Massachusetts Authorization of Additional Charter Schools and Charter School Expansion, Question 2 (2016)

Massachusetts Question 2
Election date November 8, 2016
Topic Charter schools and vouchers
Status d Defeated
Type State statute	Origin Citizens

2016 measures
November 8
Question 1 d
Question 2 d
Question 3 a
Question 4 a
Polls
Voter guides
Campaign finance
Signature costs

The Massachusetts Authorization of Additional Charter Schools and Charter School Expansion Initiative, also known as Question 2, was on the November 8, 2016, ballot in Massachusetts as an indirect initiated state statute. It was defeated.

A "yes" vote supported this proposal to authorize up to 12 new charter schools or enrollment expansions in existing charter schools by the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education per year.

A "no" vote opposed this proposal to authorize up to 12 new charter schools or enrollment expansions in existing charter schools, thereby maintaining the current charter school cap.

Election results

Question 2
Result		Votes	Percentage
d No		2,025,840	61.96%
Yes		1,243,665	38.04%

Election results from Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth

Aftermath

A lawsuit was filed in Suffolk Superior Court in September 2015 by lawyers representing five Boston students who wanted to raise the state's cap on public charter schools. The students argued that the state's limits on charter schools violated the Massachusetts Constitution and impeded their ability to seek a quality education. On April 24, 2018, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court upheld the Suffolk Superior Court ruling to dismiss the lawsuit. Tim Nicolette, executive director of the Massachusetts Charter School Association, said, "There's no doubt that in the past year and a half the charter school movement has lost ground politically. We need to rebuild." Barbara Madeloni, president of the Massachusetts Teachers Association said, "They filed charter expansion bills, which have been rejected by the Legislature. They spent tens of millions of dollars backing Question 2, which was soundly rejected by the voters. And they filed this lawsuit, which has such weak claims that the SJC won’t even allow it to go to trial."

Overview

Although legislation had been introduced or passed by the Massachusetts State Legislature, Question 2 was the first measure relating to school choice in Massachusetts ballot measure history.

Question 2 would have given the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education the authority to approve 12 new charter schools or to expand existing charter schools as a result of increased enrollment each year beginning on January 1, 2017. Priority would have been given to those charter school applicants who sought to open a charter school in public school districts that were in the bottom 25 percent in the two years before application. Further, the board would have established standards by which annual performance reviews would have been judged.

Text of measure

Ballot question

The question was on the ballot as follows:

“

Question 2. Law proposed by initiative petition. Do you approve of a law summarized below, on which no vote was taken by the Senate or House of Representatives on or before May 3, 2016?

”

Petition name

The petition name was as follows:

“

An Act to Allow Fair Access to Public Charter Schools

”

Ballot summary

The summary was as follows:

“

This proposed law would allow the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to approve up to 12 new charter schools or enrollment expansions in existing charter schools each year. Approvals under this law could expand statewide charter school enrollment by up to 1% of the total statewide public school enrollment each year. New charters and enrollment expansions approved under this law would be exempt from existing limits on the number of charter schools, the number of students enrolled in them, and the amount of local school districts’ spending allocated to them. If the Board received more than 12 applications in a single year from qualified applicants, then the proposed law would require it to give priority to proposed charter schools or enrollment expansions in districts where student performance on statewide assessments is in the bottom 25% of all districts in the previous two years and where demonstrated parent demand for additional public school options is greatest. New charter schools and enrollment expansions approved under this proposed law would be subject to the same approval standards as other charter schools, and to recruitment, retention, and multilingual outreach requirements that currently apply to some charter schools. Schools authorized under this law would be subject to annual performance reviews according to standards established by the Board. The proposed law would take effect on January 1, 2017. A Yes Vote would allow for up to 12 approvals each year of either new charter schools or expanded enrollments in existing charter schools, but not to extend 1% of the statewide public school enrollment. A No Vote would make no changes in current laws relative to charter schools.

”

Full text

The full text of the measure was as follows:

“

SECTION 1. Subsection (i) of section 89 of chapter 71 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2014 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after paragraph (4) the following new paragraph:— (5) Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection (i) relative to the number of charter schools allowed to operate in the commonwealth or in any district, the board may approve up to 12 additional commonwealth charters, commonwealth charter amendments to increase authorized enrollment, or a combination thereof per year; provided that the total enrollment authorized by all such approvals in a single fiscal year shall not exceed 1% of the total statewide public school enrollment for such year as determined by the board; provided further, that in the event that the number of qualified applicants in any year exceeds 12, the board shall give priority among such qualified applicants to those seeking to establish or expand enrollment in commonwealth charter schools in districts where overall student performance on the statewide assessment system approved by the board is in the bottom 25% of all districts in the two years preceding the charter application and where the demonstrated parent demand for additional public school options is greatest; provided further that the board shall apply to all such applicants review and approval standards as rigorous as those applied to all other commonwealth charter applicants; provided further that the recruitment and retention and multilingual outreach provisions of paragraph (3) shall apply to any commonwealth charter school authorized under this paragraph; and provided further that any new commonwealth charter schools authorized by this paragraph shall be subject to annual performance reviews according to standards established by the board. Nothing in this paragraph shall affect the issuance of commonwealth charters under paragraph (3). The percentages of net school spending set forth in paragraphs (2) and (3) shall not apply to or otherwise operate to limit the board’s authority to approve commonwealth charters or commonwealth charter amendments under this paragraph; provided, however, that such percentages shall continue to apply to commonwealth charters issued otherwise than under this paragraph. Except as provided in this paragraph, all otherwise applicable provisions of this section shall apply to commonwealth charters or amendments approved under this paragraph.

”

Support

Great Schools Massachusetts: Yes on 2, a coalition of educators and community leaders, led the support for Question 2.

Supporters

Coalition

The Yes on 2 website listed the following coalition members:

Altemis Diaz, Community Activist Ana Calderon, Youth Organizer, South Boston en Acción Berkis Diaz, Community Activist Sandra Katz, CEO, Center for Bilingual Services Veronica Robles, CEO, Veronica Robles Cultural Center Grace Corporan, Community Resident Tamara Frias, Executive Director, CAF Dolores Calaf, Professor, Urban College of Boston Ellen Moorhouse, Community Activist Frank Moran, State Representative Reinando Betances, Psychologist Gladys Mencia, Santander Bank Gladys Vega, Community Activist Ismael Lopez, Supervising Coach, Project Coach Janin Duran, Director of Spanish Program, Entrepreneurship for All Jeovanny Rodriguez, City Councilor Jeysi Zuniga, Private School Parent Juan Gomez, President & CEO, Centro Jorge Perez, Charter School Student Jose L. Lopez, Pastor Juana Matias, Candidate for State Representative Karina Diaz, Community Activist Kelly Garcia, Charter School Alumna Lazaro O. Lopez, Area Manager Operations, Verizon Maria Rodriguez, Charter School Parent Lucy Pineda, Executive Director, Latinos Unidos en Massachusetts Luz Rosado, Greater Lawrence Family Health Center Marisol Amaya, Executive Director, La Alianza Hispana Marta Rivera, Community Activist Marta Rentas, Community Activist Nancy Cintron, Community Activist Regla Gonzalez, Community Activist, LULAC Mass Council 12113 Alba Rosado, Community Activist Rachel Romano, Executive Director, Veritas Preparatory Charter School Samuel Acevedo, Executive Director, Boston Higher Education Resource Center Santa Rosado, Community Activist, LULAC Mass Council 12125 Sonia Terbullino, Business Owner, My Little Peru Brian de Peña, City Councilor-at-Large Victor Jarvis, Pastor Lisbeth Perdomo, Teacher, Youth Development Organization Wilmary Melo-Jimenez, Executive Director, Manos que Ayudan Sara Barrientos, Council President, League of United Latin American Citizens Jenny Cintron, Community Activist Robert Lewis, Jr., Executive Director, The BASE Imari Paris-Jeffries, CEO, Italian Home for Children Patria Sanchez, Community Activist, LULAC Mass Council Boston Evolución 12106 Franklin Senise, Community Activist Antonio Alves, Student Luis Barbara, Community Residen Ivan Cabral, Community Resident Silvia De Pina, CNA, Hancock Park Nursing Home Joao Freire, Community Resident Sandra Lobo, CNA, Medical Nurses Ersilia Lopes, Community Resident Jose Lopes, Community Resident Jacinto Lopes, Community Resident Jose Martins, Community Resident Antonio Monteiro, Community Resident Raul Pereira, Community Resident Hercules Soares, Medical Assistant, Brockton Neighborhood Health Center Luis Tavares, Community Resident Marcio Varela, Community Resident Jose Fernando Xovier, Community Resident Yessenia Alfaro, Community Activist Cesar Lopez, Former Holyoke School Committee Member Elsa Acebedo, Community Resident Maria Acevedo, Charter Waitlist Parent Alcibiades Acosta, Centro de Nutrición Fran Allen Acosta, Community Activist Diony Alcantara, Radio Producer, El Vacilon Informativo Ana Amadiz, Community Activist Ana Arias, Charter Waitlist Parent Pedro P. Ayala, Community Resident Edwin Baez, Charter School Parent Katiuska Barias, Multicultural Home Care Maria Battista, Community Resident Maria Betances, Community Resident Ana Brigida Nuñez, Rolland Hair Trend Carmenza Bruff, Community Activist Yahaira Bueno, Student, Northen Essex Community College Julio Campos, Community Resident Alicia Cardona, Traditional Public School Parent Maiky Cardoza, Traditional Public School Parent Tarsis Castro, Actress Virginia Cintron, Community Resident Eva Cortes, Community Activist Elvis Cruz, Community Resident Roberkie Cruz, Community Resident Adrian Cruz, Community Resident Ciprian Cruz, Community Resident Angelica Cruz, Charter Waitlist Parent Nestor de Jesus, Business Owner, De Jesus y Asociados Ivelisse de Jesus, Homemaker Anny Diaz, Community Resident Miguel A. Diaz, CPA Rafael Disla, Radio Personality, WCEC AM Lucia Duran, Community Resident José Arnaldo Dávila, President, Semana Hispana en Lawrence Audia Encarnacion, Community Resident Jose G. Escobar, Community Resident Yaniry Espinal, Community Resident Wendy Estrella, Lawyer, Estrella Law Office Francisca Ez, Community Resident Barbara Fabian, Community Resident Neris Feliz, Community Resident Angela Fernandez, Community Resident Julian Fernandez, Community Activist Maria Fernandez, Community Resident Carlos Fernandez, Community Resident Josue Figueroa, Community Resident Wilson Florentino, Community Resident Pilar Flores, Charter School Parent Olga Garcia, Community Resident Josefa Garcia, Radio Producer, La Salud al Día Belen Goldwyn, Therapist, Blue Sky Maria Gonzalez, Community Resident Dinorah Gonzalez, Business Owner, Light Family Day Care Richard Gonzalez, Community Resident Mercedes Henrique, McKesson Cecilia Heredia, Community Resident Victor Hernandez, PCA, Stavros Abel Hernandez, Community Resident Maria Herrera, Community Resident Odilys Hidalgo, Community Resident Carolina Hidalgo, Community Activist Marcia Hilton, Charter School Parent Tamara Inoa, Community Resident Jose Javier, Traditional Public School Parent Joshua Jerez, Business Owner, Jerez Electronics Jose Jimenez, Community Resident Victor Jimenez, Community Resident Ramon Jimenez, Community Resident Carmen Jimeno, Community Resident Hans Kim, US Tawkwondo Academy Feliz Kurlan, Community Resident Leticia Laboy, Community Resident Glenny Lara, Boston Home Health Germania Lluberes, ER Productions Manager Anthony Lopez, Community Resident Deysi Lopez, Community Resident Rafael Lopez, Community Resident Olga Macia, Community Resident Modesto Maldonado, City Councilor-at-Large Lucy Mare, Henry Jewelry Estefany Marte, Stop and Shop Gladys Martinez, Community Resident Edgar Martinez, Manager, Shalom Auto Sales Anibelka Martinez, Charter Waitlist Parent Carlita Martinez, Community Activist Arisleydy Martinez, Charter Waitlist Parent Enrique Matos, Community Activist Yeitsy Matos, Community Resident Manuel Matos, Radio Producer, WECE Martha Medina, Community Resident Juana A. Mejia, Community Resident Altagracia Mejia, Community Resident Altemar Melendez, Charter School Parent, Lawrence Community Access Television Isabel Melendez, Community Activist Maria Mercado, Charter School Parent Luz Mesa, Traditional Public School Parent Franklin Miguel, Charter School Parent Julio Morel, Community Activist Carlos Morel Perez, Community Activist Francisco Moris, Advanced Polymer Gisela Moris, Community Resident Milciades Nin, Community Resident Elsa O’Connor, Community Resident Jacoba Olivero, Community Resident Cesarina Olivero-Oviedo, UP Academy Oliver Carmen Olivo, Community Resident Glorisell Ortega, SHP Management Corp. Ruddy Ortiz, Community Resident Corina Panduro, Traditional Public School Parent Antonia Paredes, Community Resident Juana Paredes, Community Resident Yasory Parra, PCA Pavel Payano, Jr., Former Candidate for State Senate Rocio Pedrosa, Office Manager, Mt. Vernon Dental Solutions Martha Pena, Community Resident Amanly Peralta, Community Resident Saturnino Peralta, Charter School Parent Lesley Perez, EXIT Assurance Realty Sara B. Perez, Traditional Public School Parent Gladys Deny Perguero, Community Resident Wanda Pina, Community Resident Serafin Plaza, Community Resident Elvin Rentas, Employment Coordinator, Vinfen Co. Lazaro Reyes, McKesson Yanett Reynoso, Aramak Ruth E. Rivera, Traditional Public School Parent Lidia Rivera García, Elder Services of the Merrimack Valley Evelyn Rodriguez, McKesson Doralisa Rodriguez, Traditional Public School Parent Valentina Rodriguez, Traditional Public School Parent Armando Rodriguez, Community Resident Felicita Rodriguez, Community Resident Elena Rodriguez, Business Owner, ER Productions Sara B. Salas, Community Resident Niurka Salomon, Community Activist Pedro Sanchez, Community Resident Jesusita Sanchez, Community Resident Henry Sanchez, Community Resident Mercedes Santana, Community Resident Nancy Santana, Community Resident Ciriaco Santiago, Community Resident Emily Santiago, Dental Assistant, Mt. Vernon Dental Erving Severino, Community Resident Diana Severino, Community Resident Diego Shepard, Community Activist Dierick Shepard, Student, Northern Essex Community College Adrian Alezander Simo Cotes, Traditional Public School Parent Maria Soriano, Community Resident Maria Soto, Community Resident Juana Soto, Community Resident Rosa Susana, Community Resident Blasina Tapia, Traditional Public School Parent Maria Trigueros, Amigos Home Care Belysa Trinidad, Community Resident Pablo Urbaez, Community Resident Triana Valente, Community Resident Elizabeth Valenzuela, Traditional Public School Parent Santa Valle, Community Resident Lucenia Vargas, Community Resident Samuel Vargas, Community Resident Miguelina Vargas, Business Owner, El Cesar Restaurant Cirila Veras, Community Resident Arela Veras, Community Resident Beethoven Veras, Zoll Medical Corp. Dinolsa Ynoa, Community Resident Michael Ortiz, Student, UMass Lowell Will Piantini, Community Resident Nector Garcia, Hampden County Sheriff Department Kristine Benitez, Community Activist Aneudi Castrodad, Program Specialist Vivian DeCuba, Community Activist Natasha Figueroa, Ticket Agent Luz Lopez, Community Activist Madelyn Monserrate, Community Resident Marilin Negron, Student Esteban Ortiz, Community Activist Victor Pacheco, Community Activist Alexander Rivera, Community Activist Loeb Rosario, Student, University of Massachusetts Carmen Santiago, Community Services Institute Hector Torres, Community Activist Efrain Vazquez, Community Activist Lucy Whittemore, Community Resident Clifford Whittemore, Community Resident

Individuals

• Gov. Charlie Baker (R)
• Sen. Michael Rodrigues (D-Plymouth)
• Rep. Stephen Lynch (D)
• Marc Kenen, executive director of the Massachusetts Charter School Association
• Julia Mejia, an expert panel speaker at the Integrative Learning Center forum and a parent of students attending Brooke Charter Schools Boston
• Marty Walz, former state representative

Organizations

• Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation
• Democrats for Education Reform
• Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance
• Alliance for Business Leadership

Arguments in favor

Eileen O’Connor, a spokesperson for Great Schools Massachusetts, said,

“

Massachusetts voters are sending a clear message: every child deserves the same opportunity to attend a great public charter school in their community. If the legislature doesn’t take meaningful action by the end of session, we’re confident that the voters will take a stand for the 37,000 families that are stuck on public charter school waiting lists.

”

Jeff Bussgang, chairman of the Alliance for Business Leadership, said,

“

Lifting the cap on public charters is a social justice issue. ... Massachusetts may have one of the best public school systems in the nation, but for too long the achievement gap has prevented our kids from reaching their true potential.

”

William Kenen, executive director of the Massachusetts Charter School Association, said the following during a forum on Question 2 at the Integrative Learning Center:

“

This referendum question is focused entirely on our urban communities. This is not about suburbs, this is not about rural Western Mass. This is about cities in Massachusetts where children and families are struggling to get basic educational needs met.

”

Great Schools Massachusetts advertisement entitled "Governor Charlie Baker - YES on 2 HD"

Julia Mejia, a parent of students at Brooke Charter Schools Boston, said the following during a forum on Question 2 at the Integrative Learning Center:

“

If the cap doesn’t get lifted that’s going to be less opportunities and resources for families to get out. It would be a devastating blow for those seeking opportunity.

”

Sephira Shuttlesworth, regional support director for SABIS Educational Systems, wrote the following:

“

But a November ballot initiative to allow more charter public schools to open or expand would go a long way toward providing those families with the educational opportunity they both desire and deserve. [...] A torrent of gold-standard, independent research has found that Massachusetts charter schools are closing the achievement gap between poor and minority kids and their wealthier peers. [...] If Massachusetts voters approve more charter schools this November, it will bring Fred Shuttlesworth's words to life and prove that the desire for equal educational opportunity is indeed a fire you can't put out.

”

Marcus Winters, a Boston University School of Education associate professor of curriculum and teaching, wrote the following in BU Today:

“

Among the important decisions facing Massachusetts voters at the ballot box in November is whether to allow expansion of charter schools in low-performing (primarily urban) districts that are at or nearing the state’s enrollment cap. The evidence suggests strongly that the state’s students will benefit were voters to pass the referendum.

”

Campaign videos

The Great Schools Massachusetts campaign released the following videos:

A video featured by Great Schools Massachusetts called "Best in the Country"

The group launched its campaign in front of the State House in Boston.

A Great Schools Massachusetts advertisement called "Absurd"

Opposition

Save Our Public Schools led the opposition campaign for Question 2.

Opponents

The Save our Public Schools campaign website listed opponents for Question 2. The full list can be found here.

Organizations AFSCME Council 93 AFSCME Local 1703 American Federation of Teachers MA American Friends Service Committee, Northeast Regional Office Arise for Social Justice Berkshire Brigades Berkshire Labor Council Black Economic Justice Institute Black Educators' Alliance of Massachusetts Black Lives Matter Cambridge Black Political Task Force Boston Education Justice Alliance Boston Peace Boston Teachers Union Boston Youth Organizing Project Brazilian Policy Center, Inc. Brazilian Women's Group Brazilian Worker Center Bricklayers and Allied Craftsmen Union Local 3 Brookline PAX Carpenters Local 218 Central MA Labor Council Chinese Progressive Association Citizens for Public Schools Coalition for Social Justice Communications Workers Local 1400 Community Labor United CWA District 1 Franklin/Hampshire Labor Council Greater Boston Labor Council Greater Southeastern Mass Labor Council Harvard College Democrats Hotel Workers Local 26 IBEW Local 2222 IBEW Local 2321 IUPAT District Council 35 Ironworkers Local 107 JALSA Jewish Labor Committee La Communidad - Everett Labor Guild MA Association of Haitian Parents Massachusetts Nurses Association Mass Senior Action Mass Teachers Association Massachusetts AFL-CIO Massachusetts Alliance for Retired Americans Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Safety & Health (MassCOSH) Massachusetts Elementary School Principals' Association Massachusetts Interfaith Worker Justice Massachusetts Jobs With Justice Massachusetts Municipal Association Massachusetts Organization of State Engineers & Scientists Massachusetts Peace Action Massachusetts PTA Massachusetts State Council of Machinists Merrimack Valley Labor Council Metro Boston Building Trades Metro Mayors Coalition NAACP, New England Area Conference NAACP - Amherst Branch NAACP - Berkshire County Branch NAACP - Boston Branch NAACP - Brockton Branch NAACP - Cambridge Branch NAACP - Cape Cod Branch NAACP - Martha's Vineyard Branch NAACP - Merrimack Valley Branch NAACP - Mystic Valley Branch NAACP - New Bedford Branch NAACP - South Middlesex Branch NAACP - Springfield Branch NAACP - Worcester Branch Neighbor 2 Neighbor Massachusetts Network for Public Education New Bedford Worker Center New England Joint Board, UNITE HERE New England Regional Council of Carpenters Norfolk County Labor Council North Shore Labor Council Northern Berkshire Community Coalition OPEIU Local 6 Our Revolution Pioneer Valley Labor Council Plumbers Local 12 Plymouth/Bristol Labor Council Professional Fire Fighters of Massachusetts Progress Together 2016 Progressive Democrats of America Progressive Democrats of Massachusetts Progressive Massachusetts SEIU 1199 SEIU 509 SEIU 888 SEIU Local 32BJ Smart Transportation Division SOLIDARITY! (Boston Chapter) Teacher Activist Group (TAG) Boston Teamsters Local 122 UAW Region 9A UFCW Local 1445 UFCW Local 1459 UFCW Local 1459 Union of Minority Neighborhoods USW Local 9360 UTL 495 Worcester Community Labor Coalition Worcester Socialist Alternative Young Democrats of Massachusetts Youth on Board Youth Organizers United for the Now Generation (YOUNG Coalition) School committees Acton-Boxborough School Committee Adams-Cheshire School Committee Agawam School Committee Amesbury School Committee Amherst School Committee Andover School Committee Arlington School Committee Ashburnham-Westminster School Committee Ashland School Committee Athol-Royalston School Committee Attleboro School Committee Auburn School Committee Ayer-Shirley School Committee Barnstable School Committee Belchertown School Committee Bellingham School Committee Berkshire Hills School Committee Berlin-Boylston School Committee Beverly School Committee Billerica School Committee Blackstone-Millville Regional School Committee Boston School Committee Boylston School Committee Bourne School Committee Brockton School Committee Burlington School Committee Cambridge School Committee Carver School Committee Chelmsford School Committee Chelsea School Committee Chicopee School Committee Clarksburg School Committee Concord School Committee Conway School Committee Dedham School Committee Deerfield School Committee Dennis-Yarmouth School Committee Dighton-Rehoboth Regional School Committee Douglas School Committee Dracut School Committee Dudley-Charlton School Committee Duxbury School Committee Easthampton School Committee East Bridgewater School Committee East Longmeadow School Committee Easton School Committee Everett School Committee Fall River School Committee Falmouth School Committee Fairhaven School Committee Fitchburg School Committee Framingham School Committee Frontier Regional School Committee Gateway Regional School Committee Georgetown School Committee Gill-Montague School Committee Gloucester School Committee Grafton School Committee Granby School Committee Greater Lawrence Regional School Committee Greenfield School Committee Hamilton-Wenham School Committee Hampden-Wilbraham School Committee Hampshire School Committee Hanover School Committee Hatfield School Committee Haverhill School Committee Hawlemont School Committee Hingham School Committee Holbrook School Committee Holliston School Committee Holyoke School Committee Hudson School Committee Hull School Committee King Philip Regional School Committee Kingston School Committee Lee School Committee Leicester School Committee Lenox School Committee Leominster School Committee Leverett School Committee Lexington School Committee Lincoln School Committee Longmeadow School Committee Lowell School Committee Ludlow School Committee Lynn School Committee Malden School Committee Mansfield School Committee Marlborough School Committee Marshfield School Committee Maynard School Committee Medford School Committee Melrose School Committee Mendon-Upton Regional School Committee Methuen School Committee Middleborough School Committee Milton School Committee Mohawk School Committee Monomoy School Committee Narragansett Regional School Committee Needham School Committee New Bedford School Committee Newburyport School Committee Newton School Committee Northborough-Southborough Regional School Committee North Adams School Committee North Attleboro School Committee North Middlesex School Committee North Reading School Committee Northampton School Committee Northbridge School Committee Norton School Committee Norwood School Committee Orange School Committee Oxford School Committee Peabody School Committee Pelham School Committee Petersham School Committee Pioneer Valley Regional School Committee Pittsfield School Committee Plainville School Committee Quincy School Committee Ralph C. Mahar Regional School Committee Revere School Committee Rockland School Committee Rockport School Committee Rowe School Committee Saugus School Committee Savoy School Committee Shrewsbury School Committee Silver Lake Regional School Committee Somerset School Committee Somerset-Berkley Regional School Committee Somerville School Committee Southampton School Committee Southborough School Committee Southbridge School Committee Southern Berkshire Regional School Committee South Hadley School Committee Springfield School Committee Stoneham School Committee Sudbury School Committee Sutton School Committee Taunton School Committee Tewksbury School Committee Tri-County Regional Tech Vocational High School Committee Triton Regional School Committee Tyngsborough School Committee Upper Cape Cod Regional Technical School Committee Wachusett School Committee Waltham School Committee Ware School Committee Wareham School Committee Watertown School Committee Webster School Committee West Springfield School Committee Westfield School Committee Westhampton School Committee Whately School Committee Whitman-Hanson School Committee Williamsburg School Committee Williamstown School Committee Wilmington School Committee Winchendon School Committee Winchester School Committee Winthrop School Committee Worcester School Committee Town and City Councils, Boards of Selectmen and Aldermen Boston City Council Cambridge City Council Chelsea City Council Deerfield Board of Selectmen Douglas Board of Selectmen Easthampton City Council Everett City Council Fall River City Council Holyoke Joint Council Lowell City Council Lynn City Council Northampton City Council Northborough Board of Selectmen Quincy City Council Randolph Town Council Springfield City Council Somerville Board of Aldermen Southborough Board of Selectmen Sutton Board of Selectmen Taunton City Council Waltham City Council Worcester City Council Democratic committees Amherst Democratic Town Committee Andover Democratic Town Committee Belchertown Democratic Committee Belmont Democratic Town Committee Boston Ward 11 Democratic Committee Boston Ward 15 Democratic Committee Boston Ward 21 Democratic Committee Brockton Democratic City Committee Duxbury Democratic Committee Easthampton Democratic Committee Greenfield Democratic Committee Hingham Democratic Town Committee Holyoke Democratic Committee Hudson Democratic Town Committee Hull Democratic Town Committee Littleton Democratic Town Committee Lynn Democratic City Committee Massachusetts Democratic State Committee Medway Democratic Committee Methuen Democratic Committee Newton Democratic City Committee Plymouth Democratic Town Committee Southampton Democratic Town Committee Springfield Ward 4 Democratic Committee Sudbury Democratic Committee Winchester Democratic Town Committee Worcester Democratic City Committee

Other opponents

• Former Democratic presidential candidate and U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders
• U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D)
• Former governor Michael Dukakis (D)
• Burlington Educators' Association
• Building and Construction Trades Council of the Metropolitan District
• Greenfield Town Council appointments and ordinances subcommittee
• William Diehl, executive director of Collaborative for Educational Services
• Barbara Madeloni, President of the Massachusetts Teachers Association
• Paul Schlichtman, Massachusetts Association of School Committees member

Arguments against

Marty Walsh, mayor of Boston, said the following at a public hearing hosted by the Joint Committee on Education:

“

To put it simply, this proposal does not provide for the substantial charter school growth that the proponents seeks. ... It would instead wreak havoc on our municipal finances.

”

Save Our Public Schools released a statement that said,

“

Every time a new charter school opens or expands, it takes funding away from the public schools in that area. Under this proposal, the number of charter schools in Massachusetts would nearly triple in just 10 years, costing local public school districts more than $1 billion every single year.

”

Diana Marcus, president of the Burlington Educators' Association, said,

“

Allowing 12 additional charter schools per year and allowing the number of Massachusetts charter schools to double in six years, will remove the requirement that charter schools locate in our lowest performing districts, opening up towns like Burlington for lucrative sources of income. Imagine the impacts of loss in funding to our district’s student programs.

”

Elizabeth Warren, a U.S. Democratic senator, said the following:

“

I will be voting no on Question 2. Many charter schools in Massachusetts are producing extraordinary results for our students, and we should celebrate the hard work of those teachers and spread what's working to other schools, [...] But after hearing more from both sides, I am very concerned about what this specific proposal means for hundreds of thousands of children across our Commonwealth, especially those living in districts with tight budgets where every dime matters. Education is about creating opportunity for all our children, not about leaving many behind.

”

Tito Jackson, education committee chairman for the Boston City Council, noted that the amendment might have an impact on funding for existing schools during a panel discussion, saying the following:

“

We are talking about taking funding away from existing schools and moving funding to schools that don’t even exist yet [...] It is 12 new commonwealth charter schools each year, every year, anywhere, forever.

”

Barbara Madeloni, president of the Massachusetts Teachers Association, said the following during a forum on Question 2 at the Integrative Learning Center:

“

I think a ‘yes’ vote really puts us in the position to profoundly undermine public education…If we were to pass this we would be losing 100 million more each year in perpetuity. That would eventually destabilize public schools. Districts are going to have to start making cuts. Those cuts are real whether it’s art, librarian, music, [or] language programs.

”

Alexandra Griffin, a contributing writer for The Williams Record, wrote the following:

“

Education in Massachusetts should be a public good, guaranteed to all, guided by public values and accountable to local communities. Lifting the cap on charter schools in Massachusetts opens the door to increased privatization, creating educational institutions governed by the rules of the market, with little obligation to respond to the values or needs of the communities they are in. Stand with the students, teachers, staff, unions and other public school stakeholders and vote no on this ballot initiative. It is a critical move to protect and strengthen Massachusetts public schools.

”

Adam Cordio, president of the Fitchburg Education Association, wrote the following:

“

I am urging you to vote 'no' on Question 2 because it is bad policy for public education. Charter schools are privately operated and publicly funded. Here in Fitchburg, we send more than $2 million from our school budget to charter schools. None of our locally elected leaders, including the School Committee, has any authority over the operation of the charter schools financed by our tax dollars.

”

Campaign videos

The Save Our Public Schools campaign released the following videos:

A video featured by Save Our Public Schools called "$400 Million"

A video discussing public school and charter school funding

A video created by Save Our Public Schools called "Not Public Schools"

Media editorials

Support

• The Boston Globe editorial board endorsed a "yes" vote on Question 2:

“

Voters have the chance to continue a successful strategy in public education by approving Question 2, which would allow the state to continue expanding public charter schools in the communities that need them most, including Boston. [...] Massachusetts has been a leader in public education for centuries; the commitment to cherish education is even written into the state constitution. In that spirit, the Globe endorses 'yes' on Question 2, in the hope that it will write the next chapter in one of the Commonwealth’s great success stories.

”

• The Metrowest Daily News editorial board endorsed a "yes" vote on Question 2:

“

Instead, the debate over Question 2, which would allow the expansion of charter schools in low-performing districts where they are capped by state law, has been all about money. What’s best for children has been all but ignored. [...] We support more funding for education, distributed according to a more equitable formula. But we must not sacrifice the state’s neediest children on the altar of district school budgets. We urge a YES vote on Question 2.

”

• The Harvard Crimson editorial board wrote the following:

“

Our support for Question 2 is grounded in the belief that the 32,000 students on charters waitlists should not have to wait to access great schools with proven records. But a system that leaves this many students wanting better options is a system that needs more wholesale reform. We urge Massachusetts voters to approve Question 2, and then to keep the pressure on lawmakers for faster action to improve all of Massachusetts’ public schools.

”

Opposition

Ballotpedia has not yet found any editorial board endorsements in opposition to Question 2. If you know of one, please email editor@ballotpedia.org.

Neutral

• The Daily Free Press wrote the following:

“

Education is an inherently complex and polarizing issue. After all, the intelligence and well-being of the next generation is being argued, if education is examined at its core. It is for this reason that The Daily Free Press’s editorial board did not come to a consensus on the best possible vote for Question 2 of the Massachusetts ballot questions.

”

Background

See also: Charter schools in Massachusetts

Charter schools in Massachusetts are public schools operated independently of public school systems, either by nonprofit or for-profit organizations. Although they are largely publicly funded, charter schools are exempt from many of the requirements imposed by state and local boards of education regarding hiring and curriculum. As public schools, charter schools cannot charge tuition or impose special entrance requirements; students are usually admitted through a lottery process if demand exceeds the number of spaces available in a school. Charter schools generally receive a percentage of the per-pupil funds from the state and local school districts for operational costs based on enrollment. In most states, charter schools do not receive funds for facilities or start-up costs; therefore, they must rely to some extent on private donations. The federal government also provides revenues through special grants.

According to the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, a charter school advocacy group, there were an estimated 81 total charter schools in Massachusetts in the 2015-2016 school year. These schools enrolled approximately 40,300 students. Overall, charter school students accounted for 4.28 percent of total public school enrollment in Massachusetts in 2015. The Massachusetts State Legislature approved the state's charter school law in 1993.

Polls

Massachusetts Charter School Expansion
Poll	Support	Oppose	Undecided	Margin of error	Sample size
Western New England University 10/23/2016-11/2/2016	40%	49%	10%	+/-4.5	470
Suffolk University/Boston Globe 10/24/2016-10/26/2016	45.4%	45.4%	8.6%	+/-4.4	500
WBUR/MassInc 9/7/2016 - 9/10/2016	41%	48%	11%	+/-4.4	506
WBZ/UMass Amherst 9/15/2016 - 9/20/2016	49%	39%	12%	+/-4.3	700
Suffolk University/Boston Globe 5/2/2016 - 5/5/2016	50.0%	33.0%	16.0%	+/-4.4	500
Western New England University 4/1/2016 - 4/10/2016	51.0%	26.0%	23.0%	+/-4.0	497
Mass Inc Polling Group 3/12/2016 - 3/17/2016	73.0%	21.0%	6.0%	+/-4.9	403
UMass Amherst 2/19/2016 - 2/25/2016	51.0%	23.0%	26.0%	+/-4.1	891
AVERAGES	50.05%	35.55%	14.08%	+/-4.38	558.38
Note: The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org.

Note: The margin of error for the WBZ/UMass Amherst poll was found in a separate CBS article.

Note: The margin of error for the Suffolk University/Boston Globe poll was found in a separate article.

Campaign finance

See also: Campaign finance requirements for Massachusetts ballot measures

Total campaign contributions:
Support:	$25,087,540.06
Opposition:	$17,228,189.61

As of January 23, 2017, the support campaign for Question 2 featured five ballot question committees, that raised a total of $25,087,540.06 in contributions, $24,171,439.28 in cash donations and $916,100.78 in in-kind services. The support campaign spent $24,958,712.42.

As of January 23, 2017, the opposition campaign for Question 2 featured one ballot question committee, Save Our Public Schools, which raised $17,228,189.61 in contributions, $15,407,239.54 in cash donations and $1,820,950.07 in in-kind donations. The opposition campaign spent $17,009,617.12.

As of January 23, 2017, the top donor in support of the initiative, Families For Excellent Schools Advocacy, Inc., provided $17,379,189.74 of the campaign's total contributions. The top donor in opposition, the Massachusetts Teachers Association, provided $8,447,302.00 of the campaign's total contributions.

Support

Cash donations

The following ballot question committees registered to support Question 2 as of January 23, 2017. The chart below shows cash donations and expenditures current as of January 23, 2017.

Note: Some of the committees contributed to other committees supporting the measure. These amounts were subtracted in the total below as to not count funds twice.

Strong Economy for Growth:

Strong Economy for Growth was registered as a nonprofit—which do not have to disclose their donors—but the Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance (OCPF) determined that the group was actually operating as a ballot question committee and that it should have been filing reports required of ballot questions committees and disclosing donors. Strong Economy for Growth provided $990,000 to the campaign in support of Question 2—the charter school initiative—and $178,000 to the campaign in opposition to Question 4—the marijuana legalization initiative. In this article, since all of the group's ballot measure-related expenditures were in the form of contributions to other ballot question committees, it is listed as a donor rather than a committee. The OCPF fined the group $31,000 (all of its remaining funds), and required that the group agree to not campaign within the state in 2018. The top donors to the Strong Economy for Growth can be expanded below:

Top donors to Strong Economy for Growth
Donor	Amount
QXZ, INC (Jeffrey Yass)	$600,000.00
Andrew Balson	$200,000.00
Julie Schauer	$200,000.00
Subaru of New England	$50,000.00
Gilbert Winn	$50,000.00
EMC Corp	$25,000.00
Lawrence Curtis	$25,000.00
David Croll	$25,000.00
Anthony DiNovi	$20,000.00
Romney For President, Inc.	$20,000.00

Committee	Amount raised	Amount spent
Yes on Two	$710,100.00	$710,100.00
Campaign for Fair Access to Quality Public Schools	$2,418,576.82	$2,394,667.08
Great Schools Massachusetts	$21,691,325.75	$21,586,407.85
Expanding Educational Opportunities	$575,002.00	$575,002.00
Advancing Obama's Legacy on Charter Schools Ballot Committee	$722,040.00	$722,040.00
Total	$24,171,439.28	$24,042,611.64

In-kind services

As of January 23, 2017, the ballot question committees registered to support this initiative received $916,100.78 in in-kind services. Families For Excellent Schools Advocacy, Inc. provided $849,689.74 of the in-kind services.

Top donors

As of January 23, 2017, the following were the top donors in support of the initiative:

Donor	Amount
Families For Excellent Schools Advocacy, Inc.	$17,379,189.74
Jim Walton	$1,125,000.00
Strong Economy For Growth	$990,000.00
Alice Walton	$750,000.00
Michael Bloomberg	$490,000

Opposition

Cash donations

The following ballot question committee was registered to oppose Question 2 as of January 23, 2017. The chart below shows cash donations and expenditures current as of January 23, 2017.

Committee	Amount raised	Amount spent
Save Our Public Schools	$15,407,239.54	$15,188,667.05
Total	$15,407,239.54	$15,188,667.05

In-kind services

As of January 23, 2017, Save Our Public Schools received $1,820,950.07 in in-kind services. The Massachusetts Teachers Association provided $1,689,203.00 in in-kind services.

Top donors

As of January 23, 2017, the following were the top five donors in opposition to this initiative:

Donor	Amount
Massachusetts Teachers Association	$8,447,302.00
National Education Association Ballot Measure/Legislative Crisis Fund	$3,000,000.00
National Education Association	$2,400,000.00
American Federation of Teachers	$2,124,848.00
AFT Massachusetts, AFL-CIO	$617,949.69

Methodology

To read Ballotpedia's methodology for covering ballot measure campaign finance information, click here.

Path to the ballot

See also: Laws governing the initiative process in Massachusetts

Since Massachusetts employs an indirect initiative process, the state's general court has an opportunity to adopt proposed laws before they move to a popular vote. However, unlike other states, Massachusetts requires additional signatures following legislative inaction on state statutes. Initiative amendments must be approved by a quarter of the legislature to reach the ballot.

For an amendment or statute, submitted signatures must equal 3 percent of votes cast for governor in the most recent gubernatorial election, excluding blanks. If the legislature declines to act on a proposed statute, supporters are required to collect a second round of signatures totaling 0.5 percent of the votes last cast for governor, excluding blanks. For proposed amendments, one-quarter of the legislature must approve the petition in a joint session—a second round of signatures is not required and does not overrule rejection by more than three-quarters of the legislature.

Supporters had until December 2, 2015, to submit at least 64,750 valid signatures. A total of 70,716 signatures were submitted to the secretary of state's office and were certified mid-December 2015. Next, the proposal was put before the Legislature. May 3, 2016, was the deadline for the legislature to take action on the initiative.

The legislature did not enact this initiative. To qualify it for the November 2016 election ballot, petitioners needed to collect another 10,792 signatures and submit them to local clerks by about June 22, 2016, so that the petitions could be submitted to the state by a legal deadline on July 6, 2016.

Supporters submitted 30,200 signatures to local clerks on June 22, 2016. William Galvin, secretary of the commonwealth, approved the signatures on July 6, 2016, certifying Question 2 for the November 8, 2016, ballot.

Cost of signature collection:
Sponsors of the measure hired J.E.F. Associates to collect signatures for the petition to qualify this measure for the ballot. A total of $414,000 was spent to collect the 64,750 valid signatures required to put this measure before voters, resulting in a total cost per required signature (CPRS) of $6.39.

State profile

Demographic data for Massachusetts
	Massachusetts	U.S.
Total population:	6,784,240	316,515,021
Land area (sq mi):	7,800	3,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White:	79.6%	73.6%
Black/African American:	7.1%	12.6%
Asian:	6%	5.1%
Native American:	0.2%	0.8%
Pacific Islander:	0%	0.2%
Two or more:	2.9%	3%
Hispanic/Latino:	10.6%	17.1%
Education
High school graduation rate:	89.8%	86.7%
College graduation rate:	40.5%	29.8%
Income
Median household income:	$68,563	$53,889
Persons below poverty level:	13.1%	11.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Massachusetts. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

Presidential voting pattern

See also: Presidential voting trends in Massachusetts

Massachusetts voted for the Democratic candidate in all six presidential elections between 2000 and 2020.

More Massachusetts coverage on Ballotpedia

• Elections in Massachusetts
• United States congressional delegations from Massachusetts
• Public policy in Massachusetts
• Influencers in Massachusetts
• Massachusetts fact checks
• More...

See also

Suggest a link

• Massachusetts 2016 ballot measures
• 2016 ballot measures
• Massachusetts Legislature
• List of Massachusetts ballot measures
• Charter schools in Massachusetts
• Fact check/Do Massachusetts charter schools "drain" funding from traditional public schools?

External links

• Massachusetts 2016 Voter Guide

Support

• Yes on 2 website
• Great Schools Massachusetts on Facebook
• Great Schools Massachusetts on Twitter
• Great Schools Massachusetts on Instagram
• Great Schools Massachusetts on YouTube

Opposition

• Save Our Public Schools website
• Save Our Public Schools on Facebook
• Save Our Public Schools on Twitter
• Save Our Public Schools on Instagram
• Save Our Public Schools on YouTube

Recent news

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Massachusetts Charter Schools Question 2. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

Massachusetts Authorization of Additional Charter Schools and Charter School Expansion, Question 2 (2016) - Google News

External links

Support

• Great Schools Massachusetts website
• Great Schools Massachusetts on Facebook
• Great Schools Massachusetts on Twitter

Opposition

• Save Our Public Schools website
• Save Our Public Schools on Facebook