The top reported proficiency rate is 80% in Math. The lowest is 68% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Daniel Butler
Daniel Butler is one of four elementary schools serving the Belmont Public Schools in suburban Boston. The school covers kindergarten through fourth grade, making it an entry point for many families into the district. Its student body, from the most recently available enrollment data, is sized as a mid-sized elementary school for this grade band.
The composition of the student population is one of the most distinctive features of the school. A large share of students are white, a substantial share are Asian, and smaller shares identify as Hispanic or with two or more races. Very small numbers of Black students and American Indian Alaska Native students are also enrolled, along with no Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander students. Data on the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals, receive special education services, or are classified as English learners was not available in the record provided, so a parent should seek this information directly from the school or district if it matters for their decision.
On state testing for the most recent year reported, Daniel Butler’s results in mathematics placed the school in the top quartile among all elementary and middle schools in Middlesex County, a strong showing in a county with many high-performing districts. The English language arts proficiency rate was lower than the math rate, though still at a level many families would consider solid. A look at available test results over time shows that English language arts proficiency has fluctuated year to year, with a recent dip followed by a modest recovery in the most recent tested year. Math proficiency has been more stable, with a small uptick in the latest results. Because the school serves only kindergarten through fourth grade, there is no graduation rate, nor are there high school program offerings like Advanced Placement, career pathways, or dual credit to consider.
The school sits in Belmont, a compact, primarily residential suburb of Boston that has long been known as “The Town of Homes.” The town has three small commercial centers—Belmont Center at the heart of town, Cushing Square to the south, and Waverley Square to the west—but the vast majority of the land is residential. Housing in the immediate zip code surrounding the school is priced well above both the state and national benchmarks in the available data, reflecting the high demand for homes in this Boston-proximate community. Rent is also high relative to the national picture, meaning that for families who do not already own, the cost of entry is considerable. The county-level housing market data shows a modest number of homes for sale, a short median time on market, and a very high ratio of pending listings to available supply, indicating a competitive market that moves quickly.
The district brief returned little information about recent major changes, organizational shifts, or program overhauls at the district level, so that aspect is left out here rather than guessed.
For a parent or resident trying to picture the peer environment and academic pathway, Daniel Butler is a high-performing elementary school in an expensive, desirable Boston suburb. The academic profile is strong in math and solid in English, with some year-to-year variability in reading that a family might want to ask about. The student body is predominantly white and Asian, with limited racial and economic diversity. The town itself is walkable in parts, has two commuter rail stations, and is well connected to Boston for work or school. The high cost of housing means that this school serves a largely affluent attendance zone, and the district as a whole feeds into a well-regarded public middle and high school system. Families considering the school should weigh whether the demographic profile and academic results align with their priorities, and they should follow up on the missing student support data if those details matter.
See more original research from School Decision →