Massachusetts public high school

Boston Arts Academy

Boston school district

C+

overall grade

Ranks #229 of 335 Massachusetts high schools.

Overall rank

#229

of 335 schools

Average SAT

972

MA average 1091

Graduation rate

91%

MA average 92%

Plan on college

85%+13 vs MA

MA average 72%

SAT is the average total score of test takers. Graduation is the four-year rate. College is the share of graduates who report plans to attend a 2- or 4-year college.

Boston is Massachusetts' capital and largest city, a major urban center known for its rich colonial history, world-class universities, and vibrant cultural scene. The city sits on the Atlantic coast and serves as the economic and cultural hub of New England. Boston Arts Academy is the city's only public high school for the visual and performing arts, offering students intensive professional training alongside a college-preparatory curriculum.

How it compares

What stands out

Strongest area: College plans, in the top 34% statewide. 85% of graduates plan to attend a 2- or 4-year college, vs 72% statewide.
Area to watch: SAT scores rank in the bottom 17% statewide.
Trend: Chronic absence has fallen from 49.4% in 2022 to 38.6% in 2025.
Trend: ELA MCAS is down 23 points since 2023 (57% to 34%); statewide it fell 13 points.

Where it stands among 335 Massachusetts high schools

Bottom of MATop of MA

Overall

Below averagebottom 32% · #229

SAT

Below averagebottom 17% · #282

ELA MCAS

Below averagebottom 28% · #239

Math MCAS

Below averagebottom 30% · #232

AP results

Below averagebottom 23% · #249

Graduation

Below averagebottom 34% · #220

College plans

Above averagetop 34% · #112

The overall rank weighs SAT (30%), MCAS (25%), AP results (20%), and graduates' college plans (25%). Categories rank only the schools with data for them. How we rank

SAT

Average total score972in 2025 · MA avg 1091

119 points below the MA avg

By section (out of 800)

Reading & writingWorse than average

This school

501

MA avg

556

MathWorse than average

This school

471

MA avg

535

88 students took the SAT.

"MA avg" is the average of the 335 high schools we rank. Only students who choose to take the SAT are counted.

MCAS (10th grade)

Share of 10th graders meeting or exceeding expectations. Statewide results dropped after 2024, when passing the MCAS stopped being a graduation requirement. There was no test in 2020.

English Language Arts34%in 2026 · state 45%

11 points below the state

Math30%in 2026 · state 44%

14 points below the state

Detailed scores

Average scaled score, ELA · Math · Science (500+ = meeting expectations)493 · 489 · —

Achievement percentile vs. MA schools (ELA · Math)39th · 31st

Student growth percentile, ELA · Math (50 = typical growth)44 · 53

AP & advanced courses

AP exams scored 3+51%in 2025 · MA avg 66%

15 points below the MA avg

Score breakdown

Score 5: 8%Score 4: 17%Score 3: 25%Score 2: 19%Score 1: 30%

56 students took 63 AP exams. A 3 or higher can earn college credit.

Completed an advanced coursegrades 11–12About average

This school

68.4%

MA avg

71.4%

9th graders passing all coursesWorse than average

This school

71.3%

MA avg

82.6%

After high school

Four-year graduation rate91%in 2024 · MA avg 92%

About the same as the MA avg

Dropped outof the four-year classWorse than average

This school

6.1%

MA avg

4.3%

3.1% of the class were still in school after four years.

Plan to attend college85%in 2025 · state 72%

13 points above the state

Graduates' plans · 107 graduates

4-year private college

42.1%

4-year public college

27.1%

2-year public college

14%

Other / unknown

5.6%

Students

Who attends

Hispanic/Latino

43.2%

Black/African American

33.8%

White

16.4%

Multi-Race

3.8%

Asian

2.4%

American Indian/Alaska Native

0.4%

64.8% female · 33.6% male · 1.6% nonbinary

Student needs

High needslow income, English learner, or disabilityHigher than average

This school

72.4%

MA avg

50.7%

Low incomeHigher than average

This school

60.4%

MA avg

39%

English learnersLower than average

This school

5.1%

MA avg

8.6%

Teachers

Licensed teachersAbout average

This school

97.1%

MA avg

95.9%

Experienced teachersBetter than average

This school

81.5%

MA avg

73.4%

Teaching in their fieldAbout average

This school

92.5%

MA avg

84.6%

Students per teacher

9.6MA avg 11.8

51.9 full-time-equivalent teachers

Attendance & safety

Attendance rateWorse than average

This school

89.7%

MA avg

92.3%

Chronically absentmissed 10%+ of daysWorse than average

This school

38.6%

MA avg

22.3%

18.1 days absent per student (MA avg 13.2) · Suspensions: 1.2% out-of-school, 0% in-school (MA high school avg 4% / 2.2%)

About Boston

Suffolk County · Greater Boston — Inside I-95

Avg single-family home value$615KMA median $588K

Avg property tax bill$7,627MA median $6,814

Tax rate$12.40 per $1,000MA median $12.40

Income per person$67,404MA median $47,872

Local kids in public school86.4%

Town bond ratingAAA

Boston district profile · What could you afford here? · All towns A–Z

Town figures are FY2026 averages for single-family homes from the Massachusetts Department of Revenue. Assessed values usually run below recent sale prices. "MA median" is the median of the state's 351 towns.