Choosing a school? Youāve got options.
Massachusetts parents, this post is for you. Each year you face one of the biggest decisions you can make on behalf of your child: where to send your child to school. Letās dive into school choice in Massachusetts.
Each child is unique. So, the ābestā school for your neighborās child may look different than the ābestā school for your child. Knowing all your K-12 options can help you find a school where your child is eager to attend and actively learning.
In Massachusetts, you can choose fromĀ traditional public schools,Ā public charter schools,Ā public magnet schools, private schools,Ā online learning,Ā homeschooling, andĀ microschooling and mix-and-match learning.
One factor that families consider when choosing a school is transportation. In Massachusetts, transportation is available for students who attend their assigned public school, transfer to another public school and meet eligibility requirements, attend a charter school located within their assigned district boundaries, or have transportation services in their Individualized Education Plan (IEP). Transportation may be available for other school types – for more information, check out our transportation guide.
Looking for special education options? You can learn what special education services are available in Massachusetts at theĀ Ultimate Guide to Special Education.
Widely
Available
Traditional Public Schools
Public Magnet Schools
Private Schools
Online Learning
Homeschooling
Microschooling
Partially
Available
Public School Transfers
Public Charter Schools
Not
Available
State Choice Funding
Widely
Available
Traditional Public Schools
Public Magnet Schools
Private Schools
Online Learning
Homeschooling
Microschooling
Partially
Available
Public School Transfers
Public Charter Schools
Not
Available
State Choice Funding
Download the School Choice Snapshot for Massachusetts
Click a School Type to See Your Options
Traditional Public School
Free public school based on your address or zone
Public Charter School
Free public schools open to all students run by an independent board of directors
Homeschool
School that takes place in your own home
Online Learning
Schools where students attend virtually, can be free public or private schools
Microschool
School that takes place with a small group of students
Massachusetts Traditional Public Schools
Massachusettsās traditional public schools are operated by schoolĀ districts, free to attend, open to all students, and funded by federal, state, and local government. In Massachusetts,Ā 83.6% of all K-12 studentsĀ attend traditional public schools. Massachusetts spends an average ofĀ $20,376 per public school student each year.
In Massachusetts, each district decides whether it will participate inĀ open enrollment. āOpen enrollmentā allows parents to send their children to any public school, regardless of where it is located. So, if you are interested in transferring your child to a different public school than you are assigned, you should talk to your local school district about its policies.
Open enrollment is a valuable option for parents because it gives them more opportunities within the public school system, allowing them to select the school that best matches their childās needs.Ā In Massachusetts, open enrollment is always free: districtsĀ cannot charge tuitionĀ for transfer students.
Would you like to see an example of the transfer process and timeline in your state? Check outĀ Boston Public Schoolsā transfer guidelines.Ā Keep in mind that parents are generally responsible for transportation when their student is participating in open enrollment, unless theĀ transferĀ addresses racial imbalances or the student qualifies for free or reduced price lunch.
Several districts in Massachusetts offer acclaimedĀ vocational-technical educationĀ programs.Ā Find out more about public schools in your state at theĀ Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.Ā You can also learn more about open enrollment at āPublic Schools Without Boundaries: A 50-State Ranking.ā
Massachusetts Charter Schools
Also, Massachusetts families can choose charter schools!Ā 4.9% of all K-12 studentsĀ attend a public charter school in Massachusetts. These schools are tuition-free public schools that are open to all students; charter schools differ from traditional public school in that they are allowed extra freedom to innovate with curriculum and learning methods. Massachusetts currently has more thanĀ 70 charter schoolsĀ that parents can choose from. You can find aĀ list of these schools at the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
Each school has a charter which explains the schoolās purpose and what specific community need it serves, whether that be providing aĀ language immersion programĀ or offering a rigorous, literacy-based curriculum.Ā Massachusettsā newest charter school isĀ Worchester Cultural Academy, which offers project-based learning and fieldwork in collaboration with museums and cultural organizations in central Massachusetts.
Charter schools are also held accountable toĀ authorizingĀ entities. If there are more families seeking admittance to a charter school than there are seats, an old-fashioned lottery system is usually used to randomly determine admittance.Ā In Massachusetts, there areĀ state capsĀ on the number of students who can attend a charter school.
Charter school students within district boundaries may receive free transportation. The rules include: Kā6 students over 2 miles receive local district transport, Kā12 in regional districts get regional district transport if over 2 miles, and all special needs students get district transport regardless of distance. Students with special needs who have an Individualized Education Program (IEP) and students facing homelessness are eligible to receive transportation assistance.
Learn more from theĀ Massachusetts Charter School Association.
Massachusetts Magnet Schools
Depending on where you live, you may have access to a third type of public school: magnet schools. These schools are free public schools that allow kids to focus on specific themes, like science or the performing arts.
Massachusetts established one of theĀ nationās first magnet schools, Trotter Elementary School, in the late 1960s. Today,Ā Massachusetts has several magnet schools, such asĀ Worcester Arts Magnet School,Ā ChandlerĀ Magnet School,Ā Joseph G. Pyne Arts Magnet School,Ā Mass Academy of Math and Science,Ā Alfred G. Zanetti Montessori Magnet School, andĀ Tatnuck Magnet School.
A magnetĀ school may be a good choice if your student learns best by diving deeply into a subject they are passionate about. Contact your school district to learn if there any magnet schools or programs near you.
Massachusetts Private Schools
Families in Massachusetts can also consider private schools, nonpublic schools that charge tuition. Private schools may offer a uniqueĀ curriculum, smaller class sizes, or a faith-based tradition. Massachusettsās private schools come in all shapes and forms, from religious schools to schools designed for children with special needs. There are more thanĀ 860Ā private schools across the state of Massachusetts serving aboutĀ 10.4% of the K-12 student population.
The average tuition for private schools in the state isĀ $24.702Ā for elementary schools andĀ $40,570Ā for high schools. Unfortunately, there are no state-run scholarship options in Massachusetts at present, but private scholarships may be available,Ā such as through theĀ Catholic Schools Foundation.Ā Also, the federal government allows parents to save for K-12 private school tuition usingĀ tax-preferred 529 savings accounts.
Learn more at theĀ Massachusetts Catholic ConferenceĀ andĀ Private School Review: Massachusetts.Ā
Massachusetts Online Learning
Whether your child wants to accelerate his or her learning or needs a quieter environment in which to focus, you may be interested in giving virtual school a try. Currently,Ā students in Massachusetts may attend one of two free public virtual schoolsĀ āĀ TEC Connections Academy Commonwealth Virtual SchoolĀ orĀ Greater Commonwealth Virtual School (formerly known as Greenfield Commonwealth Virtual School) ā either full-time or part-time, with an agreement from their local school district.
Private virtual schools are also available. For a fee, highschoolers can consider full-time learning withĀ Massachusetts Mayflower Academy,Ā a private online school.
In addition, there are more than half-dozen online schools operated by single school districts, including Attleboro Virtual Academy,Ā Brockton Virtual Learning Academy,Ā Chelsea Virtual Learning Academy,Ā Leominster Personalized Virtual Learning Academy (LPVLA),Ā Peabody Personalized Remote Education Program (Peabody P.R.E.P.),Ā Taunton Public Virtual Academy (TPVA),Ā The Springfield Virtual School, andĀ Westfield Virtual School.
To read more about online learning in Massachusetts, check out theĀ Digital Learning Collaborativeās state profile.
Massachusetts Homeschooling
Homeschooling is another school option for Massachusetts families. This is a great option if you are looking for a hands-on, highly-customizable approach to your childās education. All 50 states allow homeschooling, which is the process of parents educating students at home.
In Massachusetts,Ā 1.2% of all K-12 students are homeschooled. A notice of your intent to homeschool is required to begin the process of homeschooling. It is recommended that you formally withdraw from your public school so your student is not marked truant. In the case that you decide to return to public school in the middle of the school year, your school requires notification within 30 days of your intent to switch.
Massachusetts is unique in having a local approach to homeschooling policies. Homeschool families in the state follow guidelines set by their local school committee. Each district reviews and guides families homeschooling children aged 6 to 16, and the state directs families to their local district for more details.
The state requires homeschooling parents toĀ teach specific subjects (including reading, geography, and U.S. history) and may require some level of assessment of homeschooled students.Ā Homeschoolers in Massachusetts may still be eligible to participate in sports at local public schools, though restrictions apply, so ask your district for more details.Ā For example, the Saranac Lake Central School District approved aĀ policy changeĀ this year to make extracurriculars more open to homeschoolers.
For more, check out great resources at theĀ Home School Legal Defense Association ā Massachusetts. You may also want to check out theĀ Massachusetts Home Learning AssociationĀ or theĀ Massachusetts Homeschool Organization of Parent Educations (MassHOPE).
Massachusetts Microschools and Mix-and-Match Learning
Today, many Massachusetts families are mixing and matching school options to come up with new ways to personalize education.Ā MicroschoolsĀ are one of these ways. A microschool refers to students gathering together in a small group ā with adult supervision ā to learn, explore, and socialize. Microschools can take a variety of shapes and legal forms, from homeschoolers coming together at an enrichment center to a private school committed to small classrooms. What microschools share in common is a commitment to small-group learning and close-knit relationships, along with an emphasis on children as individual learners.
Examples of innovative learning offerings around Massachusetts:
- Sudbury Valley SchoolĀ in Framingham is a self-directed learning private school that has inspired similarly-modeled schools around the world.
- Life RediscoveredĀ is a learning center and community hub for homeschoolers in Westborough and North Easton. The center offers full-day academic and social programming, events, trips, and extracurricular classes, and monthly support groups.
- Dessalines S.T.E.A.M AcademyĀ is a microschool located in Brockton that focuses on STEM and community history.
- Symbiosis Learning CenterĀ is an alternative to traditional middle and high schoolĀ that welcomes a diverse student body, including those who may have social or emotional challenges, anxiety, or ADHD.
- Extend Homeschool TutorialĀ offers a la carte group instruction in core subjects as well as electives like music, sign language, and digital media.
- KaiPod LearningĀ offers learning pods for Massachusetts students enrolled in accredited virtual schools.
- There are more than a dozenĀ Wildflower Montessori microschoolsĀ across Massachusetts.
In Massachusetts, theĀ state allows learning pods of up to five families to operate without a license, as long as one parent is present at all times and payment is limited to compensation for food and materials.
Remember, microschooling is more a mentality than a specific legal distinction in most cases. Often, a family participates in a microschool while legally homeschooling, or being enrolled in a private or online school.
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