The Maine Charter School Commission has approved the application of a school that would serve new Mainers and multilingual learners.
MOXIE public schools plans to open in the fall of next year, serving grades 6-12 in the greater Portland area, and requiring students to earn college credentials or workforce certifications upon graduation.
Commission member James Handy voted against the application, raising concerns over a lack of diverse funding sources.
"The proposal relies heavily on large grants from out of state institutions. For me, a mix that includes local funding is imperative," Handy said.
The Commission's Executive Director Lana Ewing said the MOXIE schools' plan relies on funding from out-of-state sources, including the New Schools Venture Fund and the Charter School Growth Fund.
"Which, if that comes to fruition, would be really exciting for the school, and I think just for all of us, to see those dollars flow into Maine," Ewing said.
Some commission members saw the out-of-state funding as a liability. The final vote was 5-2. MOXIE public school officials now enter contract negotiations with the commission and will be required to achieve certain benchmarks before it can open.
The approval comes after a legislative committee voted last week in favor of reducing the number of charter school slots in Maine from 10 down to 9.
