Codman Academy Charter Public School (CACPS) received its charter from the Massachusetts Department of Education on February 27, 2001.
Codman began as an urban charter public high school serving 145 students in grades 9-12, the product of an innovative collaboration between educator Meg Campbell, Bill Walczak, founder of the Codman Square Health Center, and George Brackett, former Director of the Technology in Education Program at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, to carry out a shared vision of creating a space to link health and education. The underlying idea behind our school-health center partnership is that prevention is the best medicine, and education is the best means of prevention. This philosophy permeates Codman’s programming, which includes dental and vision screening for all Lower School students, expeditions to the health center to learn about fields of medicine, internship and employment opportunities for Upper School students, and on-site mental and behavioral health consultations and support.
In February 2013, the state approved our request to increase our charter cap from 145 students in grades 9-12 to 345 students in grades K1-12 by 2017. This was one of the most momentous changes that our school underwent since its founding. Increasing the time that we have with our students to build their academic and professional skills allows them to be competitive college applicants and to be prepared to handle the workload upon entering postsecondary opportunities for higher education. In 2017, we completed our expansion and now serve 345 students K1-12.
In 2023, Codman has 345 students (all chosen by lottery) in grades K1-12, 99% of whom are students of color and 90% are classified as low-income. 78% of our students hail from either Dorchester (57%), Roxbury (8%), or Mattapan (12%). All students benefit from an extended day schedule Mondays through Fridays. To date, 100% of Codman’s graduates have been accepted to college. 68% of alumni are enrolled in or have graduated from college.
The Codman program is holistic, addressing students’ physical and mental health needs along with academics. Based upon EL Education principles, the curriculum stresses depth over breadth of content and fieldwork designed to reinforce classroom learning. Strong emphases on the arts and social justice issues are cornerstones of its curriculum.
