When it approved the plan in June, theMassachusetts state legislature passed a home rulepetition which exempted B.U. from five publiceducation laws, including those requiring openmeetings, open records, public audits and thoseregulating the hiring and firing of personnel andteachers.

In apparent reaction to criticism fromcommunity members about a closed decision-makingprocess, B.U. and the school committee formed anoversight committee this summer to monitor B.U.'smanagement and to report to the state Board ofEducation.

But teachers have called such measuresinadequate and have questioned theconstitutionality of the entire plan.

Ed Weinstein, president of the ChelseaTeachers' Union, acknowledged that the plan had"some extremely fine provisions" and said thatmost Chelsea teachers are in favor of it. But hesaid that teachers had not been adequatelyconsulted while the plan was being drafted.

B.U.'s plan includes "family school" programssuch as daycare for children three months to twoyears old, preschool classes for three and fouryear olds, job training for parents and courses inEnglish as a second language for adults.

B.U. also plans to redesign the schools'curricula, eliminate junior high school and extendelementary school through eighth grade. This yearthe schools are trying pilots of some of theprograms.

The initiative comes at a time when the Chelseaschool system is facing a finanical crisis.Despite B.U.'s promise to contribute new funds tothe schools, Chelsea is facing a budget shortfall.

Silber said that B.U. has no intention "tosimply replace funds," adding that Chelsea shouldstabilize its own budget crisis. "[The budget]won't be a factor so far as B.U.'s decision tostay or go is concerned," he said. "We'll do thebest we can with the resources we have."

B.U. has pledged $400,000 as a one-time paymentto augment teachers' salaries by 5 percent.Chelsea teachers have not had a pay raise in twoyears, and Paul Clemente, B.U.'s associate vicepresident for financial affairs, said that thepayment was "a recognition that the teachers aregrossly underpaid...[made] to get the school offon the right foot."

Clemente said that B.U. hopes to find the moneyfrom state and city sources to increase teachers'salaries permanently