The top reported proficiency rate is 43% in English language arts. The lowest is 32% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Harvard-kent Elementary School
Harvard-Kent Elementary School is a regular public school in the Boston Public Schools district, serving students from pre-kindergarten through sixth grade. It sits in the Charlestown neighborhood, a compact, walkable peninsula north of downtown Boston with a mix of colonial-era row houses, public housing, and newer condominiums. The neighborhood has gentrified substantially since the late 1980s, drawing young professionals and upper-middle-class residents alongside its historically Irish-American working-class population and a growing number of immigrant communities. Commercial life centers on Main Street and City Square, and the Freedom Trail runs through the neighborhood, ending at the Bunker Hill Monument. Two MBTA Orange Line stations serve the area.
The school itself is a regular public school within the Boston Public Schools district. It enrolls a student body that is diverse, with the largest group being white students, followed by Hispanic students, and then roughly equal shares of Black and Asian students. A smaller share of students identify as two or more races. Data on the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, receive special education services, or are English learners was not available, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about these supports.
On the most recent state assessments, the NextGen MCAS, Harvard-Kent’s overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades placed it in the top quartile among schools in Suffolk County. That is a strong position relative to its peers. In English language arts, just under half of students scored proficient or above. In math, the share was similar. In science, about a third of students reached proficiency. Participation rates on the tests were very high, which means the results reflect nearly the entire student body.
Looking at trends over time, the school’s math proficiency rate has moved within a range over the past several years, with a high point in the most recent pre-pandemic year and again a few years after, before settling back to a level similar to where it was in the early post-pandemic period. The English language arts rate has also moved within a range, with a pre-pandemic high and a recent return to that same level. The data does not show a single clear upward or downward trajectory, but rather a pattern of fluctuation.
The school serves pre-kindergarten through sixth grade, so there is no graduation rate to report. That is simply a function of the grade band. The school is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet, and its Title I status was not reported.
Housing in the area is expensive. The typical home value in the Charlestown zip code is well above the state median, and rents are also high. The estimated monthly mortgage payment is substantially higher than the typical rent, and both housing costs consume a large share of the typical household income. This is a high-cost market, consistent with a neighborhood that has seen significant gentrification and is close to downtown Boston.
The school’s student body is racially and ethnically diverse. White students make up the largest group, followed by Hispanic students, and then roughly equal shares of Black and Asian students. A smaller share of students identify as two or more races. Data on the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, receive special education services, or are English learners was not available, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about these supports.
Harvard-Kent is a neighborhood school in a dense, walkable part of Boston. Its academic performance, relative to other schools in Suffolk County, sits in a strong position, with proficiency rates that are above the midpoint for the county. The school serves a diverse student body in a neighborhood that has seen substantial change and rising housing costs. A parent considering this school will want to understand the specific supports available for students who need them, since that data was not reported here.
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