AMENDMENT REQUEST – FEBRUARY 2013
Edward W. Brooke Charter School (Brooke)
Consolidate 3 charters and application (if granted)
Additional seats-105 (35 per school)
2013-2014
Implementation:
Year Charter/Opened:
Opened 2002; Renewed 2007, and 2012
K-8
Grades Served:
475
Wait List as of March 2012: 2,611
Current Maximum Enrollment:
(across the three Brooke schools-4,574)
Yes
Proven Provider Status Required?
Mission Statement:
“To provide an academically rigorous public education to students from the City of Boston that will ensure
that they are prepared to attend and succeed in college.”
Nature of the Request:
The school is proposing to consolidate all 3 charters (including the current Brooke 4 application if granted)
and increase its total maximum enrollment across the network from 1425 to 1530. Each Brooke location
will have a maximum enrollment increase from 475 to 510 students. The flagship Brooke opened in 2002,
Brooke 2 opened in 2011, and Brooke 3 opened in 2012. Brooke and Brooke 2 serve Boston; Brooke 3 is a
regional school serving Chelsea and Boston. In 2012-2013, the 3 schools serve 925 students. The network
of 3 schools will be fully expanded in 2015-2016.
School Name:
Amendment Request:
Strengths and Weaknesses related to Amendment Request:
Strengths:
 The board of trustees presently operates three K-8 schools. The original flagship school is in its
third charter term; has had continued success with its educational program; and is identified as a
Level 1 school under the Department's framework for district accountability and assistance. The
recently added network schools are in their second and first year of operation.
 In February 2012, the flagship school was renewed with a condition related to special education
service delivery. All instructional staff involved in the delivery of special education services are
now either appropriately qualified to do so independently, or work under the supervision and
oversight of an appropriately qualified individual. The condition has been met and is expected
to be removed.
 The school has been noted by other charter schools as a source of best practices, including its
mathematics and character education curriculum.
 While the school acknowledges high suspension rates, they also report the trend of a decreasing
attrition rate. They state that their discipline system provides for an effective learning
environment with a strong culture of safety and respect. The decreasing attrition has prompted
the charter amendment request to add 35 additional seats to each of the existing three schools.
 The group has indicated that a future proposal for a high school hinges on the ability for all
Brooke 8th grade students to be provided enrollment preference. Consolidation will allow for
Brooke students to be guaranteed seats at a future high school.
Weaknesses:
 With the net school spending (NSS) cap in place, the present demand for Boston seats, and the
absence of a request for the high school grade span, the group would not have access to 1000
additional Boston seats without legislative change to the charter school statute.
Edward W. Brooke Charter School Amendment
Page 1


The school does not indicate when it would implement the additional 35 seats at each of the
three schools, two of which have yet to reach their present maximum enrollment. The request
was submitted in the anticipation that Boston will reach its NSS cap during this year's
application and amendment cycle.
The amendment request does not address the potential challenges of consolidation for a regional
Boston-Chelsea K-8.
Edward W. Brooke Charter School Amendment
Page 2
Edward W. Brooke Charter School
Academic Performance and Demographic Data
97.4 97.7 97.9 98.1 98.4
90
CPI
80
70
94.2
89.8 91.8 91.7
84.2
Proficiency Gap
Narrowing:
English Language
Arts
Mathematics
Science
60
50
40
30
ELA History
Org
Code
ELA Gap-Narrowing Targets
2011-2012
Demographics (%)
State
60
87.1
81.0
73.3
50
40
Above Target
Above Target
30
2012
68
54
Math History
Math Gap-Narrowing Targets
White
First
Language
Not
English
Limited
English
Proficient
Special
Education
LowIncome
23.6%
1.3%
2.8%
12.8%
0.2%
7.4%
82.3%
0.0%
9.4%
0.3%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
1.2%
28.7%
29.8%
2.5%
42.1%
8.4%
2.0%
42.2%
29.6%
18.3%
74.4%
75.8%
56.6%
90.8%
62.3%
6.6%
86.5%
71.4%
98.4%
92.1%
31.8%
8.3%
9.3%
5.7%
42.3%
16.1%
14.1%
67.0%
2.0%
2.5%
44.2%
16.7%
31.5%
7.3%
17.6%
17.0%
68.6%
35.2%
Hispanic
71.7%
0.6%
1.5%
Edward W. Brooke Charter School Amendment
Above Target
70
90.6 92.0
MultiRace,
NonHispanic
Asian
Comparison
Minimum
Comparison Median
Comparison
Maximum
Comparison Total
State
97.6 97.8
80
Rating:
EBCS Median Student Growth Percentile
Year
2009 2010 2011
English Language Arts 71.5
84
80
Mathematics
82
76.5
75
African
American
Edward Brooke
Charter School
(95
Schools)
90
Level 1 – 95th Percentile
97.2 97.3
97.8 98.0 98.2 98.4 98.6
100
Accountability and Assistance Level:
CPI
100
Page 3
Edward W. Brooke Charter School
Demographic Data: Selected Populations
English Language Learner
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
2009
State
5.9%
Edward W.
Brooke
Boston
2010
6.2%
Low Income
2011
7.1%
2012
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
7.3%
State
1%
1%
0.2%
0.2%
Edward W.
Brooke
18.9%
20.4%
28%
30.6%
Boston
2009
2010
2011
2012
30.7%
32.9%
34.2%
35.2%
71%
72%
78%
82%
74.3%
75.6%
74.4%
69.5%
First Language Not English
Special Education
50%
25%
40%
20%
30%
15%
20%
10%
10%
5%
0%
0%
2009
2010
2011
2012
State
15%
16%
16%
17%
State
Edward Brooke
Charter
12%
12%
12%
13%
Edward W.
Brooke
Boston
38%
39%
43%
45%
Boston
Edward W. Brooke Charter School Amendment
2009
2010
2011
2012
17.1%
17%
17%
17%
10%
8%
7%
7%
20.5%
19.6%
19.4%
18.7%
Page 4
Edward W. Brooke Charter School
Demographic Data: Selected Populations
Low Income
English Language Learner
20%
18%
16%
14%
12%
10%
8%
6%
4%
2%
0%
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
2009
2010
2011
2012
5.9%
6.2%
7.1%
7.3%
State
Edward W.
Brooke
1%
1%
0.2%
0.2%
Edward W.
Brooke
Chelsea
17%
16.4%
17.8%
18.1%
Chelsea
State
First Language Not English
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
2010
2011
2012
30.7%
32.9%
34.2%
35.2%
71%
72%
78%
82%
77.8%
90.8%
81.8%
78.1%
Speical Education
18%
16%
14%
12%
10%
8%
6%
4%
2%
0%
2009
2010
2011
2012
State
15%
16%
16%
17%
State
Edward Brooke
Charter
12%
12%
12%
13%
Edward W.
Brooke
Chelsea
84%
84%
84%
82%
Chelsea
Edward W. Brooke Charter School Amendment
2009
Page 5
2009
2010
2011
2012
17.1%
17%
17%
17%
10%
8%
7%
7%
13.9%
13.8%
14.2%
12.3%