Kinnon: Decision to Block MVRCS Expansion 'Arbitrary and Capricious'

Mystic Valley Regional Charter School officials will appeal a decision denying their request to expand the school's enrollment, a board of trustees vote confirmed Monday night. 

Chairman Neil Kinnon, also a Malden City Councillor, said the school received "arbitrary and capricious" treatment from state education officials when they imposed conditions on the school's renewed charter this year. 

MVRCS serves children in grades K-12 from Everett, Malden, Medford, Melrose, Stoneham and Wakefield. 

He asked trustees for authorization to "resolve these issues with the [Department of Elementary and Secondary Education], up to determining what the next steps are." 

Citing a "clear record of insularity and opaque decision making," Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Commissioner Mitchell Chester denied the school's request to expand its enrollment cap from 1,500 to 1,900 students earlier this month. 

Chester also required trustees to submit meeting minutes and agendas for monthly review, broaden their leadership and "engage in training" approved by the department "on the roles and responsibilities of a public charter school board of trustees." 

While the school cannot appeal those conditions, it may formally request officials give a second look to their request for expansion. 

A spokeswoman for the DESE was not immediately available for comment Monday night.