K-12 in Worcester

K-12 Education in Worcester

K-12 Education in Worcester
The City of Worcester, at the heart of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, offers a number of outstanding and top-rated schools for those interested in raising a family. This historic location has a wide range of schools dotting the 38.5 square miles of the city to accommodate all arrays of children and their academic, athletic, and extracurricular needs.

#10  —Worcester’s ranking on Forbes’s list of the “Best Cities in America to Raise a Family”

#52  —Worcester’s ranking on Livability’s “Top 100 Best Places to Live”

#26  —Worcester’s national ranking on WalletHub’s “2019 Safest Cities in America”, beating out similar New England cities like Boston, Providence, and New Haven.

K-12 Public Schools in Worcester at a Glance

K-12 Education in Worcester
The City of Worcester boasts a strong public education district with lasting outcomes for local students. Some quick facts about the district:

  • 44 public schools serve 25,415 students across the city.
  • Overall, there is a 94% attendance rate among all schools.
  • 24 sports are offered during the school year.
  • 90 languages are spoken in Worcester Public Schools. 26% of students are ELL.
  • 32 Career Technical Education (CTE) programs are offered across 5 Worcester public high schools.
  • 43 Early College courses are being offered across every Worcester public high school during the 2019-2020 academic year.

K-12 Charter Schools in Worcester

K-12 Education in Worcester
Worcester also offers two strong options for school choice. The Abby Kelley Foster Charter Public School and Seven Hills Charter School operate in Worcester.

Abby Kelley Foster Charter Public School

  • Abby Kelley ranks as Niche’s #17 in “Best Charter High Schools in Massachusetts”.
  • The school has 1,425 in grades K-12 with a student-teacher ratio of 13-1.
  • Average SAT scores are 1120 and average ACT scores are 28.
  • The graduation rate is 95%.

Seven Hills Charter School

  • Seven Hills offers K-8 education for 667 students in Worcester.
  • This charter school has an “A” diversity rating.
  • Seven Hills has a student-teacher ratio of 13-1.

Mass Academy for Math and Science

  • MAMS is a free, co-educational, public school of excellence that enrolls approximately 100 academically accelerated 11th and 12th grade students from Massachusetts.
  • Math and science are emphasized within a comprehensive, interactive academic program.
  • Rigorous junior year classes and senior classes taken at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) prepare students for college academics before they’ve graduated from high school.

K-12 Private Schools in Worcester

K-12 Education in Worcester
Some of the top K-12 private schools in Massachusetts are also located in Worcester and the surrounding area. Let’s shine the spotlight on a few of them!

Bancroft School

  • The Bancroft School ranks #3 for “Best Private K-12 Schools in Massachusetts”.
  • Other rankings include #20 on “Best College Prep Private High Schools in Massachusetts” and #23 on “Best Private High Schools in Massachusetts”.
  • Bancroft, located on Shore Drive in Worcester, educates 400 students from Pre-K to 12th grade with a graduation rate of 100%.

Notre Dame Academy

  • Located on the West Side of Worcester, Notre Dame offers a top-notch private education for Catholic high school girls.
  • The school received Niche ratings of “A” in Academics and “A-“ in Sports.
  • Notre Dame is an excellent college prep school, with the most students going on to attend prestigious colleges like Boston College, Boston University, Northeastern, Georgetown, and Cornell University.

Saint John’s High School, Shrewsbury

  • Located 20 minutes from downtown Worcester, Saint John’s offers a great Catholic school alternative for Worcester families.
  • Saint John’s is ranked #8 in “Best Catholic High Schools in Massachusetts”, offering “A+” ratings in Academics, Clubs & Activities, and Sports.
  • This is an all-boys school serving 990 students.

Worcester Academy

  • A private boarding school on Vernon Hill, Worcester Academy offers top-notch academics and sports programs for students in grades 6-12.
  • Some top rankings include #15 on “Most Diverse Private High Schools in Massachusetts”, #17 on “Best Boarding
  • High Schools in Massachusetts”, and #26 on “Best College Prep Private High Schools in Massachusetts”.
  • Out of 590 students at WA, 29% board for either 5-day or 7-day periods.

Other top K-12 private schools in Worcester include:

  • Saint Paul Diocesan Jr. Sr. High School – Worcester, MA

  • Venerini Academy

  • Alhuda Academy

…and yes, more! There are 18 options for private K-12 schools in Worcester alone, ranging from denominational schools to STEM academies to simple private high schools.
K-12 Education in Worcester