The top reported proficiency rate is 12% in Math. The lowest is 0% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on Charlestown High School
Charlestown High School, a regular public school serving grades seven through twelve, is part of the Boston Public Schools district and sits in the Charlestown neighborhood of Boston. The school is large enough to offer a full high school experience across multiple grade levels.
The student body is diverse. Hispanic students make up the majority, with Black, Asian, and white students each representing a smaller share. The school serves a broad range of the neighborhood's families, though data on the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch and those with an individualized education program was not available in the data provided.
Academic performance on state assessments is the central concern here. On the NextGen MCAS, the share of students scoring at the proficient level or above was low in math, very low in English language arts, and very low in science. In social studies, the eighth-grade results showed no students reaching the proficient level. The school's overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile relative to other districts in Suffolk County. This pattern of results has persisted in recent years, according to the available data. A parent considering this school will want to look into this further with the school—understanding what academic supports are in place, how the school works with students who are behind grade-level expectations, and what trajectory the school's leadership sees for improving these numbers.
The school does not report a four-year graduation rate in the data provided. The data also does not include information on chronic absenteeism, course offerings, staffing, or discipline, so those aspects of the student experience are not part of this picture. Whether the school offers advanced coursework, career pathways, or a strong set of arts and athletics is not known from the data available.
Charlestown itself is a dense, walkable peninsula neighborhood north of downtown Boston. Its housing stock is a mix of colonial-era architecture near the waterfront, public housing developments, and newer condominiums with views of the Boston skyline. The area has seen significant gentrification since the late 1980s, drawing young professionals and a more diverse immigrant population alongside a long-time working-class Irish-American community. The median home value in the area is well above the national average, and rents are also high, making this an expensive place to live. The neighborhood is served by two MBTA Orange Line stations and the I-93 expressway, and civic anchors include the Bunker Hill Monument, the Charlestown Navy Yard, and Paul Revere Park.
Boston Public Schools as a district did not have any recent policy or budget changes captured in the search results used for this report. The district does not provide a single consistent experience across its schools, so a particular school's leadership and programming matter a great deal.
For a family considering Charlestown High School, the decision will hinge on the academic performance picture. The proficiency rates reported are well below those of many other schools in the area. A family whose student needs strong academic support to reach grade-level benchmarks may find that this school requires close engagement with teachers and administration to ensure progress. A family whose student is already performing at or above grade level may want to understand what advanced offerings exist and what the peer academic environment looks like, because the overall testing picture suggests that the typical student is not yet working at a proficient level. The neighborhood itself is vibrant, historic, and well-connected, but the school's academic numbers are a significant factor that should be explored in depth.
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