Boston Collegiate Charter School

Established in 1937, Maimonides School serves educational needs of more than 600 students in grades kindergarten through 12, and is located in Brookline, Mass. It provides its students both religious education and college preparatory secular education. Its curriculum includes arts, English, foreign languages, Hebrew language, social studies, mathematics and science. It provides classes under the category of Judaic Studies and holidays. Maimonides School comprises of lower, middle and upper schools. It offers daily school experiences of religious practices, such as davening at set times, chesed projects, kashrut as a common denominator, bentsching after eating and Shabbatonim. Its parent-teacher association sponsores educational, social and religious programs. Maimonides School also has drama club, girl s chorus, jazz band and spring music recital.

Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public School serves more than 400 children from grades kindergarten through eight in Franklin, Mass. Charter schools were authorized as part of the Education Reform Act that was enacted by the state legislature in 1993. The act provided for the establishment of new schools, each of which would be operated under a charter granted by the Secretary of Education, independently of any school committee, and managed by a board of trustees. Established in 1995, The school s curriculum is managed by the Core Knowledge Foundation that also sponsors annual conferences attended by teachers from the school. Subjects offered include English, science, history, social studies and mathematics. The school also offers classes in French that stresses on basic language skills, including listening, speaking, reading and writing.