The top reported proficiency rate is 47% in Math. The lowest is 41% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Beverly Middle School
Beverly Middle School is a regular public school serving grades five through eight in the city of Beverly, Massachusetts, on the North Shore. It is the sole middle school for the district, drawing from five K‑5 elementary schools spread across the city’s neighborhoods: Ryal Side, Centerville, Cove, Hannah, and North Beverly. The school building itself was completed in recent years, part of a wave of institutional construction that also included a new academic wing at Beverly High School.
Beverly is a mixed-use city with a historically resort, residential, and manufacturing character. Its western half is relatively urbanized and walkable, while the eastern portion, including Beverly Farms and Prides Crossing, is more rural. The downtown area near Beverly Depot is served by the MBTA Commuter Rail, and a local shuttle and MBTA bus provide additional transit. Two colleges—Endicott College and Montserrat College of Art—call the city home. Major employers include Axcelis Technologies, Beverly Hospital, and Endicott College. The housing market in Beverly’s broader Essex County has been competitive, with strong demand and a limited supply of homes; home values are above the national benchmark and rental costs are substantial. For families, this means settling in Beverly typically requires a significant investment.
Academically, Beverly Middle School’s state test results place it in a particular position relative to other public schools in Essex County. On the NextGen MCAS assessments for the 2024–25 school year, the share of students scoring proficient or above was around two-fifths in English language arts and social studies, and a bit higher in math and science. When averaged across all tested subjects and grades, the school’s overall proficiency index falls below the midpoint among districts in Essex County. This is a soft spot that a parent may want to look into further with the school. Trend data shows that proficiency rates in both ELA and math were higher before the pandemic; for example, ELA reached a level in the mid‑ to upper‑fifties a few years ago and has since settled into the lower‑forties, while math has recovered from a sharper dip during the pandemic and now sits near its pre‑2020 range. The school has not returned to its earlier peak, but math has been on an upward trajectory in recent years.
The school enrolls a sizable student body for a middle school grade band. Racially and ethnically, the student population is predominantly white, with a substantial share of Hispanic students and smaller groups of Black, Asian, and multiracial students. Data on economic disadvantage, special education, and English learner status were not available in the sources reviewed, so it is not possible to describe those dimensions of the student body here.
The school is neither a charter nor a magnet, and it does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to report. Information about specific program offerings, such as advanced coursework, arts, or career pathways, was also absent from the data we examined. Families interested in the range of electives, support services, or enrichment opportunities should consult the school directly or review materials from the district’s curriculum office.
What this portrait adds up to is a mid-sized regular public middle school in a coastal city with strong civic infrastructure and a competitive housing market. Its academic performance on state tests is below the median for its county. The school serves a student population that reflects the city’s overall makeup, with a white majority and a meaningful Hispanic presence. For a family weighing Beverly Middle School, the academic numbers give a clear starting point for conversation, and the community context suggests a city with active reinvestment in its public facilities and a range of neighborhood options to match different preferences for walkability and density.
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