The top reported proficiency rate is 26% in English language arts. The lowest is 8% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on Roosevelt K-8 School
Roosevelt K-8 School serves students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Boston. It is a regular public school within the Boston Public Schools district, and it is not a charter or magnet school. The school enrolls a modest number of students for a K-8 building, and the student body is racially diverse, with Black and Hispanic students together making up a large majority of the population, alongside smaller shares of white students and students who identify as two or more races, and a very small number of Asian students and American Indian or Alaska Native students. Information on the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, receive special education services, or are English learners was not available in the data provided, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about the level of support for those populations.
State testing results from the Next-Generation MCAS paint a clear picture of academic performance that families will want to weigh carefully. In English language arts, about a quarter of students in grades three through eight scored at the proficient level or above. Math proficiency was lower, with roughly one in six students reaching that benchmark. Science proficiency was lower still, and the rate for eighth-grade social studies was the lowest among the tested subjects. Looking at trends over time, the school’s ELA proficiency rate was higher earlier in the available data, then declined and has since been somewhat stable at a lower level. Math proficiency also started at a higher level, dropped sharply, and has partially recovered but remains below those earlier figures. When compared with other schools in Suffolk County, Roosevelt’s overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades falls in the bottom quarter of the comparison group. This is a soft spot in the school’s profile, and a parent considering Roosevelt will want to understand how the school addresses these academic challenges.
Because Roosevelt serves only up to eighth grade, there is no high school graduation rate to report. The school offers no specialized programs or pathways such as Advanced Placement, career and technical education, or dual enrollment, as those are features of high schools. The data provided did not include information on chronic absenteeism, discipline, staffing ratios, or class sizes, which are factors that can affect the daily experience of students and families.
Hyde Park, where the school is located, is Boston’s southernmost neighborhood, described in publicly reported sources as a “small town in the city.” It is a predominantly residential area with a mix of historic buildings and mid-century single-family homes, and it has commercial districts at Cleary and Logan Squares where small shops and restaurants are clustered. The Neponset River runs through the center of the neighborhood, and the area includes walking trails at the Stony Brook Reservation and the river, as well as a public golf course. The neighborhood is racially diverse, with sizable Black, Hispanic, and white populations and no single group forming a plurality. It is also noted in publicly reported sources as one of Boston’s more affordable neighborhoods with one of the highest homeownership rates in the city. The housing market in the neighborhood is relatively expensive by national standards, and rents are high. A significant share of residents have lived in the same housing unit for an extended period, which speaks to a stable community. Development activity includes planning initiatives focused on corridor revitalization and new affordable housing. Commuter rail stations at Hyde Park and Readville provide access to downtown Boston for those who commute.
The district brief for Boston Public Schools did not turn up any recent major district-level policy or budget changes that would be of lasting relevance to a family at this school. The available data on Roosevelt K-8 School does not indicate a strong academic record on state assessments, and families for whom test proficiency is a top priority may find this school a difficult fit. For a family who values a neighborhood school in a stable, diverse, and relatively affordable part of Boston, with a full pre-K through eighth grade span that avoids a middle school transition, Roosevelt may be worth a closer look, paired with direct inquiries about student support and the school’s approach to instruction.
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