The top reported proficiency rate is 55% in Science. The lowest is 36% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on A F Maloney
A F Maloney is a regular public school in Blackstone, Massachusetts, serving only fourth and fifth graders as part of the Blackstone-Millville Regional School District. With an enrollment that is small for its two-grade span, the school draws from a predominantly white student body, alongside a notable share of Hispanic students and small numbers of Black, Asian, and multiracial students. Data on the share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, as well as counts of students with individualized education programs or English learner status, were not available in the record.
Blackstone itself is a primarily residential, rural town in southern Worcester County, bordering Rhode Island. Once a mill town along the Blackstone River, it has preserved much of its rustic, quiet character, with stone walls and open land. The town has seen slow, steady population growth in recent decades but remains low-density and auto-dependent. Schools are spread across separate campuses rather than clustered downtown: A F Maloney is one of two elementary schools, with the district’s middle and high schools located elsewhere. The regional district also serves the neighboring town of Millville. No major employer anchors the local economy, and the town government and school district are among the larger employers. Housing values are moderate relative to much of Massachusetts, with a homeownership rate that reflects a traditional single-family-home stock.
Academically, A F Maloney participates in the state’s NextGen MCAS assessments. Among all tested subjects in the 2023-24 school year, overall proficiency, when averaged across subjects, sits above the midpoint among the districts of Worcester County. That is a solid relative position. Looking at individual subjects, the share of students meeting or exceeding proficiency in science was higher than in math or English language arts. In math the proficiency rate was lower, while in English language arts it was the lowest of the three subjects. The English language arts result represents a noticeable decline from the prior several years, when the school had consistently recorded a higher share of students reaching proficiency. The school’s multi-year data show that math proficiency has also varied from year to year, making it hard to identify a clear trend. A parent considering A F Maloney may wish to discuss the recent dip in English language arts performance with the school, and ask about any targeted supports or curriculum adjustments in that area.
Because A F Maloney serves only grades 4 and 5, there is no high school graduation rate and no data on advanced coursework or college readiness. The school is an intermediate step in the district’s K-12 pathway, and families living in Blackstone go on to the regional middle and high schools. The record does not include information on chronic absenteeism, discipline rates, staffing ratios, or course access. Those gaps may be relevant for a parent seeking a fuller picture of the school environment and student support systems.
In sum, A F Maloney is a small, grade-restricted elementary school set in a quiet rural town that has retained its historical character. Its academic standing is broadly in line with or slightly above typical performance for the region, though recent English language arts scores have dropped from earlier levels. The school’s demographic profile reflects the surrounding community, and the absence of key student-support data means that families likely need to reach out directly to the district for a complete view of its resources and interventions.
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