Alma del Mar is a K-8 charter school whose mission is to put every one of our scholars on the path to college and to challenge them to be service-minded leaders. We do this by immersing our scholars in a highly demanding, highly supportive environment where they receive a content–rich education. We currently serve 420 scholars and are growing to serve 450 scholars in grades K-8. 

We’re located in  New Bedford, a beautiful coastal city known for its history as the heart of the whaling industry and as a central hub of the abolitionist movement. This once prosperous city is now home to one of the lowest performing districts in Massachusetts. The majority of New Bedford’s public schools are among the lowest performing 20% of schools in the state. 

Alma gets results for kids. After fewer than three years at Alma, our scholars outperform their district peers in reading ability and surpass their suburban peers in mathematics achievement. In addition, we’re known for being a highly inclusive school. Over 30% of scholars at Alma receive some additional academic or behavioral support. We serve a higher percentage of English language learners than our sending district and have been nationally recognized for our effectiveness in serving this population.