The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education voted Tuesday to grant a charter for the proposed Worcester Cultural Academy. The vote was seven to four in favor of the new charter school, which will serve students in kindergarten through the fourth grade.

Several city and public school officials oppose the school. Superintendent Rachel Monnarez said not only will it take away money from the public school system, she's not confident in the school's model.

"I've seen other charters that actually work and they meet the needs of children, and it's hard to have them leave the k-12 system and be in a different public school setting, but as long as they're doing well I'm okay with that," Monnarez said to Spectrum News 1. "This charter doesn't appear to do that, and if we look at their previous actions at the existing charter, they're not meeting the needs of the children that represent Worcester."

Despite those concerns, members of the Worcester Cultural Academy board and potential future parents said the new school would benefit the city.

"Let's bring this additional information to Worcester as an opportunity for Worcester families to look at how their children might be able to participate in this slightly different educational model, which is very hands-on, experimentally learning," said board chair Pamela Boisvert. "It's not in competition, it's an add-on to what Worcester Public Schools is offering."

"I think that my children have diverse learning needs, so it's great to have a different type of learning offered to them," said Kiara Davis, a parent who has applied for her children to attend Worcester Cultural Academy.

At its meeting Monday night, the Worcester School Committee moved to ask the state auditor and office of the inspector general to investigate the financial arrangement of Old Sturbridge Village, Old Sturbridge Village Academy and Worcester Cultural Academy. The historical museum will operate the new charter school.

The school expects to be running by August for the 2023-24 school year. They're expecting 200 applications for grades k-4, and will move to 360 students when they expand to k-8 in coming years.

There are currently two charter schools in the city and the addition of Worcester Cultural Academy will bring that number to three.