High Schools in Chicopee

The city of Chicopee, Massachusetts is home to three high schools: Chicopee Comprehensive High School, Chicopee High, and Chicopee Academy. While the first two high schools have similar performance metrics, Chicopee Academy stands out as a unique institution within the district.

Chicopee Academy is a significantly smaller school, with only 69 students, compared to the 1,212 and 932 students at Chicopee Comprehensive High School and Chicopee High, respectively. However, this smaller size does not translate to better academic outcomes. In fact, Chicopee Academy has 0% proficiency rates across multiple MCAS Next Generation assessments, including English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science, which is significantly lower than the district and state averages. Additionally, the school has consistently ranked among the lowest-performing high schools in Massachusetts, with rankings in the bottom 5-10% of the state.

In contrast, Chicopee Comprehensive High School and Chicopee High have relatively consistent performance metrics, with the same reported four-year graduation rate of 85.0% and dropout rate of 7.6% for the 2023-2024 school year. While their test scores lag behind the state averages in most subject areas, they still significantly outperform Chicopee Academy. Interestingly, Chicopee Academy has the highest spending per student at $49,448, while the other two high schools spend $17,442 and $16,258 per student, respectively. This raises questions about the school's purpose, target population, and effectiveness in serving its students.