Board Approves Salem Horace Mann Charter

UPDATED: The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education voted on Tuesday to grant two new Horace Mann charters to groups seeking to restart schools in Salem and Springfield.

The board voted to approve the Bentley Academy Charter School, which intends to serve 350 students in grades K-5 in Salem, and the UP Academy Charter School of Springfield, which would serve up to 800 students in grades 6-8 in Springfield, at today’s board meeting.

The Bentley Academy Charter School proposes to open in 2015 in the current Bentley Elementary School and be an option for existing Bentley students as well as other Salem students.

The UP Academy Charter School of Springfield proposes to open in 2016 in a Springfield public middle school that will be identified by November 2015.

Both schools demonstrated their ability to found and operate a high-quality charter school, and both have plans for collaboration with their partner public school district, according to state education officials.