25 charter school applications move forward

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has invited 25 applicants for new charter schools to submit final applications for public hearings, state-level review, and possible approval early next year.

Sixteen of the schools propose to open in 2011.

The 25 finalists were selected from a pool of 42 charter school proposals. The 2010 applicants are the first since the caps on charter schools were lifted by education reform legislation signed by the governor in January. According to the DESE, the pool of applicants represents one of the largest and most competitive fields in more than a decade.

Most of the applications would be for private Commonwealth charter schools. Three of the proposals are for in-district public Horace Mann charter schools.

Sixteen of the schools would serve Boston students, with other schools proposed for Chelsea, Lawrence, Lynn, Salem and Springfield. Two regional charter schools were proposed for western Massachusetts. One would serve students in Springfield, West Springfield and Chicopee; the second would serve students from 34 public school districts, mainly in Hampshire and Hampden counties.

All of the proposed schools would enroll fewer than 1,000 students, with most enrolling fewer than 500 students.