The top reported proficiency rate is 14% in Math. The lowest is 7% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Taylor Elementary School
Taylor Elementary School is a regular public school in the Mattapan neighborhood of Boston, serving students from pre-kindergarten through sixth grade. It is part of the Boston Public Schools system. The school’s enrollment is relatively small for its grade span, and the student body is predominantly Black, with a substantial Hispanic presence and very small shares of white, Asian, and multiracial students. Information on economic disadvantage, special education, and English learner status was not available in the data reviewed, so a parent would need to ask the school directly about those supports.
On state assessments, Taylor’s results are well below statewide averages. In the most recent testing year, proficiency rates in both math and English language arts were in the low teens, and science proficiency was notably lower. These figures place the school in the bottom quarter among districts in Suffolk County when measured by a combined proficiency index. Looking back over the past several years, performance has declined: ELA proficiency rates, for example, dropped from above 30 percent in 2017 to the current level, and math rates followed a similar downward trajectory, with a sharp dip during the pandemic and only a partial recovery since. A parent considering Taylor should expect that the typical student is not meeting grade-level benchmarks, and it is worth asking the school what academic interventions or curricula are in place to address this.
Mattapan itself is a dense residential neighborhood with a mix of single-family homes, triple-deckers, small apartment buildings, and public housing. Its commercial life centers on Blue Hill Avenue and Mattapan Square, where immigrant-owned businesses, banks, health centers, and restaurants line the streets. The neighborhood has a large African American and Caribbean immigrant population, including the largest Haitian community in Massachusetts. The MBTA’s Mattapan trolley line and the Fairmount Commuter Rail provide transit connections to downtown Boston. The community is anchored by the Mattapan Branch of the Boston Public Library, the Boston Nature Center, and Harambee Park.
Housing costs in the area are high, reflecting broader Boston-area pressures. Home values are above the national median but slightly below the Massachusetts benchmark, and typical rents are steep, consuming a large portion of median income. The neighborhood has seen planning efforts through PLAN: Mattapan, adopted after a multi-year community process, which aims to guide transit-oriented development, including new zoning for accessory dwelling units and infill housing on vacant lots. A mixed-use project at the Mattapan station parking lot has been discussed. This suggests a neighborhood that is growing and changing, with new housing possible but also ongoing affordability challenges.
The district brief for Boston Public Schools turned up no recent policy or budget changes that directly affect Taylor. That does not mean nothing is happening; it simply means the search did not find publicly reported shifts. A parent may want to check with the school or district for any updates on programming, staffing, or building conditions.
Taylor Elementary does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to consider. The school participates fully in state testing, with high participation rates, so the results reflect nearly all enrolled students. But in terms of student support data such as chronic absenteeism, discipline rates, staffing ratios, or course access, the available record is thin. Families looking for a detailed sense of day-to-day climate or enrichment offerings will need to visit, talk to staff, and observe. The academic picture is clear: tested outcomes are low and trending down, and the school serves a diverse, urban student population in a neighborhood with active redevelopment planning and high housing costs.
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