12 of the Worst Schools In Massachusetts Today

Some of the worst schools in Massachusetts today have been given this ranking because they don’t hit certain markers for academic success. The U.S. News & World Report rankings included Massachusetts Schools ranked through 348. Many of the schools included in the lower half of the list have some shortcomings worth knowing. It’s important to consider things like graduation rates, academic offerings, and student-to-teacher ratios. Math and reading proficiencies are also good markers for success.

In this post, we’ll do a deep dive into the rankings that caused these schools to be included among the worst schools in Massachusetts. These scores do not typically factor in the teachers, staff, and administrators who work to make even the lowest-resourced schools viable for student success. Still, these ratings tend to hold some weight. For the colleges on this list, we will consider the cost of attendance weighed against how well alumni are set up for future success.

These rankings are especially important to compare and contrast in areas like Boston where academics are engrained in the culture. After all, some of the best schools in the world happen to be right in Boston. So, it only makes sense that the educational bar would be rather high. With all that in mind, let’s get into the markers and ratings among the worst-ranked schools in the state of Massachusetts. From elementary through college, here are some of the worst schools in Massachusetts. 

1. UP Academy Charter School

35 Westville Street Boston, Massachusetts 02124

Starting with the UP Academy Charter School which has a Niche grade of C-. This grade comes from rankings in Academics (C-), Teachers (C), and Diversity (A). Overall it's relatively average. But, it's included on this list because state testing indicates the student body (around 600+ students) has a 4% math proficiency, and a 13% reading proficiency. The student-to-teacher ratio is around 15:1. Read more about how Niche calculates their grades, and learn about where they get their data sources here.

2. City On A Hill Public Charter School

58 Circuit Street Roxbury, Massachusetts 02119

Next up we have City On A Hill Public Charter School which is ranked near the end of the list for Boston schools by the U.S. News & World Report. It has a graduation rate of 78% and a college readiness score of 14.6. Its Niche grade is a C- with a C- in Academics, a C in Teachers, a C- in Clubs & Activities, an A- in Diversity, a C+ in College Prep, and a C- in Administration. It caters to just around 230 students between 9th and 12th grade, with a student-to-teacher ratio of 11:1. State test scores show 15% math proficiency, and also 15% reading proficiency among students at this charter school.

3. Dudley Street Neighborhood Charter School

6 Shirley Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02119

The Dudley Street Neighborhood Charter School serves grades preschool, and kindergarten through 5th with around 300 students. Its Niche grade is a C- with a C- in Academics, a B- in Teachers, and an A- in Diversity. The student-to-teacher ratio is around 14:1 and state testing shows that among the student body, around 8% are math proficient, and 32% are reading proficient.

4. Boston Day & Evening Academy Charter School

20 Kearsarge Avenue, Roxbury, Massachusetts 02119

The Boston Day & Evening Academy Charter School is located in Roxbury, Massachusetts. It serves grades 9th through 12th with just under 400 students enrolled. With a student-to-teacher ratio of 12:1, state testing clocks around 15% of the student body as math proficient, with 10% as reading proficient. The Niche grade is a C- with a D+ in Academics, a B+ in Teachers, a B- in Clubs & Activities, an A- in Diversity, and a C+ in College Prep and Administration.

5. Sarah Greenwood School

189 Glenway Street, Dorchester, Massachusetts 02121

Moving on from charter schools, we have the Sarah Greenwood School. This is a magnet school in Dorchester with just under 400 students between the grades of preschool and kindergarten through 8th grade. Niche reports a 2% math proficiency and an 11% reading proficiency according to state test scores. It's graded a C- with that score in Academics, with a B in Teachers, and in Diversity markers.

6. Mario Umana Academy

312 Border Street, East Boston, Massachusetts 02128

The Mario Umana Academy is another magnet school with around 700 students in preschool through the 8th grade. Niche reports a 7% math proficiency and a 19% reading proficiency mong this student body. It has a C- with that same score in Academics, a B- in Teachers and a B rating in Diversity. The student-to-teacher ratio stands around 11:1.

7. Boston International High School

100 Maxwell Street, Dorchester, Massachusetts 02124

The Boston International High School ranks among the lowest schools on the U.S. News & World Report of Massachusetts schools. It has a graduation rate of only around 50% over four years. Its scorecard shows an 18% math proficiency and a 25% science proficiency among the student body.

8. Charlestown High School

240 Medford Street, Charlestown, Massachusetts 02129

Charlestown High School is also in the lower rankings from the U.S. News & World Report. It has a graduation rate of around 51%, with an 11% math proficiency, 19% reading proficiency, and 15% science proficiency among its student body. According to its scorecard, 24% of students took an AP® exam, but only 6% passed at least one AP® exam.

9. William Mckinley

90 Warren Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02116

William McKinley High School falls even lower on the U.S. News & World Report list with a graduation rate of 34%. There around around 120 students enrolled between the grades of 9th through 12th, and the recorded reading proficiency is around 5% with no data available on math or science test scores.

The following schools are included on this list due to data examining the price of tuition compared with the return on investment. This applies to tuition debts, job opportunities, and quality of life post-graduation (via Avocado Post). Let's take a look at some of the higher educational institutions that rank among the worst schools in Massachusetts because they're overpriced and can be financially crippling.

10. Wheelock College at Boston University

2 Silber Way, Boston, Massachusetts 02215

Boston University Wheelock College of Education & Human Development which merged with BU in 2018, was ranked 42 out of 54, which means it's on the higher end. It is known for its education and other developmental programs, but depending on the program can cost students upwards of $200,000 for a degree in four years. Not to mention the cost of living in a city as expensive as Boston!

11. Mount Holyoke College

50 College Street, South Hadley, Massachusetts 01075

Next up we have Mount Holyoke College which ranked 21 out of 54 on the list. This all-women's liberal arts college costs around, or higher than $50,000 annually. The average salary of alumni is typically less than that upon graduation. While it has great academics and is a highly-rated school, you'll want to be sure you have the capital to float a price tag of this sort!

12. Montserrat College of Art

23 Essex Street, Beverly, Massachusetts 01915

And lastly, the Montserrat College of Art which ranks 6 out of 54 on the list. Located in Beverly, this arts college has a graduation rate of around 55% and an average tuition rate of $42,000 per year. Since a career in the arts can be a fickle road, the return on investment for a private institution of this kind can be staggeringly low in terms of job security and financial gain. The graduation rate also doesn't do much to up the ranking of this art school among the worst schools in Massachusetts.

The image featured at the top of this post is ©Brett Godfrey/Shutterstock.com.