Saved Schools

EVOLVE Academy

EVOLVE Academy, nominated by Barr Foundation, is a high school in Fall River, Massachusetts, that describes itself as a public district school serving learners from a primarily urban area.

Location Fall River, Massachusetts

Governance Public District School

Grades High

Students 150

Locale Urban

Director Dr. Janet Schweizer

Demographics

Percentage of students*

10%

English Learners

100%

Free/Reduced Lunch

36%

Students with Disabilities

African American or Black 13%

American Indian/Alaska Native

Asian 1%

Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

Hispanic or Latino 29%

White 40%

2+ Races

Why EVOLVE Academy was nominated

Project-based learning with transformative learning experiences Primary person model Post secondary success planning with students

Student experience design

Evolve Academy is a project-based, competency-based pathway that builds on the individual strengths of students who have disengaged from traditional high school. We empower youth to develop the mindsets and skills to succeed in high school and achieve their goals for post-secondary education and employment. We build a culture of holistic support, promote rigorous, student-centered academics, and facilitate real-world opportunities to learn and serve in the community.

Core Practices

Core Practices Length of Use

College Advising & Support

5+ years

Competency/mastery-based Education

5+ years

Individual Learning Paths

5+ years

Project-based Learning

5+ years

SEL Integration School-wide

5+ years

All Practices

Advancement On Mastery

Student Advisories

Anti-racist Practices

Assessments For Agency And Self-directed Learning

Assessments For Career Readiness

Assessments For Deeper Learning

Assessments For Social-emotional Skills

Career Advising & Support

Career Exploration

Community And Workforce Partnerships

Family And Community Support Services

Culturally Responsive Practices

Disaggregated Data On Student Participation

Extended Learning Time

Flexible Staffing & Alternative Teaching Roles

Grading Policies Focus On Mastery

All Courses Designed For Inclusion

Individual Learner Profiles

Mental Health Services

1:1 Mentoring

Multi-tiered System Of Support (MTSS) In Academics

Multi-age Classrooms

No Tracked Classes

Peer To Peer Support

Performance Based Assessment

High Quality Instructional Materials

Reallocation Of Resources For Students Most In Need

Restorative Practices

SEL Curriculum

Service Learning

Student-led Conferences

Students Access Their Own Data

Student-led Goal Setting

Self-paced Learning

Students Develop Projects

Trauma-informed Practices

Tutoring

Universal Design For Learning

Career Prep

key reasons for innovating

Adapt to a change in demographics in our community

Better support a specific population of students

Better support economically disadvantaged students

Better support multilingual students

Better support students classified as English learners

Better support students experiencing housing insecurity or homelessness

Better support students in the foster care system

Better support students of color

Better support students with disabilities

Better support students with interrupted formal education

Improve academic achievement

Date Updated: 4/1/2026

*Canopy profile data is self-reported or sourced from NCES data, then verified by school leaders.