Community Charter School of Cambridge

Posted: June 12, 2026

My experience at CCSC has been extremely disappointing and frustrating. In my opinion, many teachers and staff do not genuinely care about students or creating a positive learning environment. There seems to be very little accountability for student behavior, which has created a culture where students often feel they can do whatever they want without meaningful consequences. One of the biggest problems I have noticed is the amount of vaping among students, including younger students, which appears to be a common occurrence. There is also a significant amount of peer pressure that can make students feel uncomfortable and negatively affect their school experience. I have witnessed what I believe to be favoritism from certain teachers, where some students receive special treatment while others are held to different standards. This makes the environment feel unfair and discouraging. I have also observed behavior from some teachers that I consider disrespectful, insensitive, or unprofessional toward students. Some students seem to feel judged, singled out, or unsupported rather than encouraged and respected. A school should be a place where students feel safe and welcomed, but that has not always been my experience. School safety is another major concern. There have been serious incidents involving student behavior, and I was surprised by what appeared to be a lack of strong consequences in some cases. When serious issues happen, students deserve to know that their safety is being taken seriously. I have also heard teachers make jokes about serious subjects that should not be treated lightly in a school setting, which can make students uncomfortable and less likely to speak up about concerns. Overall, I believe CCSC needs significant improvements in student support, discipline, fairness, professionalism, and safety. Based on my personal experience and observations, I feel the school has failed to provide the positive, respectful, and secure learning environment that students deserve, and I believe major changes are needed to improve the culture and experience for current and future students.

Posted: June 12, 2026

Posted: June 12, 2026

Posted: June 12, 2026

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Posted: May 20, 2024

This school is a school of color with an administration that is all white. And it is obvious that they do not care about the students. They do not provide a safe environment for the students. There are frequent fights in the classrooms with no consequences. They say they have a zero tolerance for bullying yet students are harassed relentlessly, in front of staff and nothing is done. When your child is the victim, they require the victim to leave the classroom to find safety rather than removing the problem students.

Posted: May 20, 2024

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Posted: August 31, 2023

The teachers at CCSC are great, but the school's curriculum is very agenda driven. It is not a good school to send your child to if they are black or brown. They are a school intent on indoctrinating the youth and pushing ideals of privileged, white LGBTQ+ school leaders on the kids.

Posted: August 31, 2023

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Posted: October 29, 2022

I am writing this as a former longtime employee and parent. I would not send my child here. The teaching staff and students are great, but the administrative team subject the community to a very skewed and politically driven agenda. White supremacy culture is in full force within the school walls. Please speak to parents of former students before sending your child here.

Posted: October 29, 2022

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Posted: January 4, 2016

I am an alumnus of CCSC. My time at CCSC was the best time of my life. I am currently attending a top university, and if you compare the work CCSC gives you with the work that students are doing at top high schools in the country, it's actually not as hard, even though students complain a lot. If you want to be able to compete against those students, you have to be doing a harder level of work, and CCSC gives it to you. As with anything else in life, you get back what you put into CCSC, and if you take advantage of the opportunities that CCSC gives you, you'll have a good time. You get lots of one-on-one help (to the kid who said you don't, I'd like to know which school you're comparing to that gives you more in class) and the teachers are phenomenal. They're there because they want to help you learn (or else they'd be at some public school protected by a union, and they definitely would not be there after school almost every day to help students), although the rate at which the school goes through teachers is a bit disappointing.

Posted: January 4, 2016

Posted: January 4, 2016

All the students complain that it's too much, but you are not doing any more than the people with whom you should be attempting to compete with.

Posted: January 4, 2016

Posted: August 11, 2013

CCSC is a gem. My daughter returns for grade 8 this fall. As she finishes her summer reading and gathers school supplies, I am so grateful we found this school for her. Last year was year of academic high points. The teaching was fantastic. Clear expectations. Deep and meaningful work. End of unit assessments that buck stereotypes of charter schools churning out test prep kids. For example, in science write a children's book using 2pieces of evidence from the fossil record to rove the theory of continental drift. Students succeed at this school. No one falls thru the cracks. Every student has an advisor and meets in advisory twice a week. Outstanding support systems. Teachers and staff do not lose any opportunity to connect with students, identify their interests, engage them in school activities or sports and recognize them for their achievements in and out of class. I do not love the intense behavior system but the structure is clear. Kids learn to comply. Unlike our previous school , teachers do not get hijacked re-teaching because of chronic incomplete homework and class work. This is a great school well worth consideration for any family seeking real college preparation.

Posted: November 28, 2012

CCSC is a great school. I am so blessed to have my children there. I have two children at CCSC. My son has ADHD and they help me and him. It's not an excuse for adhd student to have bad behavior. My son always have homework detention because of focusing and always forget his homework in the printer. I am mad when he has homework detention , but I understand that help him a little bit. My daughter is different she is very organized and never have an homework detention. I suffer for my son but at the same time the school help me to do the same work that I am doing at home. As a single mom, I am happy to have ccsc helping my children. The only thing I dont like is 2 phones call and 2 emails telling you that your child has a detention. It's depressing. Love you CCSC

Posted: May 15, 2012

I am writing this review as a parent who went through some sort of boot camp with my child. My son isn't wanted at the school so he faces an expulsion. He has ADHD and sometime receives behavior detentions, sometimes he receives hw detention. He has blessed someone for sneezing and got in trouble, missed a step on his homework and received hw detention. A friend of mine has a daughter who received detention for placing her homework in the wrong bin. They suspend and expell students often, the amount of kids in detention daily is unbelieveable and do are the reasons. I never knew how bad it was. I pray that more parents come forth and review this school. I saw a segment on the news about Charter schools and was horrified but it was too late. They have been doing alot of school cleanings lately, I hope this school gets properly cleaned. Our children are our future. They should not be faced with embarassment and low self esteem.

Posted: September 25, 2011

CCSC made statewide headlines for its 10th grade MCAS scores this year. They ranked #1 in the state in math with 100% scoring proficient/advanced on the test. Four years ago, many of these same kids scored poorly as seventh graders. In four years and in time to get the attention of good colleges, the kids are all succeeding. Whats more, every graduate from 2009,2010 and 2011 gained admission to college. Almost all of them went to four year schools. Places like Dartmouth and Bryn Mawr and Cornell... UMass, Boston College, Wheaton... This school doesnt get the credit it deserves... Great great school.

Posted: September 25, 2011

The teaching is excellent at the school. The kids are safe and happy. I definitely disagree with one of the reviewers. You should visit the school- kids are totally engaged and will even come up to you in the hall or class and let you know what's going on in the school. I'm really impressed with the college acceptance rate and the fact that kids are focused on their future. I'm also really touched by the role of the advisors. Parents get calls home regularly- and not just for bad things. Kids are known well here, and that's really unique.

Posted: May 15, 2011

CCSC is a good school, and it has the potential to be a great school. As noted by other reviewers, the facility is lacking--no gym, cafe, auditorium, lockers or library larger than a broom closet. Extracurricular activities are slim to none. But I disagree with other posters about the teachers--they are dedicated and talented. And unlike unionized teachers, they don't "punch out" at quitting time. My one criticism is that parental involvement in the running of the school (e.g., hiring committees) seems to be discouraged. Also, while student community is certainly valued, no effort is made to help parents get to know each other.

Posted: April 17, 2011

Hate this school. There isn't any cafeteria, gym, or lockers, and the teachers are extremely strict (I got a detention for forgeting to put my name on the homework). Also, there's an enomous amount of homework. The teachers aren't that great, and they act like they can't wait for the day to be over. Since there's 20-25 kids per class, you can't get any one-on-one time unless you stay after school. If you go to this school, you'll have to spend 3-4 hours on homework just to get a passing grade.

Posted: March 3, 2011

This school gives a lot of work and the kids don't really seem happy. I would go around the school and everyone looked dead and sad. You might want a good education for your kids but you need to care about their happiness, if a child is not happy they cant do good work, and they will fail all their classed, if you care about your child's happiness don't send them here.