Charlestown High School Facing Potential Closure

CHARLESTOWN, MA — Charlestown High School could close under a district proposal that comes amid declining enrollment.

Boston Public Schools is recommending closing the school effective June 30, 2028, as part of its Long-Term Facilities Plan. The proposal is scheduled to be presented to the Boston School Committee on Wednesday, Nov. 4, with a vote expected Dec. 2.

Boston City Councilor Gabriela Coletta Zapata filed a hearing order on Friday, Oct. 30, seeking a review of the recommendation and the future of secondary education in Charlestown.

“The news surrounding Charlestown High School is difficult for our community, especially for the students, families, and educators who call it home,” Coletta Zapata said in a statement. “We are still receiving information, and I have yet to review a formal proposal or understand the full scope of what is being considered.”

According to the hearing order, enrollment at Charlestown High School has declined approximately 32 percent over the past three years, from 820 to 559 students. Coletta Zapata is seeking a review of the factors contributing to that decline, the district’s decision-making process, and alternatives to closing the school.

BPS expects enrollment to fall further as smaller classes move through the school. There are currently 205 students in grade 12, compared with 65 in grade nine and 48 in grade seven. The building has capacity for 1,046 students and is approximately 53 percent utilized. Twenty-one percent of students attending the school live in Charlestown.

Students with disabilities account for 45 percent of enrollment. According to BPS, declining general education enrollment limits opportunities for inclusive learning, while smaller classes make it increasingly difficult to maintain a full range of courses and programs.

If the recommendation is approved, new student assignments would stop except for siblings, and there would be no seventh grade during the 2027–2028 school year. Eligible students in grades 11 and 12 would graduate through June 2028, while remaining students would receive registration priority for 2028–2029. The BCYF Charlestown Community Center would continue operating.

Mayor Michelle Wu and Superintendent Mary Skipper have said the city and district intend to work with residents and the school community to bring another high school into the building as early as the 2028–2029 school year. Their statement did not identify which school would occupy the building or provide a final plan.

Coletta Zapata’s proposed hearing would examine student reassignment, transportation, sibling placement, staffing, school capacity, and access to specialized services. It would also review projected operating savings, transition costs, potential capital investments, and the future use of the building.

The order calls for examining whether additional investments, academic partnerships, or changes to student assignment policies could strengthen enrollment and improve student outcomes. BPS representatives, educators, students, families, and community members would be invited to testify.

“Regardless of what comes next, my commitment is to ensure Charlestown has a high school that provides a world-class education, strong academic standards, and the resources every student needs to succeed,” Coletta Zapata said. “The Charlestown community deserves a meaningful voice in shaping the future of this school, and I will work to ensure they have one.”

The proposed closure comes after the city announced an expanded partnership between Charlestown High School and Bunker Hill Community College in June 2023. At the time, Wu and Skipper said Charlestown would become the district’s first open enrollment high school to offer early college and dual enrollment opportunities to every student.

The plans called for expanding existing pathways in business, health, and technology, with dedicated BPS staff at the college to support participating students, including multilingual learners and students with disabilities. Officials also announced a “Year 13” program allowing a group of Charlestown students to spend an additional year taking college courses at Bunker Hill. The future of those opportunities under the closure proposal remains unclear.

A petition opposing the closure had more than 1,800 verified signatures as of Tuesday, Nov. 3. Created Oct. 30, the petition asks BPS to invest in the existing school, protect special education supports and early college opportunities, and include students, families, and educators in the decision-making process.

Students, parents, and alumni also gathered outside the school Monday to protest the proposal.

The district is also recommending closing Greater Egleston High School and the East Boston Early Education Center on June 30, 2028. Those proposals are expected to be presented to the School Committee on Wednesday, Nov. 4, with a vote expected to be held on Dec. 2.

Other planned changes include relocating Boston Green Academy to the former South Boston High School building in fall 2028 following renovations. Boston International High School & Newcomers Academy and Boston Adult Technical Academy would share the Cleveland Building in Dorchester beginning in fall 2027.

The changes follow earlier closures under the district’s facilities plan, which calls for fewer, larger schools with expanded academic and enrichment opportunities. Excel High School, Mary Lyon Pilot High School, Community Academy, and Dever Elementary School closed June 30, 2026.

The School Committee also previously approved eliminating Henderson Inclusion School’s high school grades and transition program effective June 30, 2027. Henderson stopped enrolling new ninth graders this fall.

The Boston Teachers Union’s broader facilities resolution, approved in June 2024, calls for community participation before closure and merger proposals are announced, at least two years’ notice before changes, and investment in new or renovated buildings.

BPS has scheduled virtual community meetings on the Charlestown proposal for Thursday, Nov. 5, from 6 p.m. to 7:15 p.m., and Monday, Nov. 16, from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.