King Open

Can't imagine more dedicated, intelligent, hard-working and idealistic faculty anywhere!
--Submitted by a parent

Is a wonderful school. A very large immigrant population that is being served well. They could use newer books, facilities and repair work. The school is crumbling. They also have a very good skills assessment program for kids with learning difficulties. Great community involvement. Wonderful After School Programs.

The GreatSchools rating of 4 out of 10 is probably a reflection of, as other posters have mentioned, low standardized test scores in part due to families that boycot the MCAS. My kids graduated from King Open in the past few years, but the 12 years we spent there had an enormous impact on all of our lives. The faculty is amazing, the curriculum is rich, and the community is diverse. King Open taught all of us -- including (especially?) me -- so much about school, learning, and being a member of a community. My kids still speak adoringly of the school and the lessons they learned there have stayed with them. I can't say enough good things about this school.
--Submitted by a parent

KO is a excellent school. Parents are involved in activities and classrooms, the teachers are great. When Cambridge consolidated KO with Harrington school and moved its location 2 years ago, many families met the news with trepidation. Yet the school's core appeal has been sustained, thanks to the remarkable efforts of the faculty. The school,which organizes its curriculum around a theme of social justice, has scores which don't reflect the academic excellence of the curriculum.
--Submitted by a parent

King Open is an excellent school. Parent involvement is high and encouraged at all grade levels, as is its focus on social justice. It is very good academically, in spite of its somewhat low test scores. Many K-O parents oppose this kind of testing and have boycotted the tests, which has skewed the results. In spite of budget cuts, the school provides good extracurriculars, which are bolstered by an very active neighborhood program. It's teachers are simply wonderful.
--Submitted by a parent