City on a Hill Charter Public School

What City on a Hill Charter Public School does

City on a Hill Charter Public School was a nonprofit public charter high school operating in the Roxbury neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, from 1995 until its permanent closure on June 30, 2025. The school served grades 9-12 with a college preparatory curriculum centered on a civics and Citizenship mission, supported by core values of Public Accountability, Academic Achievement, and Teacher Leadership. It was one of the original 14 charter public schools in Massachusetts established under the Education Reform Act of 1993 and served a high-need student population, with 100% of students participating in the free/reduced lunch program. Academic offerings included AP courses, a dual enrollment partnership with Roxbury Community College for college credit, free tutoring through the K12 Stride-powered COAH Climb program, and college and career counseling.

The school operated under a charter granted by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), receiving per-pupil state funding that followed students from their sending districts; charter schools in Massachusetts receive approximately 22% less funding than district schools by state accounting. Enrollment was managed through SchoolMint and the Boston Charter Schools centralized lottery system, with no tuition charged. Supporting technology included the Edlio website and mobile app platform, Zoom for virtual and hybrid instruction, Chromebooks and hotspots issued to students, and SchoolMint for admissions. The school maintained community engagement through Parent & Family University sessions, family meetings, and partnerships with local organizations such as TRILLFIT and Jamaica Mi Hungry.

Operationally, the school faced significant headwinds in its final years. It was placed on probationary status by DESE in December 2021, requiring an Academic Action Plan. In February 2024, after leadership transitions (including Kevin T. Taylor's tenure as CEO from 2018-2021 and Sonya Pratt-Massó's appointment as Executive Director in 2021) and prior campus consolidation from three sites to one, the Board of Trustees voted not to pursue charter renewal and to voluntarily close the school at the end of school year 2024-2025. All student records were transferred to Boston Public Schools and New Bedford Public Schools.

Name

City on a Hill Charter Public School

Legal name

City on a Hill Charter Public School

Website

https://cityonahill.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Closed

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

City on a Hill was a nonprofit public charter high school in Boston's Roxbury neighborhood, serving grades 9-12 with a civics-focused college preparatory curriculum. One of Massachusetts' original 14 charter schools, it permanently closed on June 30, 2025 after 30 years of operation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Education (Public Charter High School)

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Elementary and Secondary Schools (61111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Independent Charter Schools (Single-Site) (EDAJACAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Charter College-Prep & Advanced Academics Schools (EDAJACAJ)

Keywords

• Charter high school
• College preparatory education
• Civics curriculum
• Public charter education
• Secondary education services

Headquarters

HQ city

Boston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Per-pupil State Funding: As a Massachusetts charter public school, City on a Hill received state per-pupil funding that followed students from their sending districts. Charter schools in Massachusetts receive 22% less funding than district schools by state accounting. Additional funding came from grants including ESSR II and ESSR III.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

City on a Hill Charter Public School delivered a college preparatory high school education for grades 9-12, with a civics-focused curriculum, AP courses, and dual-enrollment college credit at Roxbury Community College. The school was free to attend and open through a state-mandated lottery, supported students with free meals under the Community Eligibility Provision, free online tutoring via K12 Stride, and college and career counseling. The Board of Trustees voted in February 2024 not to renew its charter, and the school permanently closed on June 30, 2025 after 30 years of operation.

Product overview

City on a Hill Charter Public School was a single-site college preparatory high school offering grades 9-12, with a focus on civics and citizenship education. The school provided AP courses, a civics-focused curriculum, and dual enrollment opportunities with Roxbury Community College. Additional student support services included a free tutoring program (COAH Climb via K12 Stride), college and career counseling, and free meals through the Community Eligibility Provision. The school also hosted Parent and Family University events for family engagement. The school permanently closed on June 30, 2025 after 30 years of operation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• College Preparatory High School Program A four-year college preparatory high school program serving grades 9-12 in Boston's Roxbury neighborhood, designed to prepare students for success in college and beyond with a civics-focused curriculum and public accountability ethos.
• Advanced Placement (AP) Courses College-level AP courses offered to enrolled high school students to provide college-level curriculum and potential college credit.
• Civics-Focused Curriculum A civics-focused curriculum integrated throughout the school's educational program, aligned with the school's mission of Citizenship and core values of Public Accountability; noted as a differentiated offering on the school's "At a Glance" section.
• Dual Enrollment with Roxbury Community College Partnership program allowing City on a Hill students to earn college credits while completing high school requirements; highlighted in Parent & Family University sessions and central to the college preparatory mission.
• COAH Climb Free Tutoring Program Free online tutoring sessions provided through K12 Stride for all subjects, offering live sessions with certified teachers via five-session tutoring packages.
• Parent and Family University Family engagement program providing important updates on school policies, dual enrollment information, and other academic programming for parents and guardians of enrolled students.
• College and Career Counseling Counseling service providing guidance on post-secondary education and career opportunities for high school students preparing for college, careers, and civic life.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% student participation in free/reduced lunch program
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Roxbury Community College (RCC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDual enrollment partnership allowing City on a Hill students to earn college credits at Roxbury Community College. This partnership was highlighted in Parent & Family University sessions and supported the school's college preparatory mission.
• TRILLFITminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPurpose-driven wellness business based in Mission Hill that partnered with City on a Hill for virtual movement and mindfulness classes. TRILLFIT was featured on Good Morning America and provided Sculpt:Restore classes to students, families, and staff.
• Jamaica Mi HungryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal culinary partner that conducted cooking demonstration events with City on a Hill, engaging families and community members in cultural cooking activities.
• TargetminorOthersProvided $75 Target gift cards to students for purchasing school supplies in preparation for the school year.
• Massachusetts Charter Public School AssociationminorOthersCity on a Hill was a member of the Massachusetts Charter Public School Association, which provided informational resources about charter schools.
• Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE)coreOthersDESE was the regulatory body overseeing City on a Hill's charter. The school operated under probationary conditions and submitted Academic Action Plans as part of charter renewal requirements.
• Boston Teachers UnioncoreOthersCity on a Hill was the first charter public school to negotiate a collective bargaining agreement with the Boston Teachers Union in June 2020.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Boston Preparatory Charter Public School: Boston charter public school serving grades 6-12 with a college-preparatory focus and explicit mission to prepare students for four-year colleges. Comparable size, geography, and college-prep mission to City on a Hill.
• Codman Academy Charter Public School: Boston charter public school serving grades 9-12 (and an affiliated PreK-8 academy) with a college-preparatory mission and a focus on equity. Directly comparable as a small Boston charter high school serving underrepresented students.
• Excel Academy Charter Schools: East Boston-based charter network serving grades 5-12 with a college-preparatory focus. Operates in the same Boston charter ecosystem with comparable student demographics and accountability standards from DESE.
• MATCH Charter Public School: Boston-based charter public school offering college-preparatory education with a similar urban, high-need student focus. Operates a comparable single/multi-site charter model with extended-day programming, making it a direct operational and mission peer.
• Brooke Charter Schools: Boston charter network serving grades K-12 with a college-preparatory mission. Comparable as a Boston-based, high-need-population charter operator that has scaled multiple campuses, contrasting with City on a Hill's single-site profile.
• Roxbury Preparatory Charter School: Uncommon Schools network charter serving grades 5-12 in Roxbury — the same neighborhood as City on a Hill. Directly comparable geography, student demographics, and college-prep mission, making it a strong mission-aligned peer.
• KIPP Academy Boston: KIPP network charter school in Boston serving grades 5-12 with a college-preparatory mission. Operates within the same Massachusetts accountability framework and serves comparable urban student demographics.

Others

• Massachusetts Charter Public School Association: Industry association that represents Massachusetts charter public schools including City on a Hill. Comparable as an ecosystem-level organization that influences policy, funding, and accountability frameworks affecting charter operators in the state.

Broad incumbents

• Boston Public Schools: The district school system that absorbs City on a Hill's former students and competes for the same Boston families. Comparable as the incumbent K-12 public education provider in the same geography, though operating under a district rather than charter governance model.

Regional players

• New Bedford Public Schools: District school system that absorbed students from City on a Hill's former New Bedford campus. Comparable as a receiving district during the school's closure and wind-down, serving the same population that the charter previously served in that region.

Market position

Strengths2 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CoaHCPS
• Facebookfacebook.com/CityonaHillCharterPublicSchool
• Instagraminstagram.com/CoaHCPS

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about City on a Hill Charter Public School