Hi Friend,

Happy February, happy Black History Month, and happy Charter School season! The Super Bowl is over, the groundhog says spring is coming early 🙄 and this week we have the download on your charter school options here in Boston—and how to apply to them.

What Are Charter Schools?

Commonwealth charter schools are free public schools open to anyone who resides in Boston. These schools are not part of the Boston public schools district and operate independently of BPS. Commonwealth charter schools are available for all grades and placement is determined by lottery. 

Commonwealth charter schools are different than Horace Mann, or in-district charter schools. Horace Mann charter schools are part of the BPS district. For more information about the different charter schools available in Boston, visit our How to Register for Charter Schools resource guide.

Where Are Charter Schools in Boston?

There are 16 Commonwealth charter schools across 29 campuses throughout the city of Boston. You can find each with a link to their school profile on our interactive Charter School map; click the map below to see more:



All throughout the month of February, we will spotlight each of the 16 Commonwealth Charter Schools in the city of Boston across our social media pages, so make sure you're following us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Who Goes to Charter Schools?

Students in grades K through 12—from all neighborhoods in the city, of all races, ethnicities, religions, and socioeconomic status—attend charter schools in Boston. According to the most recent data from BPS, nearly 11,000 students are enrolled in public charters in Boston.

How Do I Apply?

you can apply for Any or all Commonwealth charters via a single online application. To enter the charter school lottery, you must complete your Boston public charter school application online by Saturday, February 25.

BPS High School Ranking Forms

Switching gears for a minute, let's talk about High School Ranking Forms for current 8th graders at BPS schools. While Priority Registration for 9th grade closed this past Friday, currently enrolled BPS 8th graders have until this Friday, Feb. 7, to turn in their High School Ranking Form.

You should have already received a paper form from your school; each form is personally customized for each student. If you've lost the form, don't worry—you can complete it online. You should have already received an email from BPS with instructions on how to complete your High School Ranking Form online. If you haven't received either the form or the email, get in touch with your school ASAP.

Have a great week and stay tuned for more information about the next round of priority registration for Boston Public schools.

Warmly,
Latoya Gayle, Executive Director
Boston School Finder