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- calendar_today November 6, 2026
Boston Reviews Potential Charlestown High School Closure
Boston city leaders are currently considering a proposal that could result in the closure of Charlestown High School at the end of the 2027 academic year. The suggestion is part of a broader plan by Boston Public Schools to respond to declining student enrollment across the district.
Proposal Shares Plans for School Transformation
According to Boston Public Schools officials and Mayor Michelle Wu, the proposal would not only close Charlestown High School in its current form but could also transform it into a new anchor secondary school. School officials noted that just 21% of Charlestown High School’s students currently reside in Charlestown, and that overall enrollment at the school has dropped by 32%, leaving the building a little more than half full.
Community Voices Strong Opposition
The proposed closure has met significant resistance from students, parents, and educators. At a recent Charlestown Neighborhood Council meeting held Thursday night, attendees voiced concerns about the impact the closure would have on the community. Teacher Becca MacLean highlighted the school's positive reputation, saying, “It's devastating. And I think if it were truly that there's something so deeply wrong with our school, although it would be hard, we could accept that. But we know that not only is our school a wonderful place, but the district has also held us up. Mayor Wu herself called us a flagship school 12 months ago. And yet, what has changed now?”
Concerns Over Gentrification and Community Displacement
MacLean also addressed wider worries about the proposed closure contributing to neighborhood changes, remarking, “It would be not only devastating, but it would contribute to the gentrification that we're seeing in Charlestown across the board.”
Student Activism Emerges Against Closure
Students from Charlestown High School have previously made their voices heard at earlier city meetings, including a Boston Public Schools Committee meeting earlier in the week. MacLean described the students' involvement, stating, “Our students are reading about the closure, they are writing their testimonies, they are showing up in numbers, they are organizing amongst themselves, and that's kids from 12 all the way to 22. So I could not be more proud to stand alongside my educators, our parents, and our amazing students to protect this place that we love so much.”
Broader School System Downsizing Efforts
The potential closure of Charlestown High School is just one part of a larger proposal from Boston Public Schools that calls for downsizing the city’s school system by 20 schools by the end of the decade, as officials address shifting demographics and ongoing enrollment declines.
Source: whdh.com.
