The top reported proficiency rate is 25% in Math. The lowest is 12% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on O'donnell Elementary School
O’Donnell Elementary School sits in East Boston, a dense urban neighborhood shaped by Logan International Airport, a lively grid of triple-decker homes, and commercial squares like Maverick and Central. It is a regular public school within the Boston Public Schools system, serving students from pre-kindergarten through sixth grade.
The enrollment is modest for an elementary school of this grade span. The student body is predominantly Hispanic, a reflection of the neighborhood’s large Hispanic and Latino population, with small shares of white, Asian, Black, and multiracial students. Data on free or reduced-price lunch eligibility, special education, and English learner status were not available, leaving an incomplete picture of the economic and academic-support needs in the building. A parent may want to ask the school directly about these figures and the services in place.
On the state’s NextGen MCAS assessments, O’Donnell’s results are well below state averages. Proficiency rates in math, English language arts, and science all fall in the range that educators would consider low. The multi-year trend shows a long decline in ELA proficiency between 2017 and 2024, with a modest uptick in the most recent year. Math has fluctuated more, with a recovery in recent years after a dip in 2020–21. Among the districts in Suffolk County, the school’s overall proficiency index sits below the midpoint. Since O’Donnell does not serve high school grades, there is no graduation rate to report.
The school’s strengths lie in its neighborhood roots and its role as a community anchor. East Boston is a walkable, transit-connected area with five MBTA Blue Line stations, ferry service, and a network of parks including the Mary Ellen Welch Greenway and Piers Park. The housing market is expensive, with home values above national medians and rents that consume a large share of a typical household’s income. New development, especially luxury apartments near transit and the waterfront, has brought change alongside gentrification pressures. For families living nearby, O’Donnell is a local school in a familiar setting.
No recent district-level changes from Boston Public Schools were found in publicly available material, so the broader context of policies, budgets, or program expansions remains unclear.
Who this school fits. O’Donnell serves families who want a neighborhood elementary school within a diverse, urban community. The peer environment is one where most students share a Hispanic cultural background, and the setting is distinctly urban and walkable. The academic numbers are a real concern, and any family considering the school should ask what interventions and supports the school offers—particularly in literacy and math—and what the school’s own improvement plans look like. For those who prioritize proximity, familiarity, and a built environment rich in transit and parks over high test scores, O’Donnell may still be a practical choice. But the achievement data signals that parents will want to be actively involved and informed.
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