Saved Schools

Map Academy Charter School

Map Academy Charter School, nominated by Center on Reinventing Public Education, Clayton Christensen Institute and an anonymous organization, is a high school in Plymouth, Massachusetts, that describes itself as a public charter school serving learners from a primarily suburban area.

Location Plymouth, Massachusetts

Governance Public Charter School

Grades High

Students 300

Locale Suburban

Co-founder & Co-director Rachel Babcock

Demographics

Percentage of students*

2%

English Learners

68%

Free/Reduced Lunch

51%

Students with Disabilities

African American or Black 7%

American Indian/Alaska Native 2%

Asian

Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 1%

Hispanic or Latino 14%

White 67%

2+ Races

Why Map Academy Charter School was nominated

New charter school intentionally designed to serve 14-24 year olds who are off track for high school graduation. Asynchronous, competency-based, highly-supportive., Map Academy has developed a flexible learning environment that re-engages at-risk students and puts them on a trajectory to success., MAP Academy has deliberately redesigned high school to support the needs and circumstances of students who have dropped out of conventional schooling. Their courses are online, asynchronous, and competency-based, which makes them flexible to the needs of their students. Nonetheless, their school is located on a physical campus that offers a robust set of academic and non-academic supports., Map Academy uses online learning to make their program flexible to the needs of at-promise youth. They have an innovative approach to tracking student progress and targeting supports for students., Map Academy is an alternative charter high school founded on the belief that every student – no matter what their life circumstances – has unique strengths and the ability to succeed., This school serves students up to the age of 24 supporting every student to succeed in high school no matter their circumstances. Their model is competency-based, highly supportive, flexible, and career-focused.

Student experience design

Many of the Map Academy students who arrive at our doors have become disillusioned with their high school experience. They are unsure what to expect, and unwilling to accept the old structures and culture they previously experienced. While Map Academy students are held to the same standards and requirements to earn their high school diploma as all Massachusetts students, their pathways are designed for each student to succeed in ways that work for them. Right down to the design of our building, Map Academy puts students at the center. The student experience at Map Academy is not like your old high school. We put an emphasis on forming personal relationships between our staff and each student. And we back up our focus on individualized learning with the technology that makes it possible. Each student’s schedule is responsive to their passions and goals, barriers to success, current learning targets and ability to demonstrate competency in a given subject area.

Core Practices

Core Practices Length of Use

Blended Learning

5+ years

Competency/mastery-based Education

5+ years

Restorative Practices

5+ years

Self-paced Learning

5+ years

Trauma-informed Practices

5+ years

All Practices

Advancement On Mastery

Student Advisories

Assessments For Career Readiness

Assessments For Social-emotional Skills

Career Advising & Support

Career Exploration

Co-leadership

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

Higher Education Partnerships

All Courses Designed For Inclusion

Industry-recognized Credentials

Industry-aligned Learning Pathways

Internships

Interoperable Data From Multiple Technologies

Individual Learner Profiles

Individual Learning Paths

Mental Health Services

1:1 Mentoring

Multi-tiered System Of Support (MTSS) In Academics

Multi-age Classrooms

No Tracked Classes

Project-based Learning

Reallocation Of Resources For Students Most In Need

Students Access Their Own Data

Student-led Goal Setting

Students Develop Projects

Tutoring

Youth Employment Programs

key reasons for innovating

Address systemic inequities

Better support a specific population of students

Better support economically disadvantaged students

Better support multilingual students

Better support newcomer 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 in the juvenile justice system

Better support students of color

Better support students with disabilities

Better support students with interrupted formal education

Demonstrate what’s possible for other schools

Date Updated: 4/1/2026

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