Part of the initial opposition to the school was based on the idea that it was some kind of ethnic enclave.
But Birkett says the predominantly black environment adds to the comfort level of students and lets them excel.
"Minority students were not receiving adequate academic support," he says.
The challenge of getting a state charter was a big one.
To gain the charter, the founding group had to prove the school would offer something the Cambridge public schools did not--so they went with a math and science focus.
"If a district can say, 'We are already doing that,' then you have to find some niche that is not being filled," Birkett says.
The reason for the high burden of proof is that the state gives the school $3.8 million a year--no strings attached. And while there are no district funds to dip into for facilities or special education budget, there is also no regulating, Board-of-Education-like bureacracy that approves budget items.
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