Public elementary and middle schools in Cambridge and Lexington secured the top spots in the latest state and district-level evaluations released by U.S. News & World Report, even as districts across Massachusetts grapple with lingering academic setbacks from the pandemic.
How the State Rankings Stack Up Across Districts
The publication evaluated more than 46,000 public elementary schools and 24,000 middle schools nationwide, splitting K-8 institutions across two distinct lists. While the analysis omitted an overall nationwide rating for individual buildings, it established clear benchmarks within state borders using state standardized test scores in math and reading/language arts.
Half of the scoring formula relied exclusively on test scores, while the other half incorporated test results alongside socioeconomic characteristics. To break ties in overall scores, the analysis factored in student-teacher ratios. The release builds upon a separate evaluation for public high schools that U.S. News generated in August.
Among Massachusetts elementary schools, Chilmark Elementary School in the Up-Island Regional School District claimed second place, followed by John D. Hardy Elementary in Wellesley at third, Woodland Elementary School in Weston at fourth, and Benjamin Banneker Charter Public School in Cambridge at fifth. In the middle and K-8 categories, Brookline swept positions two through four with the Amos A. Lawrence, the William H. Lincoln, and the John Pierce schools, while Belmont Middle School landed in fifth.
Persistent Post-Pandemic Academic Hurdles
The high rankings arrive during a challenging period for Massachusetts education, as most districts continue struggling to recapture pre-pandemic MCAS scores. Statewide results released last month showed stagnant math outcomes for students in grades 3 through 8, while English scores slid slightly across those same grade levels.
Even top-tier institutions reflect this complex recovery. At Cambridge’s Martin Luther King Jr. School, students tested last spring performed slightly better on MCAS math exams than their 2019 counterparts, marking the last testing cycle before pandemic disruptions. However, English and language arts scores at the school remain notably lower than 2019 levels. Lexington’s Clarke Middle School mirrors this trajectory, with MCAS scores approaching but not fully returning to pre-pandemic benchmarks.
Charter Standouts in Cambridge and Mattapan
The publication also separated charter schools into dedicated rosters for lower and middle grades. Benjamin Banneker Charter Public School in Cambridge captured the top spot for elementary charters, followed by the Pioneer Charter School of Science in Everett, Brooke Charter School in Mattapan, Springfield Preparatory Charter School, and Mystic Valley Regional Charter School in Malden.
For middle school charters, Brooke Charter School in Mattapan took first place. The remainder of the top five included the Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School in Hadley, Mystic Valley Regional Charter School in Malden, Pioneer Charter School of Science 2 in Saugus, and the Community Charter School of Cambridge.
