January 15, 2004

Commissioner David Driscoll & Massachusetts Board of Education
Massachusetts Department of Education
350 Main St.
Malden, MA 02148
Charterschools@doe.mass.edu

RE: Opposition to the Community Charter School of Cambridge

Dear Commissioner Driscoll and Board Members;

I write to express my strong opposition to the Community Charter School
of Cambridge (CCSC) proposed to open in Cambridge for Fall 2004. An
application has been submitted which will be reviewed by the Board of
Education at its February meeting. Please make this letter part of the
official record.

CCSC applicants have failed to meet the requirements of the Department
of Education in order to receive approval. First and foremost, this
proposed charter school does not have broad community support. There is
no evidence that Cambridge or Arlington parents or other neighboring
towns want their children to attend this school, despite promises made
in the proposal that this charter school will reflect the diversity of
our community.

In addition, the proposed charter school does not represent an
innovative alternative. Arlington High and Minuteman Technical High
School along with various private and other neighboring charter schools
provide sufficient choices in our area.

The proposed charter’s lead founders also lack the necessary experience
and positive track-record in Cambridge and elsewhere. The primary need
for this charter school, according to the applicants, is the achievement
gap in Cambridge. However, none of the proposed leaders have a record
comparable to our new Superintendent, Dr. Thomas Fowler-Finn, who has a
national reputation for actually making progress closing the achievement
gap. In fact, lead founders and their associates have demonstrated a
disappointing lack of follow-through on prior initiatives they have
proposed and were responsible for implementing in Cambridge in the past.
State money is better spent on proven educational leaders.

Finally, this charter school proposal and its finances are based on
enrollments that exceed Cambridge’s legal obligation for charter
tuitions (no more than 9 percent of a district’s net school spending)
due to enrollment authorizations previously given to two charter schools
now operating in Cambridge. Arlington has supplied few students to the
existing charter schools which shows that demand for another charter
school is minimal in our area.

As a resident of Arlington and neighbor of Cambridge, I urge you to
reject the charter for CCSC at your February board meeting. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Colleen Kirby
16 Pamela Dr.
Arlington, MA
781-648-2447