Planning for BACS began in the late 1990ís after a group of educators and non-profit leaders involved with the SPIRIT Educational Program recognized a need for a small alternative secondary school in the communities of Pawtucket and Central Falls. Through their work with SPIRIT, they saw the success of strong student-teacher relationships and the value of connecting learning to the community. They also sought to address the high drop-out and low college attendance rates for students in these cities. After visiting and researching other small schools locally and nationally, the group wrote and submitted its charter to the Rhode Island Department of Education in the fall of 2000. BACS opened on September 16, 2002.

Many people contributed ideas and concepts that created the school. The founding group included Doc Augusta, Kyleen Carpenter, Stacy Joslin, Liz Newton, Cynthia Roberts, Carolyn Sheehan, and Bob Wooler. Most of them work at the school today.

2007-2008 School Year*

Total Enrollment: 154 students

Grades: 9 - 12

Free/Reduced Lunch: 72%

Student Ethnicity:

Hispanic: 43%
White: 34%
Black: 21%
Asian/Pacific Islander: 1%
Native American/Alaskan: 1%

Special Education Population:
IEP: 8%504 Plan: 13%
Faculty & Staff:
Full-time teachers: 12
Part-time teachers: 5
Administrators: 3
Special Education Director: 1
Literacy Coordinator: 1
Technology Director: 1
Support Staff: 4
Staff with advanced degrees: 11