Education czar hails interest in charter school

By GORDON D. KING
Staff Writer

FRANKLIN — Commissioner of the Department of Education Nicholas C. Donohue praised a local group for its interest in trying to form a charter school, but stopped shy of "anointing them."

"The success of a charter schools depends on those who are buying into it. Charter schools will come. If this one moves forward the department will support it, if it helps the students," Donohue said Wednesday while addressing the group being headed by School Board member William Grimm.

State Education Commissioner Nicholas C. Donohue spoke about charter schools during a meeting in Franklin on Wednesday. In the foreground is Superintendent of Schools Robert McKenney. (Citizen Photo/Gordon D. King)

Grimm obtained a $10,000 federal grant for the initial planning of a charter school. Grants are also available for startup costs.

A charter school is being considered for at-risk students who do not do well in the public high school and drop out.

Commissioner Donohue said he supports this process as it is a chance to do something different in a school.

"It can only be called successful if it contributes to the (existing) public school," the commissioner said.

The commissioner said he is aware of the problems which exist in the city’s schools: low test scores, a high dropout rate and low teachers salaries which mean the schools are always losing teachers.

"A charter school will not solve all of the problems," he said.

Grimm and his group hope to start the charter school by this fall for approximately 25 students.

The group’s timeline is to have the charter written by the end of February and have it ready for the Franklin School Board and state Department of Education to look at and approve in March. Grimm hopes to have it ready for presentation to the City Council in May. The council must approve a charter school.

He anticipates holding a public hearing in April.

Although no site was mentioned at Wednesday’s meeting, it has been suggested at previous meetings that the charter school be established at the high school.

Earlier this week, the school district opened an alternative school for at-risk high school students at the former St. Mary’s School.

Superintendent of Schools Robert McKenney said there are 11 students enrolled.

He said he has already received a request from another district to see if Franklin will accept out-of-town students on a tuition basis.

Donohue said as the law is currently is written, state aid for education follows the student to the school they are in.

"It does draw resources from (existing) public schools," he said.

Superintendent of Schools McKenney said he hopes everyone can work together.

"I hope we are all on the same team. We cannot take any money away from the high school. We cannot afford it," the superintendent said.