The top reported proficiency rate is 55% in Science. The lowest is 48% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Hale Elementary School
Hale Elementary School sits in the Roxbury neighborhood of Boston, serving students from pre-kindergarten through sixth grade. It is a regular public school within the Boston Public Schools district. The school’s small enrollment creates an intimate setting for its students, with classes that are of a typical size for elementary grades. The student body reflects the diversity of the surrounding community, with a substantial share of Black students, a sizable Hispanic population, more modest numbers of White and Asian students, and a smaller group of students who 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 support needs.
On the most recent state assessments, Hale Elementary’s students scored at a level that positions the school’s overall proficiency across tested subjects in the top quartile among the districts in Suffolk County. In both English language arts and math, roughly half of students met or exceeded expectations, and in science, a modest majority did. Participation rates were high, meaning the results reflect nearly all enrolled students. Looking back over recent years, the school’s ELA proficiency has moved within a range, with a notable upward point in 2019 followed by a lower plateau in the early 2020s. Math proficiency has followed a similar pattern, with a dip in 2021 and a partial recovery in the years since. The most recent year shows a slight pullback in both subjects, which a parent may want to discuss with the school’s leadership to understand the context.
The school does not serve high school grades, so it has no graduation rate to report. Because it is a regular elementary school within a large urban district, broader measures such as chronic absenteeism and college readiness are not applicable at this level.
Roxbury is a densely populated urban neighborhood and a historic center of Black culture in Boston, now home to a mix of African American, Hispanic, and Asian families as well as young professionals. Its main commercial districts are Nubian Square, Crosstown, and Grove Hall. The housing stock is predominantly historic brick row houses and the traditional Boston triple-decker. Home values in the area are roughly in line with state-level figures and well above the national benchmark, while rents are similarly high. The neighborhood is well served by public transit, with Nubian Square acting as a major hub for MBTA buses and the Silver Line, and a significant portion of residents walk or take transit to work. Civic institutions are integrated into the neighborhood’s commercial core: the Boston Public Schools headquarters is in the historic Ferdinand building in Nubian Square, and Roxbury Community College and the John D. O’Bryant School of Mathematics and Science are nearby. The neighborhood has the most park acreage of any Boston neighborhood, anchored by Franklin Park, the largest park in the city and part of the Emerald Necklace. Roxbury has experienced population growth and new development in recent years, with commercial corridors like Blue Hill Avenue revitalizing into business districts and major projects such as the BPS headquarters conversion and a new police station. Relatively affordable property values relative to other parts of Boston, combined with proximity to downtown, continue to attract newcomers.
The Boston Public Schools district itself did not have any prominent recent district-level policy or budget changes surfaced in available reporting, so the neighborhood context and school-level data provide the primary picture for a family considering Hale Elementary. For families looking for a small elementary school in an urban, diverse neighborhood with strong transit connections and a community in the midst of renewal, Hale Elementary is one option to explore. The school’s proficiency levels, while positioned favorably relative to other districts in the county, sit in a moderate range in absolute terms, which is a point for further conversation with the school.
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