The top reported proficiency rate is 48% in Math. The lowest is 45% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Joseph F Dipietro Elementary School
Joseph F DiPietro Elementary School serves kindergarten through third grade in Bellingham, a town on the southwestern fringe of Metropolitan Boston. The school is one of two elementary schools in the Bellingham district. Families should know that this is a building for young children only; students move on to Bellingham Memorial Middle School after third grade.
Bellingham itself has undergone a notable transformation. Aggressive development that began decades ago turned what was a rural town into a suburban community with major distribution centers and substantial retail along the Interstate corridor. The northern part of town is more commercial and industrial, while the southern part is mostly suburban residential. The town is car-dependent with limited walkability and no direct public transit within its borders; the nearest commuter rail station is outside town. This growth has kept residential tax rates modest but means the community is spread out.
The student body at DiPietro is predominantly white, with a Hispanic population and smaller shares of Asian, Black, and multiracial students. The school is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet. Data on the share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch was not available, and information on students with disabilities and English learners was also missing.
On the most recent state assessments, the NextGen MCAS given to third graders, DiPietro’s results sit below the midpoint for districts in Norfolk County. In math, roughly half of students scored proficient or above. In English language arts, the proficient rate was slightly lower. Participation in testing was complete. Looking over several prior years, math proficiency has moved around a fair amount, and the current result is near the higher end of the school’s recent range. English language arts results have shown more variation, with an unusually low year in the recent past followed by a bounce back. A parent may want to follow up with the school to understand the instructional approach and how they track early literacy and numeracy growth across these primary grades.
Because DiPietro serves only kindergarten through third grade, there is no graduation rate to report. The school does not offer high school level programs or pathways such as AP or career and technical education, as those are not relevant to its grade band.
Housing in Bellingham’s ZIP code is expensive relative to national norms, with home values and rents that reflect the Boston area’s broader market. The county housing market shows active and pending listings, with a median listing price well above the national benchmark. For a family considering the area, the cost of housing is a significant factor.
No recent parent-relevant changes at the district level were identified in publicly available information, so there is no news about boundary shifts, program overhauls, or leadership transitions to report.
For a family with a child entering kindergarten through third grade, DiPietro is a neighborhood elementary school in a suburban town that has grown rapidly. The academic picture, based on state testing, shows room for a conversation with the school about student progress, particularly in reading. The school’s size and grade span mean it is a relatively contained environment, and the absence of data on free lunch eligibility and special populations leaves some open questions about the full demographic picture and support services available.
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