The top reported proficiency rate is 55% in Science. The lowest is 50% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Philbrick Elementary School
Philbrick Elementary School is a regular public school in Roslindale, a residential neighborhood of Boston, serving students from pre-kindergarten through sixth grade. It is part of Boston Public Schools, the citywide district. The school is small, with enrollment that reflects a clearly diverse student body: the largest groups are Hispanic and Black students, with smaller shares of White students, students of two or more races, Asian students, and a small number of American Indian or Alaska Native students. Data on students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals, students with disabilities, and English learners was not available in the source materials, so a family looking into support services would want to ask the school directly about those populations.
Roslindale itself is a primarily residential part of Boston with a mix of housing types, from single-family homes to triple-deckers and apartment buildings. The commercial heart is Roslindale Square, a walkable village center with local shops, restaurants, and a farmers' market in Adams Park. The neighborhood is diverse and offers significant green space, including the Arnold Arboretum. Housing costs are high, consistent with the broader Boston metro area, and many households commute to downtown via the MBTA Commuter Rail or bus lines. The area has seen new apartment construction around the square and a revitalized commercial district after a period of decline.
Academically, Philbrick's state test results from the NextGen MCAS show that more than half of students scored at proficient or above in math, and about half did so in English language arts. Science results, based on a small group of test-takers, were in a similar range. These figures represent a notable upward trend over the past several years. In earlier years, proficiency in math and ELA was lower, with math in particular showing steady gains from a weaker starting point. The school's overall proficiency across tested subjects places it in the top quarter among all districts in Suffolk County, which is a strong showing for a school of this size. Because Philbrick does not serve high school grades, there is no graduation rate to report.
The school environment is shaped by its urban setting and small size. No data on chronic absenteeism, discipline, or staffing was available in the source materials. The school is not a charter or magnet, and its Title I status was not reported. A parent seeking details on class sizes, special education services, or enrichment opportunities would need to follow up with the school itself.
For families considering Philbrick, the picture is one of a small, diverse neighborhood school that has been producing solid academic results on state assessments, particularly in recent years, and that compares favorably with other schools in Suffolk County. The neighborhood offers walkable amenities and transit access to downtown Boston, but at a high cost of housing. The school's grade band means students will need to transition to a separate middle school after sixth grade, likely elsewhere in the Boston system. Families who value a tightly knit school community within a diverse urban setting, and who are comfortable with the kind of follow-up needed on missing support data, may find this a good fit. Those focused on a wide array of specialized programs or extracurriculars typical of larger schools should note that this is a smaller elementary school without such breadth on the data provided.
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