Education Overview

PRESCHOOLS:
Preschools are located in the towns surrounding Devens. The cost is expensive for childcare and preschool programs. Most programs offer a 2 day, 3 day, or 5 day program. Hours range from 0530/0700 - 1730. Proof of immunizations and health is a must.

Hanscom AFB, 24 miles from Devens has a state of the art child development center for family members who reside on Hanscom AFB.

Army Community Service has a list of approved day care providers, provided and updated monthly by the Massachusetts Office for Children. Providers need to be licensed with the state and subject to unannounced home visits.

Before and after school age care is available at most schools in the community. The legal age for a child to be left unattended is 14. Centers are usually accredited by NAEYC.  ACS has School lists and telephone numbers. 978-796-3023.

SCHOOL ON DEVENS:

The following schools are in the Devens area:
Applewild Preschool - 978-796-5183
Guild of St. Agnes - Early Education and Care - Devens - 978-796-4323
Evergreen Garden - 978-772-9595
Francis W. Parker Center - 978-772-3293

For more information contact: http://www.mass.gov/edu/

North Central Massachusetts has (59) Public Schools and twelve (12) private schools which provide parents and students with a broad range of educational alternatives. The Massachusetts "School Choice" program is available, allowing students to attend a public school in the town of their choice, rather than one in their town of residence, paid for by their town of residence. Anyone interested in school choice should contact the Office of the Superintendent of Schools in the town where the public school of their choice is located, as soon as possible after moving into the area. Not all towns accept "School Choice" students from other towns. Public schools do not charge for riding to school on a bus. Transportation costs at private schools will vary. Interested parents should call the private school of choice to inquire about attendance, transportation costs, and other questions.

GRADE PROMOTION:
Promotion from grade to grade is determined by credits earned through successful completion courses. The number of credit listed below must be earned prior to the beginning of the school year for a student to be promoted to the next grade level. Nearly all high schools require their students to take and pass four years of English classes. Check with the particular high school where your child will attend for history, mathematics, science and foreign language requirements.

GRADING SYSTEMS:
Honor Roll - all A's
Principal's list - all A's
First Honors - A's and B's

A+ = 97-100, A = 93-97, A- = 90-92, B+ = 87-89, B = 83-86, B- = 80-82, C+ = 77-79, C = 73-76, C- = 70-72, D+ = 67-69, D = 63-66, D- = 60-62, F = 59 and under.

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Public and DODDS Schools

MCAS:
MCAS (Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System test)The participation of all students in MCAS is crucial because, beginning with the graduating Class of 2003, all students educated with public funds will have to earn a competency determination as one condition for receiving a high school diploma.

This test is taken in Grade 3 - 8 and High School. Students will be required to pass the grade test to graduate. This is a difficult test. Students are tested in English, Math, Social Studies, and Science. Refer to the provided Massachusetts Department of Education website for MCAS results.

Public schools, public kindergarten, elementary, middle, and high schools are under the control of the school board of the city/town in which located. The state mandates school attendance for children between the ages of 6 and 16; and require school systems to operate kindergartens, but does not require children to attend them. According to state regulations a child must be enrolled in school (kindergarten or first grade) in the calendar year in which the child turns six.

When registering children in a new school, parents need to bring all school records from their previous school, including immunization records. Children entering Kindergarten need immunization records and a birth certificate. If school records are not released to parents by the former school, the receiving school will have parents complete a release form and request records by mail.

The Francis W. Parker Charter Essential School is an independent public charter school established and opened for the 1995-96 school year on Devens. It is a member of the Coalition of Charter Essential Schools. Information about the school can be obtained by calling (978) 772-3293. This is the only school of its type operating on Devens, and has no connection with the military.

GIFTED AND TALENTED:
Gifted and Talented programs are available in most schools. Coordinators for this program travel between school systems to offer greater availability. There are 12 private schools in the area. Refer to education overview. Contact Army Community Service.

There are no high schools on Devens. High Schools are located in the community where service members relocate.

HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM OF STUDIES:
MASSCORE

The Massachusetts High School Program of Studies (MassCore) is intended to help our state's high school graduates arrive at college or the workplace well prepared and reduce the number of students taking remedial courses in college. MassCore recommends a comprehensive set of subject area courses and units as well as other learning opportunities to complete before graduating from high school.

The recommended program of studies includes: four years of English, four years of Math, three years of a lab-based Science, three years of history, two years of the same foreign language, one year of an arts program and five additional "core" courses such as business education, health, and/or technology. MassCore also includes additional learning opportunities including AP classes, dual enrollment, a senior project, online courses for high school or college credit, and service or work-based learning

MASSCORE TOOLBOX

As a new initiative, we strongly encourage schools and districts to communicate with educators, parents, students, business, and community-based and other organizations about the importance of a rigorous, high school program of study for all students.

Below are some resources to use with different constituencies to spread the word and begin conversations concerning MassCore and the need for a rigorous course of study. We hope with public input to increase the amount of information on this page.

If you have items of interest to add, particularly around course syllabi, programs of study or success stories, please email t masscore@doe.mass.edu.

Private Schools

A listing of private schools in the area can be obtained from Army Community Service (ACS). There are several private and parochial elementary and middle/high schools in the area.

Children will normally attend a public school in the town or city in which they live, unless the decision is made by the family to attend a public or private school in another town.

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Special Education

Massachusetts and Federal law require that every school system in the state have in place a program to meet the special educational needs of any student living in the community requiring special education. Any parent of a child with identified with special educational needs, or any parent wishing to have their son/daughter assessed for special educational needs should contact the Special Needs Department or Office of the Superintendent of Schools of the school system their child attends, or in their town of residence.

For additional information on Offices of Superintendent of Schools in the local area, see the Record Listings under Related Subject, Public and DODDS Schools , this Category.

Children from birth to adult have the opportunity to develop and reach his/her potential as a family member.

he Massachusetts Department of Education provides programs in each of their community from federal early intervention programs to adults earning their General Educational Development (GED)

Each school district is required to test children and put together an Individual Education Plan (IEP) with a team of professionals for each identified child. Parents play a big role in the implementation and changes required.

Children of active duty service members with identified special educational needs must be enrolled in the Army Exceptional Family Member Program. Information on this process is available by calling Army Community Service, (978) 796-3023, 0730-1600, M-F.

See the websites for further and exact information pertaining to your community.

Colleges and Universities

FIND THE BEST COLLEGES IN MASSACHUSETTS: With over 100 institutions of higher education, academically driven students will feel right at home studying in Massachusetts. Two prestigious universities located in Cambridge, including Harvard University and MIT consistently rank among the world’s top universities. Other competitive colleges that rank in the nation’s top 50 include Boston College, Northeastern University, and Boston University. Additionally, the state has some of the best liberal arts colleges, including Williams College and Amherst College.
Boston is a lively city that offers rich culture, diversity, and an exciting metropolitan life. Students get a feel for living in a big city, while still feeling welcomed in a more moderate-paced environment in comparison to other large cities like NYC. Both Harvard and MIT are just short drives away from this gorgeous city!

SUMMARY OF MASSACHUSETTS COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES: Our college search tool makes it easy to compare colleges in Massachusetts by tuition, online and offline degree programs, and many other college stats. Here’s an overview to help with your search.
-Community colleges: Two-year associate degrees are available through 15 community colleges in Massachusetts.
-Public four-year and graduate schools: There are more than a dozen public 4-year universities that offer curriculum for graduate students as well. The public school system is split between the University of Massachusetts and State University divisions. While the State University division has 9 schools scattered in different cities of the state, University of Massachusetts is comprised of 6 schools and one designed for online-learning.
-Private four-year and graduate universities: Massachusetts is home to 25 private 4-year universities. Students can expect a variety of competitive academic options and prestigious research programs. These schools often offer professional and graduate programs as well. Ivy League school, Harvard University offers rigorous coursework to academically driven students, with an average admit rate of only 6%.
-Online colleges: Massachusetts Colleges Online offer remote coursework from 15 community colleges and 9 state colleges for students who are looking for flexible classes & programs. Additionally, UMassOnline has 5 distinct campuses offering top-quality, affordable online education.

The above information is from Collegestats.org.

WORCESTER, MA - WORLD CLASS COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

Worcester, MA is home of many fine colleges;

For more information, go to http://www.worcesterma.gov/living-working/sites-sounds/colleges-universities.

Adult or Continuing Education

Boston, Massachusetts is the mecca of higher learning institutions. It boasts such names as Harvard, MIT, Boston College, Boston University, Northeastern University and Brandies University just to name a few. Check the website for information on all the colleges in Boston, Worcester and other areas surrounding Devens.

ARMY REGIONAL EDUCATION CENTER AT DEVENS:

Active duty and AGR soldiers should address education related questions to the Army Education Center, Building 666, 30 Quebec Street, Devens, MA at 978-796-2331/2390. The center services soldiers in all the New England States.

Services offered are the following:
- Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support
- A full range of testing opportunities such as CLEP, DANTES, ACT, SAT
- AARTS Transcripts
- Veterans Education Benefits information
- Army Personnel Testing to include language
- Financial information and resources