Dear Charter Public School parents,

We need your help. The state's economic crisis will make this legislative session one of the most difficult for charter public schools in many years. In addition to the reduced funding that all public schools will likely receive this year and next, we are also threatened with a statewide freeze on new charter public schools.

Despite a new Harvard/MIT study showing Boston charter public schools closing the achievement gap with Brookline, the Patrick Administration and State Legislature refuse to raise the cap on charters in Boston and other underperforming districts like Worcester, Lawrence, Lowell, Cambridge, Somerville, Springfield, Holyoke, Greenfield, and Fall River. Now the state Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education has raised the possibility of freezing new charter public schools that are to be granted in February.

We need your help to protect our charter public schools and to create more charter public school opportunities for more children. Please sign up on our website for our action alerts. You'll receive charter school news stories and calls for action. The website makes writing the Governor and your local legislators quick and easy. Keep informed. Be involved. Its your child's education.

Sign up here: www.masscharterschools.org

In a few weeks we will be emailing you to help you correspond with the Governor and Legislature in support of charter school funding and opportunity.

Click here to send an e-mail to Governor Patrick.

Thank you!

Marc Kenen

Executive Director
Massachusetts Charter Public School Association
www.masscharterschools.org