Mass. Plan To Triple Number of Charter Schools Scrutinized

Politically charged assertions in Massachusetts over the track records of the state's charter schools, the oldest of which are in their second year, have prompted state lawmakers to take a long, hard, and detailed look at the Republican governor's proposal to triple the number and size of the schools.

"We're looking at all aspects of charter schools before we move forward to expand this alternative system," said Dwight Robson, an education adviser to Rep. Harold M. Lane Jr., who serves as co-chairman of the legislature's joint education committee. "Representative Lane is not anti-charter, but he's got a number of concerns."

Sylvia Smith, an education adviser for the Senate co-chairman of the panel, Robert A. Antonioni, said the senator is in the "listening and learning" stages on the issue and expects the committee to have something on the table this summer. Mr. Antonioni, like Mr....