Abbott Lawrence Academy (ALA) is a small, accelerated 9-12th grade honors high school within the larger Lawrence High School campus. Founded in 2015 with an inaugural 9th grade class, ALA was created to retain the best and brightest students of the city. ALA is the district’s first exam high school, admitting students each year through a rigorous application and entrance exam process, enrolling only up to 100 students per year. ALA offers students in Lawrence an opportunity previously unavailable to most: the chance to experience a rich and rewarding honors education in the tradition of the most prestigious independent schools in the country, free of charge. We currently have 90 seniors, 82 juniors, 82 sophomores, and 70 freshmen, and graduated our first class in the spring of 2019. Our current school demographic breakdown is: 84% Hispanic, 8% Asian, 6% White, 1% African-American, and 1% Multi-Race. As part of the Lawrence High School campus, ALA is accredited by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
The excitement begins in the summer! Abbott Lawrence Academy (ALA) students complete a summer reading/writing assignment before walking through our doors. After ninth grade, ALA students attend an intensive, five-week summer program focused on combining rigorous academic work with enrichment opportunities.
ALA students are determined and encouraged to be the best they can be. The program is competitive, and only accepts up to 100 students per grade level per year. Students who are accepted show exceptional promise and drive in the classroom and community and are willing to make mistakes in order to learn and grow.
ALA students care about their community. Our program requires students to engage in meaningful community service work both within our school and in the community at large. By instilling leadership and the core values of hard work, determination, and citizenship, ALA strives to develop caring and well-informed graduates who will make an impact of the city of Lawrence, the state of Massachusetts, and the world!
Abbott Lawrence Academy provides a rigorous education in a safe and nurturing learning environment that values hard work, determination, and community. In collaboration with families, local, and collegiate partnerships, ALA lays the groundwork for students’ college and career success. Ultimately, ALA students and alumni will be prepared for civic participation and community engagement.