Public schools in Worcester, MA
51 open public schools with an address in Worcester, operated by 5 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
51
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
27,163
51 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
13.4:1
Massachusetts median 11.8:1
Charter schools
3
4 magnet · 0 virtual
An overview of Worcester public schools
The federal directory lists 51 public schools in Worcester, MA: 36 elementary, 4 middle, 9 high, 2 combined or other. The 51 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 27,163 students, an average of 533 per school. The largest campus is South High Community (1,800 students), and the largest elementary school is Quinsigamond (738).
Worcester operates the most schools here (47), and 2 regular districts have at least one Worcester campus, plus 3 charter, service, or other agencies. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 13.4:1, higher than the statewide school median of 11.8:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.
School choice options include 3 charter schools, 4 magnet schools. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 9 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 7 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 9 of 9 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
School districts and agencies serving Worcester
Worcester
Public school district
47 schools in Worcester
Abby Kelley Foster Charter Public (District)
Independent charter agency
1 school in Worcester
Learning First Charter Public School (District)
Independent charter agency
1 school in Worcester
Ma Academy for Math and Science
Public school district
1 school in Worcester
Worcester Cultural Academy Charter Public School (District)
Independent charter agency
1 school in Worcester
Elementary schools in Worcester
36| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belmont Street Community Worcester | PK–06 | 615 | 14.8:1 | |
| Burncoat Street Worcester | KG–06 | 223 | 10.8:1 | |
| Canterbury Worcester | PK–06 | 329 | 12.7:1 | |
| Chandler Elementary Community Worcester | KG–06 | 402 | 14.5:1 | |
| City View Worcester | PK–06 | 464 | 12.1:1 | |
| Clark St Community Worcester | PK–06 | 278 | 12.7:1 | |
| Columbus Park Worcester | PK–06 | 381 | 13:1 | |
| Elm Park Community Worcester | KG–06 | 478 | 14.9:1 | |
| Flagg Street Worcester | KG–06 | 412 | 18.3:1 | |
| Francis J McGrath Elementary Worcester | PK–06 | 200 | 11.3:1 | |
| Gates Lane Worcester | PK–06 | 547 | 12.4:1 | |
| Goddard School/Science Technical Worcester | PK–06 | 359 | 12.3:1 | |
| Grafton Street Worcester | KG–06 | 386 | 11.5:1 | |
| Heard Street Worcester | KG–06 | 245 | 13.8:1 | |
| Jacob Hiatt Magnet Worcester · Magnet | PK–06 | 367 | 14:1 | |
| Lake View Worcester | PK–06 | 284 | 14.5:1 | |
| Learning First Charter Public School Learning First Charter Public School (District) · Charter | KG–08 | 666 | 19:1 | |
| Lincoln Street Worcester | KG–06 | 177 | 9.6:1 | |
| May Street Worcester | KG–06 | 310 | 14.3:1 | |
| Midland Street Worcester | KG–06 | 249 | 13.5:1 | |
| Nelson Place Worcester | PK–06 | 621 | 13.4:1 | |
| Norrback Avenue Worcester | PK–06 | 504 | 11.8:1 | |
| Quinsigamond Worcester | PK–06 | 738 | 13.3:1 | |
| Rice Square Worcester | KG–05 | 502 | 15.3:1 | |
| Roosevelt Worcester | PK–06 | 604 | 13.8:1 | |
| Tatnuck Worcester · Magnet | PK–06 | 376 | 13.6:1 | |
| Thorndyke Road Worcester | KG–06 | 319 | 14.9:1 | |
| Union Hill School Worcester | KG–06 | 377 | 13.1:1 | |
| Vernon Hill School Worcester | PK–06 | 525 | 13.4:1 | |
| Wawecus Road School Worcester | KG–06 | 155 | 11.6:1 | |
| West Tatnuck Worcester | PK–06 | 343 | 14.5:1 | |
| Woodland Academy Worcester | KG–06 | 482 | 12.3:1 | |
| Worcester Academic Center for Transition (ACT) Worcester · Special Education School | KG–06 | 49 | 3.9:1 | |
| Worcester Arts Magnet School Worcester | PK–06 | 372 | 14.5:1 | |
| Worcester Cultural Academy Charter Public School Worcester Cultural Academy Charter Public School (District) · Charter | KG–06 | 194 | 14.6:1 | |
| Worcester Dual Language Magnet School Worcester · Magnet | PK–06 | 519 | 11.6:1 |
Middle schools in Worcester
4| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burncoat Middle School Worcester | 07–08 | 720 | 13.5:1 | |
| Forest Grove Middle Worcester | 07–08 | 839 | 11.5:1 | |
| Sullivan Middle Worcester | 06–08 | 940 | 12.8:1 | |
| Worcester East Middle Worcester | 06–08 | 731 | 14.3:1 |
High schools in Worcester
9| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burncoat Senior High Worcester | 09–12 | 1,073 | 13.3:1 | |
| Claremont Academy Worcester | 07–12 | 474 | 13.1:1 | |
| Doherty Memorial High Worcester | 09–12 | 1,573 | 15.3:1 | |
| Ma Academy for Math and Science School Ma Academy for Math and Science · Magnet | 11–12 | 99 | 16.5:1 | |
| North High Worcester | 09–12 | 1,376 | 14.4:1 | |
| South High Community Worcester | 09–12 | 1,800 | 14.6:1 | |
| University Pk Campus School Worcester | 07–12 | 233 | 11.4:1 | |
| Worcester Alternative High School Worcester · Special Education School | 07–12 | 36 | 2.8:1 | |
| Worcester Technical High Worcester · Career and Technical School | 09–12 | 1,442 | 12.2:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Worcester
2| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abby Kelley Foster Charter Public School Abby Kelley Foster Charter Public (District) · Charter | KG–12 | 1,426 | 11.3:1 | |
| Head Start Worcester | PK–PK | 349 | 15.2:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White23.7%
- Hispanic44.7%
- Black21.1%
- Asian6.1%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.2%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.1%
- Multiracial4%
Enrollment-weighted across 51 Worcester schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (27,163 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Worcester
How many public schools are in Worcester, MA?
The current NCES directory lists 51 open public schools with a location address in Worcester: 36 elementary, 4 middle, 9 high, 2 combined or other. Together they reported 27,163 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Worcester?
Schools with an address in Worcester belong to 5 education agencies, led by Worcester (47 schools), Abby Kelley Foster Charter Public (District) (1 school), Learning First Charter Public School (District) (1 school). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Worcester?
South High Community reported the largest high-school enrollment in Worcester, with 1,800 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Worcester?
Yes. 3 of the 51 public schools in Worcester are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including Abby Kelley Foster Charter Public School, Learning First Charter Public School, Worcester Cultural Academy Charter Public School. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Worcester schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Worcester public schools is 13.4:1, higher than the Massachusetts school median of 11.8:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in Worcester guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby Massachusetts cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All Massachusetts cities