State and city officials are touting a “creative agreement” to expand a New Bedford charter school, but the state’s top teachers union says the proposed deal is “unacceptable” and will drain funds away from traditional public schools in that city.
Alma del Mar Charter School, which had applied for nearly 1,200 additional seats across two campuses, would instead expand to one additional site where it would serve 450 more kindergarten through grade 8 students. The new campus would open in August, starting with 200 children in kindergarten, first, second and sixth grades.
State officials announced the proposed deal Monday and the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education plans to vote on Education Commissioner Jeffrey Riley’s recommendation during a meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 22 in Malden. Riley said the deal stems from “outside-the-box thinking” from city and charter school officials.