Yesterday's blog post presented quotes from an article about the budgets for the innovation schools. It was stated that the School Committee needed to make a decision on the innovation plans within 60 days of receiving them. Both Esperanza School of Language and Culture as well as Renaissance Community School for the Arts are following the same timeline regarding the innovation schools process, as set out in the legislation (see below).
The plans were turned into Superintendent Shea in mid-December. A period of negotiation with the New Bedford Educators Association followed, and a Memorandum of Agreement (detailing the waivers and modifications to the Collective Bargaining Agreement) was signed by the required parties for each school.
The School Committee officially received copies of both plans at their February 13th meeting. According to the 60 day timeframe, the latest possible date for a vote is Sunday, April 14, 2013. Currently, the votes for both schools are scheduled to take place at the April School Committee Meeting on Monday, April 8, 2013.
The dates for the public hearings have not yet been determined, but will be held in late March.
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):
(m) Upon receipt of an innovation plan regarding an Innovation School, a school committee shall hold at least 1 public hearing on the innovation plan. After the public hearing, but not later than 60 days after the receipt of the innovation plan, the school committee shall, on the basis of the quality of the plan and in consideration of comments submitted by the public, undertake a final vote to authorize the Innovation School for a period of not more than 5 years, subject to subsection (n).
