Worcester Schools Considering Adjusting School Assignments, Zones: What To Know

WORCESTER, MA — Worcester Public Schools is considering a change that could affect which school in the district a student attends.

The school district is considering adjusting school boundaries and quadrant alignments to more efficiently assign students to schools and improve the experiences of students and families. The School Boundary and Quadrant Alignment Project is one of the district's goals for the 2025-26 school year.

This could include changes to a student’s walk to school, school assignments and feeder patterns. The project aims to reduce overcrowding at schools that are currently over capacity and increase enrollment at schools that are under-enrolled, the school district said.

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WPS also hopes it will align school programming with building capacity and the needs of students and the community, as well as refine citywide and magnet school designations to better reflect community needs.

Throughout the next year, WPS will provide updates and opportunities for families, staff, and the community to offer feedback on the project.

Project Phases, Timeline

The project will occur in three phases, starting with the design of the new boundaries from Jan. to Nov. 2026.

The second phase will create a transition plan for students and families based on the final decisions from phase 1, and the third phase will implement the plan.

From Dec. 2026 through Jun. 2027, WPS hopes to establish communication with families, announce new bus routes, and address other items related to the changes. Students with newly-zoned schools would be expected for the 2027-28 school year

Second Public Forum

The district is holding its second public community forum about the ongoing project on Wednesday, Apr. 15, from 5 to 6 p.m. at Doherty Memorial High School, located at 299 Highland St.

The forum will be a time to share information and gather feedback from parents, caregivers and community members about the project. WPS said a team from the nonprofit data analysis organization Dillinger Research and Applied Data will facilitate the forum.

The school district recommended that attendees bring a smartphone, tablet, or laptop, with WPS supplying a limited number of tablets for audience members.

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