What English High School does

The English High School is a public secondary institution located at 144 McBride Street in Jamaica Plain, Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 1821, it is recognized as America's first public high school and currently operates under the Boston Public Schools district governance. The school serves approximately 675 students in grades 7 through 12, delivered through a semesterised course schedule with a daily advisory period. Its academic core comprises Massachusetts standards-aligned core academics, 6 Advanced Placement courses, and 5 Career Technical Education (CVTE) pathways: Health Assisting & Wellness (including CNA certification), Computer Programming and Web Development, Business Marketing & Entrepreneurship, Design & Visual Communications, and Legal & Protective Services. The CVTE pathways combine classroom instruction with clinical, technology, business, design, and legal/emergency-services exposure via partnerships with Harvard Medical School and other institutions.

The school's business model is publicly funded: there is no tuition, and the institution operates through Boston Public Schools district allocations. Revenue is not publicly disclosed. Programs are funded through public education appropriations, supplemented by an extensive community partnership network (over 20 named organizations across higher education, arts, social services, law enforcement, and youth development). Outreach is delivered primarily through the official website (englishhs.org), district-wide social channels (X, Instagram, Facebook), the BPS centralized enrollment portal, the EHS Alumni Association, and the ParentSquare family-communication platform. The school emphasizes a tripartite mission of "Honor, Achievement, Service to Humanity," and student outcomes are tracked through metrics such as 73 summer job placements and over $5 million in scholarships to recent graduates attending institutions including Smith, Boston College, Boston University, Holy Cross, Emerson, Northeastern, and Suffolk University.

The English High School's product surface comprises both curricular offerings (5 CVTE pathways, 6 AP courses, semesterised academics, social-emotional development programs) and extracurricular offerings (9 interscholastic athletic teams spanning football, soccer, volleyball, basketball, track, swimming, ice hockey, softball, baseball, and cheerleading; 15 student clubs including Band — the only marching band and drumline program in Boston Public Schools — Choir, Debate, Robotics, Step Team, Theater, and Music Production). The school is led by Head of School Caitlin Murphy, supported by a Career Technical Director, Athletic Director, Partnership Coordinator, and instructional staff. The English High School operates from a single main campus and does not have any subsidiaries, commercial products, or external funding rounds.

Name

English High School

Legal name

The English High School

Website

https://englishhs.org

Company type

Public

Founded year

1821

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The English High School, founded in 1821 as America's first public high school, serves approximately 675 students in grades 7-12 in Jamaica Plain, Boston. Operated by Boston Public Schools, it offers 6 AP courses, 5 Career Technical pathways, athletics, and clubs at no tuition.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Secondary Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public High Schools (EDAJAAAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Public Middle Schools (EDAJAAAC)

Keywords

• Public secondary education
• Career technical education
• College preparatory programs
• Vocational training pathways
• Urban public schooling

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, Others, Infrastructure

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The English High School provides public secondary education for grades 7-12 to approximately 675 students in Boston, Massachusetts. It delivers a Massachusetts standards-aligned academic curriculum including six Advanced Placement courses alongside five Career Technical Pathways (Health Assisting & Wellness, Computer Programming, Business Marketing & Entrepreneurship, Design & Visual Communications, and Legal & Protective Services). The school is funded by Boston Public Schools and charges no tuition.

Product overview

The English High School is America's first public high school (established 1821) offering a comprehensive educational program for grades 7-12 with approximately 675 students. The school provides a rigorous academic curriculum with 6 AP courses and five Career Technical Pathways Programs (CVTE): Health Assisting & Wellness, Computer Programming (Programming & Web Development), Business Marketing & Entrepreneurship, Design & Visual Communications, and Legal & Protective Services. Additionally, the school offers robust extracurricular programs including 9 athletic sports and 15 clubs & activities. The school operates on a semesterised schedule and maintains partnerships with Harvard Medical School and other institutions for specialized programming.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Health Assisting & Wellness Pathway Career Technical Pathway that teaches students to provide direct care in settings such as schools, physical therapy offices, assisted living facilities, hospitals, and ambulances. Students gain practical experience with skills such as taking vital signs, performing heart monitoring, and drawing blood, and graduate with their CNA license. Includes programming partnership with Harvard Medical School.
• Computer Programming Pathway Career Technical Pathway in programming and web development that provides a broad foundation in tools, languages, and career paths in computer science, including software development, cybersecurity, building web pages/apps, and data work.
• Business Marketing & Entrepreneurship Pathway Career Technical Pathway designed to help students understand career possibilities in business while training them in essential software, technologies, and strategies used in an office environment, covering business management, marketing strategy, financial literacy, and innovation.
• Design & Visual Communications Pathway Career Technical Pathway that helps students refine artistic talents while mastering technical software used in creative fields such as advertising, publishing, fine arts, and entertainment, covering graphic design, illustration, photography, video production, and multimedia communication.
• Legal & Protective Services Pathway Career Technical Pathway that prepares students in public safety and the legal profession, introducing fields of law, criminal justice, public safety, and emergency services through scenario-based learning, guest speakers, virtual simulation systems, and internships with local law enforcement and district courts.
• Athletics Program Interscholastic athletic teams including football, boys and girls soccer, girls volleyball, cheerleading, boys and girls basketball, track and field, swimming, ice hockey, softball, and baseball.
• Clubs and Activities Student clubs and activities including Band, Choir, Debate, Homework Club, Music Production, Robotics Team, Step Team, Team Double Dutch, Theater Club, and Yearbook.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $5 million in scholarships earned by recent graduates
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

24 partnerships are on record, tiered minor, moderate and core.

• American Student Assistance College Planning CenterminorOthersCollege planning and advisory services for students
• Amphibious AchievementminorOthersAcademic and athletic enrichment program partner
• Arbour Counseling ServicesminorOthersMental health and counseling services for students
• Autism Housing PathwaysminorOthersSupport services for students with autism
• Becoming a Man (BAM)minorOthersYouth development program partner
• Berklee City Music Faculty Outreach ProgramminorOthersMusic education enrichment through Berklee College of Music
• Bikes not BombsminorOthersSTEM and community engagement partner
• Boston Debate LeagueminorOthersDebate and public speaking program partner
• Boston FoundationminorOthersFoundation support for educational initiatives
• Boston Lyric OperaminorOthersArts and music education partnership
• Boston PhilharmonicminorOthersMusic education and performance opportunities
• Boston Scholar Athletes (The Zone)minorOthersAcademic support for student athletes
• BPD: District E-13 Youth ServicesminorOthersLaw enforcement youth outreach and services
• Circus UpminorOthersPerforming arts enrichment program
• City YearminorOthersAmeriCorps program providing academic support
• College Advising Corps (Boston University)minorOthersCollege advising and preparation services
• College MAP: Ernst & YoungminorOthersCollege access program with corporate mentorship
• Crimson Summer Academy at Harvard UniversitymoderateOthersSummer academic enrichment at Harvard University
• Harvard Medical SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealth pathways programming and clinical experience opportunities for Health Assisting students; participates in Harvard Medical School programming for pathway students
• Upward Bound (Boston University)minorOthersFederal TRIO program for college preparation
• The English HS Alumni AssociationminorOthersAlumni support and tutoring services for current students
• Eliot School of Fine ArtsmoderateOthersWoodworking instruction and arts education partnership
• Museum of Fine ArtsminorOthersArts education and cultural enrichment
• Institute of Contemporary ArtminorOthersContemporary arts education partnership

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Boston Arts Academy: BPS public high school for the arts serving grades 9-12, with a similar mission of combining rigorous academics with specialized arts pathways. Overlaps strongly with English High's arts programming (marching band, music, theater, design) and shares the same funding and admissions framework.
• Boston Latin School: Boston's flagship exam-admission public school serving grades 7-12 within Boston Public Schools. Directly comparable in grade span, public funding model, and Boston geography; competes for the same student pool via the BPS exam-school admission process and academic prestige positioning.
• Boston Latin Academy: BPS exam-admission public school serving grades 7-12, with similar enrollment scale, public financing, and Boston-only geography. Direct peer in exam-school admissions process and academic-program structure.
• O'Bryant School of Math & Science: Another BPS exam-admission public school serving grades 7-12 with a STEM/specialization focus. Comparable in scale, funding source, and exam-school positioning; competes head-to-head for college-bound Boston students particularly interested in math/science.
• TechBoston Academy: BPS public high school with a STEM and computer-programming focus. Directly overlaps with English High's Computer Programming pathway in subject matter, student demographic, and Boston geography, making them natural competitors for tech-oriented students.
• Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: BPS public high school focused on health-career pathways serving Boston students. Closest functional peer to English High's Health Assisting & Wellness CTE pathway, sharing the public-funding model and clinical-experience offerings including partners like Harvard Medical School.

Regional players

• Brookline High School: Public comprehensive high school in adjacent Brookline, MA, serving grades 9-12. Comparable in mission and program structure (AP courses, athletics, arts) but serves a different suburban district and does not compete directly in Boston's enrollment system.
• Cambridge Rindge and Latin School: Public comprehensive high school in adjacent Cambridge, MA, serving grades 9-12 with Cambridge's only public high school and a wide AP/elective offering. Operates in a separate district but is a useful size and program comparable, especially for AP breadth benchmarking.

Emerging players

• Boston Collegiate Charter School: Boston charter public secondary school serving grades 5-12, drawing from the same Boston student pool. Overlaps with English High on college-prep mission but operates under a different governance and funding mechanism (charter vs. district), positioning it as a partial competitor within the BPS enrollment system.
• Match Charter School: Boston public charter school serving grades PK-12 with a college-prep focus and extended-day model. Comparable in mission but operates outside traditional district governance, drawing from the same student pool that English High serves through BPS enrollment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/TheEnglishHS
• Facebookfacebook.com/The-English-High-School-100068585376005
• Instagraminstagram.com/englishhighschool
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/english-high-school

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about English High School