BATA began as a night program at Madison Park in 1999, initially built to support older students who had non-traditional schedules to receive a high school diploma. Over the years, our school has developed itself further, changing into a day school for young adults from 19 to 22 years of age and moving locations to the Bay Village area. 

Over the last 2 decades, our school’s student demographic has changed with the shifting identity of the city of Boston. Our school has always catered to a mostly immigrant population, helping students to receive a high school diploma who have previously been educated across the world in different countries.

As an alternative high school with students from over 20 countries speaking over 14 languages, we operate with modest resources and constantly shifting enrollment. We conduct disciplined experiments about what our highest-need students really require and memorialize practices that succeed where those at our students’ previous high schools could not. BATA has experience in and expertise for the work of building a truly multicultural society: this is in our wheelhouse. Over 85% of our students are multilingual learners and 98% are students of color.

Goals for our Students

Our goals for our students are fourfold:

1. To support students in acquiring a level of English Proficiency.
2. To graduate from High School and receive a diploma
3. Prepare students for being successful in their post secondary experiences, whether it be career or college related, and
4. To support students to integrate and become active citizens of Boston.

Boston Adult Technical Academy (BATA) is an alternative high school for mature, motivated students between the ages of 19-22. A great number of our students are from communities of color, immigrant families and are English Language Learners. We provide a safe, nurturing, student-centered, and culturally sustaining educational experience that enables young adults to intensively acquire the skills needed to complete their high school degrees while positioning themselves as agents for community change invested in their own postsecondary success. We seek to eliminate school-based barriers to success that often limit the choices and opportunities for all students. Our work is deeply rooted in social, racial, and economic justice.

Our Vision

BATA believes that with the appropriate tools and support, all students can cultivate their knowledge, skills and experience in order to achieve their goals in high school and beyond.  We hope to expand the narrative of 21st century postsecondary success to include a variety of outcomes, including college, entrepreneurship, employment, community service, technical proficiency and the arts.