New charter seats voted by Board

Pioneer Charter
Willyard steps out as he goes there and it would be a conflict; recuses himself
Chester: expansion would add elementary (as a reorg): 750 schools over two campuses
"demonstrating to me that they are up to the challenge of expansion"
Chuang: evidence of perseverance
"has been through our process a number of times"
6-2 (McKenna out; Willyard recused)

Brooke Charter and Neighborhood House
Chester: received quite a few requests including 14 from Boston; bringing forward 2
if all requests in Boston were able to be filled, it would have been 2700 seats total
Brooke:
Chester "both have just an impeccable performance record"
Brooke running three schools under three charters
expanding to include high school grades as well as consolidation
Chuang: track record on Brooke is stellar
"performance on subgroups in particular"
"very strong request"
Noyce: heard testimony that six year college graduation rate
Chuang: a number of reports around post-secondary measure
based on first 27 students that had reached that age
Fryer notes that it's conditional on going to college
Noyce "that's still higher than what I recalled"
Sagan: calls forward Brooke person saying "you can take a bow for your results"
comparison on any post high school attainment
Brooke stat is based on eighth graders (and Brooke doesn't do high school)
Stewart: Board received a number of emails
questions around attrition?
Chuang unclear where that data is coming from
students who are leaving for other opportunities within high school
Stewart: asked for discipline policies
"what stood out to me...very black and white"
did call into question issues "of cultural competency"
"this is having an impact"
"Once upon a time, these schools were starting as labs of innovation...money going in was basically R&D"
"the cuts are happening in Boston Public Schools, and reimbursement is not happening"
"it makes no sense"
Doherty: had chair of school committee and chair of education say "please don't do this"
expanding these seats will add $20M to their problem
"I don't think we can say 'well, that's your problem; it's not our problem'"
Chester on PARCC results: capitalize on results
"make sure it's not a tightly held secret"
Chuang: "very little evidence of attrition" at Brooke
"we've explored every angle"
Fryer: probably about the best school I've been to
"I've haven't been on this Board long, but there's never been an earlier vote."
McKenna: didn't think Jackson and O'Neil were testifying against
thought they were sharing
I believe Jackson was testifying against; O'Neil is perhaps best characterized as giving background, from my read
Craven: fully support, thrilled to be able to vote on these options
"right now these are the options that are available to these children"
Sagan: "This is a remarkable school; we need more of these schools."
carries 8-2, Doherty and Stewart opposed

Neighborhood House
Chester "has earned this...through running an outstanding educational institution"
Chuang: add several hundred middle school options to Boston
Peyser: obviously want to reiterate about the quality of the school
Neighborhood House has been at the front of the line in terms of trying to collaborate
"model and the beacon for working together...educator to educator"
"I think the impact that they've had has been quite significant over the years"
carries 8-2, Doherty and Stewart opposed