The top reported proficiency rate is 72% in Science. The lowest is 66% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Hardy
Hardy is an elementary school in Arlington, a dense, walkable suburb of Boston. It serves kindergarten through fifth grade and is a regular public school within the Arlington Public Schools system. For a family looking at the town's elementary options, Hardy is the school on Lake Street, near the Arlington Reservoir and Spy Pond, and its results on state assessments place it among the stronger elementary schools in Arlington and well above average relative to districts across Middlesex County.
On the Massachusetts Next-Generation MCAS exams, Hardy’s students as a group scored above the midpoint of districts in the county in overall proficiency across tested subjects. In math, a solid majority of students met the proficient or higher standard. In English language arts, the share was similar. Science, which is tested in fifth grade, showed an even higher rate of proficiency. These results have been fairly steady over the last several years. In English language arts, the proficiency rate has held in a consistent range since the years before the pandemic, with no large swings. In math, there was a dip during the unusual 2020-21 school year, but it rebounded the following year and has since settled into a range close to where it was before. A parent looking at these numbers sees a school with a track record of reliable, above-average performance, not a school that is dramatically improving or declining.
The school’s enrollment is moderate for an elementary school, with class sizes that appear to give a typical grade a few sections. The student body is predominantly white, with a notable share of students who are Asian and a smaller share who identify as two or more races. The shares of Black and Hispanic students are smaller. Data on the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals, on students with disabilities, and on English learners were not available, so a parent should ask the school or district directly about those figures to get a full picture of the student support environment. Arlington as a town is relatively affluent, and Hardy reflects that context in its assessment outcomes, though without the economic data it is not possible to say how much economic diversity the school contains.
Hardy is one of seven K-5 schools in Arlington, which means families in the district have a number of neighborhood options at the elementary level. The schools are distributed through Arlington’s distinct neighborhoods, so where a family lives will determine which elementary school their child attends, unless they pursue any school choice options the district may offer. The district brief showed no recent major changes that were flagged for parents, which may reflect a period of stability in leadership, programming, or facilities, though the absence of information is not a guarantee nothing has changed.
Arlington itself is a densely settled, historic town that developed as a streetcar suburb and has maintained a strong sense of place. Its commercial spine is Massachusetts Avenue, with Arlington Center and East Arlington offering restaurants, shops, and cultural anchors like the Regent Theatre and the Robbins Library. The Minuteman Bikeway runs through town, giving families a car-free route to Lexington, Bedford, and the Alewife T station. The housing market is expensive, consistent with a desirable inner-ring suburb. Home values are high, and rents are high relative to national averages. A family moving to Hardy’s attendance zone should expect a significant housing cost, balanced against a school with above-average academic results and a town with strong civic amenities and transit access to Boston.
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