CER Reacts to the New Bedford Charter Expansion Failure

“We and our colleagues around the country have watched with great interest as the Mayor and parents of New Bedford, Massachusetts sought to create a new innovative partnership that would allow a neighborhood traditional school to become another campus of the outstanding Alma del Mar charter school that consistently ranks among the top schools in the state. The leadership of that highly sought after charter, its approach and the proximity to kids in that neighborhood would have made for an incredible service to the community. But when faced with approving the plan, the state legislature listened not to the community but to the leaders of vested interest groups who opposed the plan because they’d no longer be in charge of the school. The state legislature missed a critical opportunity to serve the citizens of New Bedford. New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell’s proposal for Alma Del Mar was a valiant attempt at expanding great education to students who do not have that option in their neighborhood.

“The only silver lining for students is that Alma Del Mar charter has been approved to expand by almost 600 students by lottery over the next couple of years, but the opportunity for students from a neighborhood to enjoy a similar quality is no longer possible.

“The irony should be lost on no one – critics argue charters should admit everyone in an attendance zone rather than by lottery but scuttled a plan to do just that. It shows you that their arguments are simply red herrings, and not honest concerns. For nearly 25 years, charter schools in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts have demonstrated important new approaches to successful education – and those who stand in their way do so without regard for students and families.”

As a non-partisan, nonprofit organization, CER does not endorse candidates or take political positions but will always recognize and applaud those who advance sound education policies, no matter what their affiliation.