The top reported proficiency rate is 27% in Science. The lowest is 15% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Dudley Street Neighborhood Charter School (district)
Dudley Street Neighborhood Charter School (District) is a single-school public charter district in Boston's Suffolk County, serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. It is a small district by enrollment and operates as a single-site elementary school. Because the district stops at grade five, there is no high school, no graduation rate, and none of the pathways or course access measures that apply to secondary schools. State testing results are available and are a central piece of information for a family considering this school.
The district's performance on the NextGen MCAS, Massachusetts's state assessment, falls below the midpoint among Suffolk County's districts in overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades. In math, about one in seven students reached the proficient or advanced level. In English language arts, roughly one in five students did. In science, about one in four tested students scored proficient or above. These rates place the district on the lower end relative to others in the county. While participation in testing was complete, the academic results are a soft spot that a parent may want to discuss directly with the school to understand the instructional strategies in place and how the school addresses student learning gaps.
The student body is heavily concentrated in two racial and ethnic groups. Black students make up a large majority, and Hispanic students account for most of the remainder. White students and Asian students each represent a small share, and the numbers of Native American and multiracial students are tiny. The district serves a significant population of children from low-income households, though the exact free and reduced-price lunch count was not available in the data, nor were the numbers of students with individualized education plans or English learner status. A family looking at this school will want to ask the school directly about the supports it offers for special education and English language development.
Chronic absenteeism, a measure of students missing many school days, falls above the midpoint among Suffolk County districts, meaning the rate is relatively high. This is typical of many urban schools and is sometimes linked to health, housing stability, or transportation access. A parent who values consistent attendance may want to ask the school what attendance interventions and family outreach programs it uses.
Per-pupil current spending is in the middle range, though on the lower half among the county's districts. The district spends moderately compared to its urban peers, which is a structural fact but not a judgment on how effectively money is used. No information was available on staffing ratios, teacher experience, or course offerings, which is common for an elementary-only district whose academic program is self-contained.
The district brief turned up no recent referenda, curriculum overhauls, property tax changes, or leadership shifts that would directly affect a family's day-to-day experience. The district's public profile is quiet on those fronts. What the data does not contain, and what a prospective parent will want to learn from a school tour or conversation, includes class sizes, the school's approach to discipline and restorative practices, the nature of parent involvement, and the stability of the teaching staff.
Dudley Street Neighborhood Charter School (District) is best understood as an urban elementary charter with a homogeneous low-income student body, math and reading proficiency rates that are low compared to county averages, and a relatively high rate of chronic absences. It is a small enough community that a family's relationship with teachers and administrators can be direct. For a family whose priority is a neighborhood-based elementary option with a clearly defined academic program and who is prepared to investigate the support structures the school provides for students who are behind grade level, this district is worth a close look. Those who need strong test scores, a high-income peer environment, or secondary grades and pathways will need to look elsewhere.
See more original research from School Decision →