The 12,000-student Lawrence, Mass., school district, which has a troubled history, currently graduates only about half the district’s high school students in four years.
But last week, the state unveiled a new plan to help the district’s students, which involves creating partnerships with charter-management organizations and providing more autonomy to the district’s schools that are performing well, the Boston Globe reported.
The move to help the district, which was placed into state receivership in January, marks the first time Massachusetts has taken over a district’s finances and academic program.
The schools that will be partnering with CMOs will not be converted to charters. Instead, the CMOs will provide guidance to underperforming schools and will provide tutors. One management organization will create a school for high school dropouts. Such partnerships between districts and charter organizations are a growing trend nationwide.
The plan also calls for more instructional time to be added at district schools.
