A six-year public secondary school of choice, the Francis W. Parker Charter Essential School is open by lottery admissions to all residents of Massachusetts in grades seven through twelve.

One of Massachusetts’ first charter schools, Parker was started in 1995 by area parents and teachers committed to the principles of the Coalition of Essential Schools, of which it is a fully approved member.

In June 1999, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts granted Parker a five-year renewal of its charter as a public school reporting directly to the state Department of Education. The New England Association of Schools and Colleges elected Parker in 1999 as a “candidate member school” for accreditation.

The school was named after Francis W. Parker, the 19th-century New England educator who is known as the father of American progressive education. Theodore R. Sizer and Nancy Sizer are trustees of the school and participate actively in its ongoing development and work; they served as co-principals in 1998–99.