HADLEY — In an effort to expand enrollment, the Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School in Hadley is asking the Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to reconsider a decision by Commissioner Mitchell Chester denying expansion.
The school has 430 students in kindergarten through 11th grade and is planning to expand into 12th grade next year. It was hoping to grow to support 968 students, according to a statement released Monday.
“We need authorization now to provide planning time to find and develop a facility suitable for a robust and economically sustainable high school experience for our students,” the school’s executive director Richard Alcorn said the statement.
Alcorn testified before the state Joint Committee on Education to speak about language immersion programs and the role of charter schools.
“State law should reflect the fact there is no single school model that is the best for all students, and it should support innovation and choice with a variety of quality alternatives,” he said, according to the statement.
The state Senate passed controversial legislation Thursday that would allow for more charter schools in low-performing districts but largely keep the cap in place across Massachusetts. The bill, which received criticism from both charter school opponents and supporters, now heads to the House.
Stephanie McFeeters can be reached at smcfeeters@gazettenet.com.