The top reported proficiency rate is 24% in Math. The lowest is 15% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Dever Elementary School
Dever Elementary School serves pre-kindergarten through sixth grade in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston. It is a regular public school within the Boston Public Schools system. The school’s enrollment is moderate for an elementary campus serving this grade band.
Dever sits in Dorchester, Boston’s largest and most diverse neighborhood. Dorchester is a collection of residential streets and distinct commercial squares rather than a single downtown core, and the school is located on Mount Vernon Street in the Savin Hill area, a largely residential section with triple-deckers and quiet blocks. The neighborhood is well served by public transit, with multiple MBTA Red Line stations and the Mattapan Trolley connecting residents to the rest of Boston. Dorchester’s population is heavily foreign-born, and a substantial share of households speak a language other than English at home. The housing stock in the area carries a high price, with the typical home value somewhat above the national figure and rents that are also elevated relative to the national typical level, consistent with the broader Boston metro affordability picture.
The student body at Dever is diverse. A large majority of students are identified as Hispanic, and Black students make up the next largest group. White and Asian students each comprise a smaller share, and the remainder of the student population is a mix of other racial and ethnic categories. Data on the share of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch was not reported, and information on students with disabilities and English learners was also absent from the available data.
On state assessments administered through the NextGen MCAS, Dever’s results are below the midpoint among all districts in Suffolk County when measured by an overall proficiency index that averages performance across tested subjects and grades. The math proficiency rate falls notably below the county median, and the English language arts proficiency rate is lower still. The science proficiency rate, tested in fewer grades, follows a similar pattern. These are soft spots in the school’s academic picture, and a parent considering Dever may want to look into this further with the school, particularly around how instruction is delivered in reading and mathematics and what supports are available for students who are not yet meeting proficiency benchmarks. The multi-year trend data in ELA shows a pattern of proficiency rates that have fluctuated but generally declined from earlier years; the most recent data points are substantially lower than the rates reported several years prior. In math, the proficiency rate has also fallen from earlier levels, though the most recent year’s figure is an improvement over the immediate prior year.
The school does not serve high school grades, so no graduation rate is reported. Because Dever is an elementary and middle school, measures like AP course access and graduation metrics do not apply. Data on chronic absenteeism and discipline were not available in the provided information, so those dimensions of school climate cannot be assessed from this profile.
Dever Elementary is a neighborhood public school serving a diverse student body in a dense, transit-accessible part of Boston. Its academic results on state tests are lower than many peers in the county, particularly in English language arts. For families weighing this school, the key questions are likely to center on the academic support and instructional strategies in place, and how the school’s programming aligns with their child’s needs.
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