The top reported proficiency rate is 15% in Social studies. The lowest is 12% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Tobin K-8 School
Tobin K-8 School sits in the Roxbury neighborhood of Boston, a densely populated urban area that serves as the city’s center of Black culture. The neighborhood mixes historic brick row houses and triple-deckers with new development, and its commercial corridors at Nubian Square, Crosstown, and Grove Hall are active. Roxbury has the most park acreage of any Boston neighborhood, including Franklin Park, and the area has seen population growth and a wave of new businesses and housing initiatives. Civic institutions such as Boston Public Schools headquarters and Roxbury Community College are integrated into the neighborhood rather than isolated on separate campuses.
Tobin is a regular public school serving grades pre-kindergarten through eight. Its enrollment draws primarily from Hispanic students, who make up the largest share, followed by Black students, with smaller shares of Asian and White students. Data on the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, receive special education services, or are English learners was not provided, leaving a gap for families who consider those factors important. A parent may want to ask the school directly about these supports.
State testing results offer a clear picture of academic performance. On the Next-Generation MCAS, the share of students scoring proficient or above across math, English language arts, science, and eighth-grade social studies was consistent from one subject to the next, all landing at roughly the same modest level. The multi-year trend shows that proficiency rates in both math and ELA have remained within a relatively narrow range since 2016, with no sustained upward movement. The most recent year’s results are in line with the pattern of the past several years.
Looking at the school’s performance relative to districts in Suffolk County, Tobin places in the bottom quartile for overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades. This comparison uses the county as the reference set, and the cohort includes both traditional and charter entities. Families weighing this school against others in the area will want to consider this context carefully.
Because the school only goes through eighth grade, there is no high school graduation rate to report, and no data on chronic absenteeism or discipline were available. This is typical for a middle-grade school; a parent may still wish to ask about attendance patterns and school climate.
Housing in the immediate area is relatively affordable by Boston standards, though home values and rents have been rising. The neighborhood’s proximity to downtown, its transit connectivity via MBTA buses and the Silver Line, and ongoing development are drawing newcomers. For a family considering moving to Roxbury, the housing market is urban and dense, with a mix of ownership and rental options.
Tobin K-8 School is a neighborhood school in a vibrant, diverse part of Boston. Its academic results are low relative to county peers, and the trend data shows that this has been a persistent pattern. For a family who values a K-8 structure and wants their child to attend school close to home in a walkable urban setting, Tobin is a straightforward option to investigate further. The missing information on support services and school climate will be important to address in conversations with the school.
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