Boston School Finder

Boston School Finder is the only website with centralized, easy-to-understand information about applying and enrolling in all of Boston’s school options. We help families like yours by giving you the tools to find and enroll your child in a great-fit school—no matter what type of school it might be.

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Learn about schools options in the city of Boston

Use the links below to open checklists for major grade transitions for various school choices.

Checklist for Students:

School Options in Boston

Public Options

Boston Public Schools

Boston Public Schools (BPS) is the free public school district for the City of Boston. BPS schools serve students in grades K0 to K2 (ages 3 to 5 years old) through grade 12 and beyond. BPS lists all Boston Public Schools for you to review. Boston Public Schools requires you to register your child. Your child’s school assignment in grades pre-K through 6 can depend on your home address, as well as other factors. It is helpful to find out more about BPS’ assignment policy. You can also find out more about deadlines, and register your child through Discover BPS. For grades 7-12 BPS has three exam schools, where admission requirements include an exam and student grades.

Boston Charter Public Schools

Boston has many Charter Public Schools that are run independently, but are funded publicly, and free to Boston residents. Enrollment is determined by lottery sign up, which is free. You can register for all of the schools at once.

METCO

METCO is a free program where Boston students travel to public schools across more than partnering cities and towns outside of the city of Boston. Acceptance into the METCO program is determined by lottery. Families interested in being considered for the METCO program must complete the free METCO application form online.

Private Options

Private Religious Affiliated Schools

Also known as “parochial schools,” Boston has a number of private religious-affiliated schools, including a large number of Catholic schools. While private religious-affiliated schools cost money to attend, many of these schools offer financial aid and/or scholarships to students. Some Catholic schools are free or offer subsidized, income-dependent tuition. You can find out more about Catholic schools in Boston by visiting the Catholic Schools Office website.

Private Independent Schools

Also known simply as “private schools,” many of these schools cost money to attend. Most offer financial aid or scholarships to students while some private schools are free to attend. Each individual private school has its own separate admissions process and requires its own separate application. You can find out more about private independent schools by going to the AISNE website.

Additional School Options

Vocational Technical Education Schools

Also collectively called “voc-tech” schools, programs for short, career/vocational schools and programs provide students with an education in a specific skill or trade for careers in such fields as agriculture, cosmetology, electric, plumbing, etc. These programs may be at standalone schools or campuses, or may be included as a separate educational track at existing public school districts within Massachusetts.

Visit the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education website for a list of Career/Vocational Technical Education Schools and Programs in Massachusetts.

Inter-District School Choice

Some school districts allow children outside their boundaries to attend their schools through the inter-district school choice program. Parents are required to apply to each school district separately, and transfers are not guaranteed. Children who attend schools outside their home districts through the inter-district school choice program do not get free transportation. For additional information visit the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Massachusetts Academy of Math and Science (Mass Academy)

Also known as “Mass Academy,” this school is located in Worcester, Massachusetts and is affiliated with Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI). Mass Academy is a free, co-educational, public school of excellence that enrolls approximately 100 academically-accelerated 11th and 12th grade students from across Massachusetts. Students take rigorous classes at WPI to prepare them for college academics before they graduate high school.

For more information about its program and how to apply, please visit the Mass Academy website.

Greater Commonwealth Virtual School (GCVS)

Greater Commonwealth Virtual School—also known simply as GCVS—is a free, virtual public school that offers K-12 education completely online. GCVS provides students of all abilities with the flexibility of an online curriculum that lets them learn from home while meeting all of the education standards of Massachusetts, under the guidance of state-certified teachers who are trained and have experience teaching in virtual school environments. For more information, visit the GCVS school website.

TEC Connections Academy Commonwealth Virtual School (TECCA)

TEC Connections Academy Virtual School—also known simply as TECCA—is a free, virtual public school that offers K-12 education completely online. TECCA provides students a quality online alternative to the traditional classroom by providing a supportive, individualized program of study; effective instruction; engaging learning experiences; and diverse curriculum offerings to stimulate curiosity, advance personal growth, and promote academic achievement.

For more information about enrollment, please visit the TEC Connections Academy Commonwealth Virtual School website.

Home Schooling

In Massachusetts, families may provide an education for their children at home—separate and independent of any public or private school. This is known as “home schooling.” When you choose to home school your child, the home schooling program (also known as an education plan) must be approved in advance by the superintendent or school committee of the home district. For Boston residents, this means your child’s education plan must be submitted to and approved by Boston Public Schools’ Office of Expanded Learning Opportunities.

For more information about home schooling requirements for families, please visit this Home Schooling Quick Start Guide from the Massachusetts Home Learning Association (MHLA). The MHLA is a non-profit advocacy and education organization which endorses home learning as an alternative to public or private schooling.

For more information about starting the home schooling application process in Boston, please visit the Homeschooling page at the Office of Expanded Learning Opportunities at the BPS website. If you have additional questions, please email homeschooling@bostonpublicschools.org.

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