Testimony of Kristin Raffa, Alma del Mar Parent, In Opposition to Section 4 of the Thrive Act, S.374
November 12, 2025 | Kristin Raffa, Alma del Mar Parent
Good afternoon. My name is Kristin Raffa. I live in New Bedford, and I am the proud mother of two wonderful children.
My son is my oldest. He’s 16. He thrived in New Bedford Public Schools, and he’s now at Greater New Bedford Voc Tech.
My younger daughter is a different kid, and as she was starting school, we knew that she needed something different. See, my daughter has very complex special needs, including learning and developmental delays. She wasn’t able to effectively communicate until she was six years old. When her name was chosen in the lottery at Alma del Mar, I wasn’t sure if they’d be able to accommodate her needs – because there’s this myth out there that charter public schools don’t serve kids with complex needs.
But at Alma del Mar, Cassy has been warmly received and deeply supported since Day 1. When she was admitted, they conducted an extensive array of assessments, and then they worked hand in hand with us to design a comprehensive plan that would ensure her needs were met. She’s in a subseparate classroom, but has many opportunities to interact with all of the kids – and that’s been such a gift. She’s not only accepted; she’s loved at Alma. She has friends. She’s happy. She comes home laughing. And while, honestly, that would be enough for me, the cherry on top is that she’s learning and growing academically, too.
We need public school options. My family knows this better than anyone. We need our traditional public schools, we need our voc tech public schools, and we need our charter public schools.
Lowering charter caps would not only be devastating for Cassy; it would be devastating for so many other little Cassys out there. If this bill passes, hundreds of kids will be forced out of Alma del Mar. And thousands of kids – kids who aren’t even old enough to go to school yet – will miss out on the chance of going to a school that is right for them, just like Alma del Mar is for Cassy. Limiting opportunities for kids is never the answer.
Please reject Section 4 of S.374.
Thank you.
Charter public school alumni, leaders, board members, parents, and educators testified before the Joint Committee on Education on November 12th, 2025, expressing unified opposition to Section 4 of the Thrive Act (S.374). Their testimony highlighted how the proposal would eliminate high-quality public school options, undermine strong student outcomes, and restrict access for families – particularly in the Commonwealth’s most vulnerable communities. Together, their perspectives underscored the urgent need to preserve effective charter public school seats and protect the educational opportunities students rely on.
