Public Schools Serve All Students

Enrollment of English Language Learners, Special Needs and Economically Disadvantaged Students in Charter Schools and Districts

There is a dramatic difference in the percentage of English language learners, special needs students or economically disadvantaged students enrolled in Massachusetts districts versus charter schools. This chart shows the difference in enrollment between charter schools in the 12 Massachusetts school districts with the greatest charter enrollment. (Figures are from FY15)

Percentage of ELL Students with Disabilities Percentage of Economically Disadvantaged
Location of Charter Schools Number of Charter Schools Charter Enrollment District Charter Schools District Charter Schools District Charter Schools
Boston 19 8,201 29.8 12.4 19.5 14.9 49.3 42.5
Springfield 4 2,186 17.2 4.0 19.5 12.3 67.6 42.2
Worcester 2 2,095 35.1 11.7 19.3 10.6 49.4 35.8
Cambridge 3 1,894 8.2 7.4 20.5 16.2 27.7 37.7
Malden 1 1,509 19.0 0.0 15.8 15.5 39.0 17.0
Lawrence 4 1,345 29.9 35.6 16.9 7.2 61.7 54.4
Foxborough 1 1,262 0.7 5.5 16.3 9.9 11.8 10.9
Somerville 1 1,149 17.4 10.6 21.0 15.7 35.5 35.9
Marlborough 1 999 16.4 0.1 19.0 3.6 25.2 6.1
Fall River 1 885 7.8 3.1 19.1 10.8 56.6 35.0
Lynn 1 851 18.8 16.5 15.4 11.3 46.2 43.2
Lowell 3 830 26.6 41.0 15.1 17.7 49.0 47.2
Total 41 23,206 24.5 11.6 18.5 12.9 49.2 36.9
Percentage of State Total 59% 68%
Color Key
  = district percentage greater than charter percent
  = charter percentage greater than district percentage

In FY15, the most recent fiscal year for which data are available, there were 70 Commonwealth charter schools. The districts listed above accounted for almost 60 percent of all charter schools and more than two-thirds of charter school students.

Sources from the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education: