Schools

Applications to McAuliffe Charter School Up 185 Percent

The Framingham-based regional public charter school announced last month it plans to move across town to a new campus in fall 2014.

Posted by Susan Petroni

Although the lottery will not be held until early 2014, applications for the Christa McAuliffe Regional Public Charter School are up 185 percent.

As of Sept. 30, there were 120 applications submitted for the 2014-15 sixth grade class. Last year by the same date, there were 42 applications, said Executive Director Kristin Harrison.

The regional public charter school, currently located in downtown Framingham, announced last month it will expand and move to a new campus across town, off Route 30 near the Natick line.

The school, which recently celebrated its 10th anniversary, was granted approval by the state in 2013 to increase enrollment from 306 students to 396 students.

School leaders are expecting to have 370 students in 2014-15 and the maximum 396 students in 2015-16.

The charter's district includes Framingham, Ashland, Holliston, Hopkinton, Marlborough, Natick, Southborough and Sudbury. 

Applications have been increasing significantly the last couple of years for the charter middle school which has grades six, seven and eight. Students are accepted via a public lottery. Siblings are guaranteed acceptance.

  • For the 2011-12 school year, there were 150 applicants for 92 slots. (The previous year, there were only 100 applicants.)
  • For the 2012-13 school year, there were 214 applicants for 126 slots.
  • For this current year 2013-14, there were 261 applicants for 132 sixth grade slots.
Editor's Note: My daughter is a seventh-grade student at the charter school.


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