The top reported proficiency rate is 46% in English language arts. The lowest is 34% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on W.e.b. Du Bois Regional Middle School
W.E.B. Du Bois Regional Middle School serves students in fifth through eighth grade as part of the Berkshire Hills Regional School District. It is a regular public school located on a separate campus in Great Barrington, a town that functions as the commercial and cultural hub of southern Berkshire County. The school is named after the Great Barrington-born scholar and activist, a fact that lends the school a particular identity within the community.
The student body of roughly several hundred is predominantly white, with a notable Hispanic presence and smaller shares of Black, Asian, and multiracial students. Data on free or reduced-price meal eligibility, special education, and English learner status was not available, so a fuller picture of economic and learning support needs is incomplete. The school’s relatively modest size for a four-grade middle school creates a context in which students likely know one another across grades and teachers can develop familiarity with individual learners.
On the most recent state assessments—the Next-Generation MCAS—the school’s proficiency rates were mixed. In English language arts, just under half of students scored proficient or above, a result that has hovered in a similar range over the past several years. Math proficiency was lower, around a third of students, and science and social studies proficiency were each below two-fifths. When compared with other districts in Berkshire County, the school’s overall proficiency index sits above the midpoint, indicating that its performance is better than average among its county peers but not at the top of the range. The multi-year trend in both math and ELA shows some fluctuation, with math dropping sharply during the pandemic year before partly recovering, while ELA has been steadier. A parent interested in the school’s academic supports, particularly in math, would want to discuss with the school how it addresses this area.
As a middle school, there is no graduation rate to report. No data on chronic absenteeism or discipline were available, so patterns around attendance and behavioral climate are not assessable from the evidence at hand.
Great Barrington is a town with a mixed character: a walkable downtown core along its Main Street, a summer and winter resort economy anchored by a performing arts center and a ski area, and the broader community stretching into rural roads and forested areas. The school’s campus is separate from the downtown, as are the district’s elementary and high school campuses, meaning families are likely to be driving children to and from school. Home values in the area are elevated relative to national norms, reflective of the Berkshires’ desirability as a second-home and tourism destination, and the housing market shows a moderate pace with some seasonal variation.
Within the district, voters approved a Proposition 2½ override in 2022 to maintain staffing and programs, a decision that continues to affect local property taxes. Separately, Monument Mountain Regional High School—the school to which Du Bois students typically feed—has been invited into the Massachusetts School Building Authority’s eligibility process for a potential new building or major renovation. This project, if it proceeds, would eventually require a debt exclusion vote in the member towns and would represent a long-term capital investment for families in the district.
For a family considering the school, the picture is one of a moderately sized middle school in a scenic, amenity-rich town, with academic results that are average to slightly above average within the county. The lack of data on economic disadvantage and special education means that a parent should ask the school directly about the supports available for students who need extra help, especially in math. The upcoming high school building project and the ongoing tax implications of the budget override are factors that affect the broader financial and facility landscape for families who plan to stay in the district through high school.
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