Impact Statement Submitted on March 15th

The following is directly from Subsection h in Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 71, Section 92 (this text is also included in New Bedford Public School's RFP):
The screening committee shall review the prospectus for the purpose of determining whether the prospectus: (i) presents a sound and coherent plan for improving school performance and student achievement; (ii) supports or enhances existing educational efforts in the district; and (iii) reasonably can be expanded into a comprehensive innovation plan. In the case of a new school, the committee will prepare an impact statement describing how the new school will affect the children and faculty in the district. Within 30 days of receiving a prospectus, the screening committee shall decide, on the basis of a two-thirds vote, to accept or reject the prospectus, or return the prospectus to the eligible applicant for revisions.

The screening committee met in August 2012 and voted 2-to-1 to approve the prospectus for Esperanza School without needing an impact statement at that time.  The design team developed the innovation school plan and submitted it to Superintendent Shea in December 2012.  In January and February 2013, representatives of the Esperanza School and the New Bedford Educators Association (NBEA) negotiated and signed a Memorandum of Agreement requiring an impact statement at this later stage in the process. 

The Esperanza School team submitted the following impact statement to Superintendent Shea on Friday, March 15, 2013.

Esperanza School of Language and Culture - Impact Statement

 

For the launch year, families may enroll children in grades K-2; students enrolling in grades 1-2 may enroll from other district schools. Enrollment will be voluntary; no student will be involuntarily enrolled in the school. In subsequent years, enrollment will continue annually at the kindergarten level, while students in the uppermost grade will graduate into the subsequent grade until eighth grade is reached. Students may voluntarily transfer into upper grades if there are open slots available, and they meet language proficiency requirements.

NBEA faculty in other schools may apply for open positions at the Esperanza School, but will not be guaranteed a position. No NBEA member may be laid off as a direct result of the creation of the Esperanza School.

The New Bedford Public Schools will provide the Esperanza School with a lump sum per pupil budget that includes all federal entitlement and other applicable funds, and that is equitable to the students served and the budgets that other NBPS schools in the same grade span receive. The school will be expected to not exceed its approved budget plus any external funds that are raised by and for the school. As specified by the New Bedford Public Schools RFP for Innovation Schools, the budget will be cost-neutral with respect to the impact on the District's finances.