The top reported proficiency rate is 52% in Math. The lowest is 44% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Cove Elementary
Cove Elementary serves kindergarten through grade four in the city of Beverly, Massachusetts, a mixed-use North Shore city with a downtown anchored by an MBTA commuter rail station, a restored performing arts theater, and several beaches. The school is a regular public elementary school, one of five K-5 buildings in the Beverly district, and sits in a city that has recently invested in new middle school and high school facilities and has pursued climate and sustainability initiatives through fleet electrification and a green schools program.
The school enrolls a moderate-sized student body for its grade band. The student population is predominantly white, with a substantial Hispanic presence and smaller shares of students who are Black, Asian, or of two or more races. Data on the share of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, on students with disabilities, and on English learners was not available in the records reviewed; a parent may want to ask the school directly about the support structures for these groups.
On state assessments, Cove Elementary shows a mixed picture. In math, about half of students scored proficient or above on the NextGen MCAS, a rate that places the school above the midpoint among districts in Essex County when considering overall proficiency across subjects and grades. In English language arts, the share of students reaching proficiency was notably lower, at a level that a family may wish to investigate further with the school. The most recent science results available are from several years ago, when the school used the older Legacy MCAS, and showed roughly half of students proficient; because this is older data and the test has since changed, it offers limited current insight.
Looking at multi-year trends, the school’s proficiency rates in both math and ELA have moved within a range and have not followed a consistent upward or downward arc. In both subjects, the peak years within the available data were reached several years ago, and recent results have been lower than those highs. ELA proficiency has been below its earlier levels for several consecutive years. The 2024-25 numbers show a slight uptick in math compared to the year prior, while ELA held roughly steady from the preceding year. These are single-year snapshots and do not yet indicate a trend.
Because Cove Elementary serves only through grade four, there is no graduation rate to report; that metric applies to high schools. The comparison set used places the school’s overall proficiency performance relative to other districts in Essex County, where it sits above the midpoint. This comparison is drawn at the school level and reflects the specific subjects and grades tested.
The housing market in the area shows elevated home values relative to national benchmarks, with a median listing price in the county that has edged down year-over-year. Rents are also high. The city’s economic context includes a mix of major employers in semiconductor equipment, healthcare, higher education, and the nonprofit sector. For a family considering Cove Elementary, the school offers a neighborhood elementary experience within a district that has recently upgraded its upper-grade facilities. The proficiency data suggests a school where math performance is a relative strength compared to its county peers, while ELA results are softer and may warrant conversation with the school about instructional supports.
See more original research from School Decision →