The Paulo Freire Social Justice Charter School, to be based in Holyoke, and the Springfield Preparatory Charter School made it through several steps of the application process last year.
Three Western Massachusetts organizations are among seven statewide to submit proposals to open new charter schools.
The prospectuses are the first step in the application process. In September officials for the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education will select the most promising and request those groups to file a full application.
Two proposals are for schools in Springfield and a third would be focused in Holyoke but draw students from West Springfield, Chicopee, Westfield, South Hadley and Northampton.
Organizers of the Paulo Freire Social Justice Charter School, to be based in Holyoke, and the Springfield Preparatory Charter School had submitted proposals last year. Both made it through several levels of the selection process but were not granted charters.
The third proposal for the Baystate Academy Charter School in Springfield is new.
Charter schools are public schools that are funded by the state but have more autonomy that traditional city-run schools.
The number of proposals submitted this year are far fewer than the 42 that came last year. The state granted charters to 16; the Veritas Preparatory Charter School for middle school students in Springfield was the only one approved in Western Massachusetts.
Part of the spike last year was due to the fact the state lifted the cap on the number that were allowed in some communities, said Jonathan W. Considine, spokesman for the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
The number of prospectuses is still lower than average this year, he said.
In Springfield, the proposal for the Baystate Academy Charter School is to create a middle and high school for about 560 students.
The school is following the Expeditionary Learning model and would work in partnership with Baystate Health, said Peter B. Blain, manager of Baystate Springfield Educational Partnership.
The expeditionary model uses life experiences to make learning relevant. It will include internships for older students, he said.
“We would have a health care and a math and science theme,” he said. “We contend and have a firm belief this type of preparation can prepare you for any career field.”
The Springfield Preparatory Charter School, for grades five through 12, would be located in the Springfield Technology Park, across the street from Springfield Technology Community College, said Brian Corridan, a former chairman for the college’s board of trustees and part of the board proposing the new school.
SABIS International, which already runs a kindergarten through grade 12 school in Springfield, was interested in creating a new school in the city and proposed working with the college, he said.
“Synergies will develop with the college. Instead of taking AP (Advanced Placement) courses our students will go right across the street and take college courses,” Corridan said, describing one example of the partnership.
The Paulo Freire Social Justice Charter School was redesigned for students in grades nine through 12, said Robert K. Brick, who is proposing the school and is a past executive director of the Pioneer Valley Performing Arts Charter School in South Hadley.
“We are trying to offer a positive high school option to the children of Holyoke,” he said. “Making a social change in an urban area we maintain as part of our design.”