Lynn Families, Elected Officials, and Union Leaders Celebrate State Board’s Vote Against Dangerous Charter School Expansion Proposal (February 25, 2025)
Board of Elementary and Secondary Education Board members today voted 6-to-4 against a recommended expansion application from KIPP Academy Lynn Charter School, which had been recommended by the Acting Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education even though it did not meet the regulatory requirement threshold of being a “proven provider” according to the department’s own data.
“Today, the Board upheld the regulations in place to ensure that our most vulnerable students’ needs were being considered and protected. Had they not stepped in, this proposal would have not only caused irreparable harm to the Lynn Public Schools and the students they serve. It would have set a very dangerous precedent, especially in our most at-risk communities, by not holding KIPP to the same requirements and regulations all other charter schools must meet when seeking to expand under the current law,” said American Federation of Teachers President Jessica Tang, who represents 25,000 educators and public school employees around the state, including 2,300 educators, paraprofessionals, and therapists in the Lynn Public Schools (LPS). “We thank the members of the board who voted against the proposal for listening to the many students, teachers, community members, elected officials, and union leaders who voiced opposition to the application to expand. We believe it should never have moved forward to a vote of the Board in the first place and are grateful to board members who understood the concerns.”
The proposal called for an additional 450 seats for KIPP Academy Lynn, taking away $8 million a year from LPS - on top of the $30 million the district already loses annually to charter schools.
To expand at the level KIPP was seeking, they would need to be considered a proven provider under state law. This requires the school to have proficiency levels similar to state averages over no less than a three-year period for all students. They also must meet the specific needs of the community, particularly disadvantaged students including English language learners, students with disabilities, and low-income students. According to our analysis of the Department's own data, KIPP Academy Lynn does not meet these requirements.
From the very beginning, the AFT Massachusetts has stood with community leaders in opposition to KIPP Academy Lynn’s expansion plan, including Lynn Mayor Jared Nicholson, Lynn Public Schools Superintendent Evonne Alvarez, Ed.D., and Lynn Teachers Union President Sheila O’Neil.
“Just like they’re not supposed to cherry pick their students, charter schools cannot cherry pick what data they want the state to consider. They must be declared a proven provider in terms of proficiency of their students and their ability to serve a student body that truly reflects the community they’re in,” said Lynn Teachers Union President O’Neil. “And the state cannot pick and choose when and where it applies the law. These requirements are supposed to make sure our schools most in need are protected. While we are happy with the outcome, we remain bewildered as to why a plan that would have stripped these protections from the schools in Lynn and the kids they serve got this far.”
A letter to Acting Elementary and Secondary Education Commissioner Russell Johnston from Mayor Nicholson, Superintendent Alvarez, and President O’Neil clearly outlined their opposition on grounds that KIPP Academy Lynn is not a proven provider.
Percentage of All Students Meeting or Exceeding Expectations - English Language Arts
| Year | KIPP Academy Lynn | Statewide |
| 2022 | 32% | 41% |
| 2023 | 27% | 42% |
| 2024 | 24% | 39% |
| 3-Year Average | 27.6% | 40.6% |
Percentage of All Students Meeting or Exceeding Expectations - Math
| Year | KIPP Academy Lynn | Statewide |
| 2022 | 34% | 39% |
| 2023 | 29% | 41% |
| 2024 | 33% | 41% |
| 3-Year Average | 32% | 40.33% |
Percentage of All Students Meeting or Exceeding Expectations - Science/Tech
| Year | KIPP Academy Lynn | Statewide |
| 2022 | 27% | 42% |
| 2023 | 23% | 41% |
| 2024 | 25% | 42% |
| 3-Year Average | 25% | 41.6% |
Nor does KIPP Academy Lynn’s student body reflect the population served by LPS, another requirement to be considered a proven provider. LPS is the second highest receiver of English-language learner (ELL) students in the state - only behind Boston. ELL students account for 43.3 percent (over 7,000 students) of LPS students – compared to KIPP Academy’s dismal 15.1 percent (less than 250 total). According to DESE’s own data, the number of ELL students enrolled in KIPP academy’s 10th grade is so low that they cannot analyze this subgroup in terms of proficiency.
LPS educates over 3,200 students with disabilities while KIPP Academy has less than 250 enrolled. Their proficiency levels for SWD are well below state averages and have been in every subject for years.
Other leaders and organizations that joined the families and students of Lynn in opposition to this plan included: the Massachusetts AFL-CIO, the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents, North Shore Labor Council, Neighbor to Neighbor, the Lynn School Committee, the Lynn City Council, Representative Dan Cahill, Representative Sean Reid, Representative Jennifer Balinsky Armini, and Senator Brendan Crighton.