Opposition To Worcester Charter School Strengthened By Council Vote

WORCESTER, MA — The Worcester City Council Tuesday joined the school committee in opposing a new charter school proposed for the city, in large part because the school would sap new funds coming to the school district through the Student Opportunity Act.

Mayor Joseph Petty — who is also the chair of the Worcester School Committee — asked councilors to support a resolution "disapproving the creation of the Worcester Cultural Academy Charter School in the city of Worcester." The measure passed unanimously, with District 1 Councilor Sean Rose recused.

The proposed school, which would be connected to the Old Sturbridge Village Charter in Sturbridge, would operate using money from Worcester Public Schools — about $7 million, according to Petty. That would eat up a majority of $12 million in new state funds coming to Worcester through the Student Opportunity Act.

"We worked too hard as a community to get that funding back to WPS," Petty said. "That equals 100 teachers or educators in WPS."

Other councilors reiterated that charter schools take public money, but don't have public boards like public school districts, and so aren't as accountable.

"That's a major problem in charter schools. It's almost like it takes away the voice of community," District 4 Councilor Sarai Rivera said.

According to the Worcester Cultural Academy's application, the school would be free and initially serve students in kindergarten to 4th grade. The school backers hope to open in a building at 81 Plantation St. by August, if granted state approval.

Although linked to Sturbridge Village, the school will run under a model designed by EL Education, a New York company that has designed curriculum and other services for dozens of charter schools across the U.S., including Christa McAuliffe in Framingham.

The state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education will hold a key public hearing on the school on Friday at Quinsigamond Community College. The hearing begins at 4 p.m. at the Hebert Auditorium.

Apart from the council and school committee, labor groups in Worcester are opposing the school. The Educational Association of Worcester union, which represents bus drivers, classroom aides and teachers, has gathered nearly 200 signatures on a petition urging DESE not to grant the charter.

School committee members Sue Mailman and Tracy Novick attended Tuesday's meeting to support the council's resolution. Mailman said she feels charter schools exist mainly to avoid dealing with teacher unions as a cost-cutting measure. Novick implored the councilors to come to the meeting Friday at QCC to further oppose the new charter school. DESE could make a decision on granting the charter in early 2023.

"To say nothing at this time is to fail our school system," Novick said.