Innovation schools must be evaluated at least once a year by local school officials. The Superintendent shares his/her evaluation with the School Committee. They can then require modifications to the school's plan or even close the school if it has failed to meet its goals.
This all happens at the local level. Innovation schools in New Bedford will be evaluated by the New Bedford Public Schools Superintendent and the New Bedford School Committee.
A template for these annual evaluations can be found on the Innovation Schools webpage (part of the Executive Office of Education site)
The following is directly from the Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 71, Section 92 (this text is also included in New Bedford Public School's RFP):
(n) All Innovation Schools authorized under subsection (m) shall be evaluated by the superintendent at least annually. The superintendent shall transmit the evaluation to the school committee and the commissioner of elementary and secondary education. The purpose of the evaluation shall be to determine whether the school has met the annual goals in its innovation plan and assess the implementation of the innovation plan at the school. If the school committee determines, on the advice of the superintendent, that the school has not met 1 or more goals in the innovation plan and that the failure to meet the goals may be corrected through reasonable modification of the plan, the school committee may amend the innovation plan as necessary. After the superintendent assesses the implementation of the innovation plan at the school, the school committee may, on the advice of the superintendent, amend the plan if the school committee determines that the amendment is necessary in view of subsequent changes in the district that affect 1 or more components of the plan, including, but not limited to, changes to contracts, collective bargaining agreements or school district policies; provided, however, that an amendment involving a subsequent change to a teacher contract shall first be approved by teachers at the school under the procedures in subsection (l).
If the school committee determines, on the advice of the superintendent, that the school has substantially failed to meet multiple goals in the innovation plan, the school committee may: (i) limit 1 or more components of the innovation plan; (ii) suspend 1 or more components of the innovation plan; or (iii) terminate the authorization of the school; provided, however, that the limitation or suspension shall not take place before the completion of the second full year of the operation of the school and the termination shall not take place before the completion of the third full year of the operation of the school.
