynn have built an inclusive community based on the understanding that our future is brighter and stronger when we look out for one another and remain invested in the success and health of our neighbors. Time and time again, the community has united against the expansion of a separate and unequal education system because they know the damage it would cause to our public schools and the kids they serve.
Like many other Gateway Cities, we were hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic and our kids clearly lost ground because of it. Our schools are making strides in repairing learning loss from the pandemic.
This is a precarious time for our public schools. Our state education funding formula doesn’t come close to keeping up with the record levels of inflation we’re facing. Our schools, students, and community are also grappling with what it means for a school district like Lynn if the Trump administration dismantles the US Department of Education and halts all federal funding.
The Lynn Public Schools receive one of the state’s highest rates of Title I funding – which makes sure our highest-need schools can hire teachers and support staff, close opportunity gaps, and offer the wraparound services our students need. Reading specialists, math interventionists, special education teachers, instructional paraprofessionals, and social workers are often funded by federal resources.
Especially in this time of great uncertainty, we remain focused on the students of Lynn and meeting their academic needs. We are committed to making continuous improvements and making our city the model of excellence it can and deserves to be.
To continue in the right direction, we need more investment and more resources – not less. As the state prioritizes helping struggling students return to pre-pandemic achievement levels, the acting commissioner’s recommendation to allow KIPP to expand would harm the students the state education department claims it is most committed to supporting.
We urge the members of the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to reject Acting Commissioner Johnston’s recommendations and, instead, follow the long-established regulations that make KIPP Academy Lynn Charter School ineligible for expansion.
Jared Nicholson is mayor of Lynn. Evonne Alvarez is superintendent of the Lynn Public Schools. Sheila O’Neil is president of the Lynn Teachers Union.
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