Massachusetts Charter Public School Association

09/03/2026

All across Massachusetts, charter public schools have welcomed back more than 46,000 students for another year of learning, growth, and opportunity!

The first day of school is always a special milestone, and our schools know how to celebrate. From classrooms decorated top to bottom and red carpets rolled out for students, to festive outfits and unique back-to-school traditions, communities across the Commonwealth made sure students started the year feeling celebrated, supported and ready to thrive.

Here’s to a great school year ahead! 🎉📚

Hill View Montessori Charter Public School
MLK Jr. Charter School of Excellence
Phoenix Charter Academy Chelsea
KIPP Massachusetts
Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public School
Springfield Prep Charter School
Brooke Charter Schools
Foxborough Regional Charter School
Marblehead Community Charter Public School

08/20/2026

👏🏼🥳CONGRATULATIONS to the 12 charter public schools and MCPSA members ranked among U.S. News and World Report's 2026 Top 100 Public High Schools in Massachusetts. These schools are driving excellence in public education statewide!

Check out the rankings! ⬇️
✅ Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School, #3
✅ Sturgis Charter Public School, #9
✅ Pioneer Charter School Of Science II (PCSS II), #12
✅ Advanced Math & Science Academy Charter School, #16
✅ Brooke Charter Schools, #24
✅ Abby Kelley Foster Charter Public School, #25
✅ Pioneer Charter School of Science (PCSS), #27
✅ Excel Academy Charter Schools, #31
✅ Salem Academy Charter School, #46
✅ Community Charter School of Cambridge, #49
✅ Hampden Charter School of Science, #60 HCSS High School
✅ KIPP Academy Lynn Charter School, #63 KIPP Massachusetts

08/07/2026

👏 Join us in celebrating Innovation Academy Charter School Middle School Principal Federico Pereyra!

Recently honored at the 2026 Latino Educators Shine Awards, Federico is being recognized for his leadership and commitment to his students and school community.

📰 Read more about Federico’s impact at Innovation Academy: http://ma4charters.org/innovation-federico-pereya-honored-lowell-sun

07/24/2026

Join us in getting to know DESE Commissioner Pedro Martinez!

From answering a few fun questions to sharing thoughtful reflections on the role charter public schools play in K-12 education, our fireside chat with Commissioner Martinez gave school leaders the opportunity to hear his perspective–and get to know him a little better.

Thank you, Commissioner Martinez, for spending time with our school leaders and for your continued commitment to students, families, and public education in Massachusetts. Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

07/24/2026

Join us in getting to know DESE Commissioner Pedro Martinez! Executive Office of Education

We asked Commissioner Martinez a few fun questions during our spring convening of school leaders–and heard his reflections on the important role charter public schools play in strengthening public education across the Commonwealth.

Watch a few highlights from the conversation! Thank you, Commissioner Martinez, for joining us. 💙

07/17/2026

What can the latest research tell us about Massachusetts charter public schools?

A new MIT Blueprint Labs study, featured in The 74, examined nearly two decades of student outcomes at Massachusetts charter public schools. The study found that students experienced significant academic gains compared to their peers in district schools, with particularly strong outcomes for Black, Hispanic, and economically disadvantaged students. It also found that student outcomes rebounded during and after the pandemic following declines in the late 2010s.

Research like this helps inform important conversations about the future of public education–and keeps students at the center of those conversations.

Read more: http://ma4charters.org/-the74-exclusive-MIT-study

07/15/2026

What has the MCPSA team been up to this summer? ☀️ As those of us in education know, summer is the perfect time for learning, planning, and connecting! Last month, our team had the opportunity to do all three as we traveled to New Orleans for the 2026 National Charter Schools Conference.

Highlights from the conference:
🔹 Tim Nicolette, Executive Director, joined a panel on the evolving nature of education policy alongside leaders from Illinois and Rhode Island. Illinois Network of Charter Schools, Rhode Island League of Charter Schools.
🔹 Danielle Pape, Chief of Public Affairs, and Adkeem Jackson, Senior Director of Community Mobilization, led a Massachusetts session, Collective Action that Generates Wins, highlighting advocacy strategies that helped generate meaningful progress over the past year.
🔹 Advocate Angela Gonzalez– charter public school alumna, staff member, and parent–joined our team to share her experience advocating at the State House and telling her story directly to elected officials. Phoenix Charter Academy Network, Springfield Prep Charter School
🔹 Our team also attended inspiring sessions on topics ranging from cell phone policies to the future of the charter movement, leaving with fresh ideas to bring back to Massachusetts! National Alliance for Public Charter Schools

We returned energized, inspired, and excited for the year ahead. 💙

07/10/2026

Yesterday, the Healey-Driscoll administration signed the FY27 state budget, furthering their commitment to ensuring public schools across Massachusetts receive sufficient, equitable funding.

In addition to fulfilling the final year of implementation of the Student Opportunity Act, the budget establishes a new commission to help shape the future of public education funding. We’re grateful that our Executive Director, Tim Nicolette, has been invited to be a part of that conversation alongside leaders from across the Commonwealth.

Thank you to Governor Maura Healey, Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, and the legislature for your continued partnership and commitment to investing in public education. We look forward to contributing to these essential conversations to ensure every student has access to a high-quality public education here in Massachusetts.

Learn more 👉🏽: http://ma4charters.org/state-budget-signing-newsletter
Source: Office of Governor Maura Healey

07/10/2026

The end of each school year brings with it a great sense of joy and achievement worth celebrating – especially for our charter public schools.

Congratulations to the 🥳!

And to the leaders and educators across the Commonwealth dedicated to providing a high-quality public education option in their community, congratulations on another year that was nothing short of magical! 💙

07/06/2026

What if history class looked less like memorizing dates and more like solving real-world problems?

At Boston Collegiate Charter School, Maureen O'Hern is transforming history instruction through the Harvard Business School Case Method. Rather than asking students to recall names and dates, the Case Method places them in the role of decision-makers during pivotal moments in history. Students analyze the information available at the time, weigh competing perspectives, and defend the decisions they would have made.

In her recent op-ed, Maureen reflects on the impact of this approach: "I saw that students retained information more readily and showed greater excitement about the material. They connected names and dates to the broader context underlying a given event."

Before returning to Boston Collegiate in 2025, Maureen spent several years at the Case Method Institute for Education and Democracy. Her experience is a powerful reminder that when educators invest in their own professional learning, students benefit from the new ideas, creativity, and expertise they bring back to the classroom.

Read her full op-ed, "Why I Use a Business School Model to Teach History", here:

Students who can see themselves in historical figures learn how to debate respectfully.