The top reported proficiency rate is 24% in Math. The lowest is 7% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Lee Academy
Lee Academy is a regular public school in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston, serving students from pre-kindergarten through third grade. Because it is an early-elementary school, it does not have a graduation rate, and the state testing data that is available covers only the third-grade cohort, the oldest students in the building. The school is part of the Boston Public Schools district.
The student body is diverse. The largest groups are Black students and Hispanic students, together making up the great majority of enrollment. White students, Asian students, and students who identify as two or more races each account for a small share. The school serves a relatively small enrollment for its grade band, with the largest group in pre-kindergarten and smaller cohorts in each subsequent grade through third grade. 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 in the source data, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about these supports.
State testing results are available for the third-grade cohort, the only tested grade in the building. In math, about a quarter of students scored at the proficient level or above on the NextGen MCAS. In English language arts, the share was lower, with a small fraction of students reaching proficiency. These results place the school in the bottom quartile for overall proficiency among schools in Suffolk County, based on the available data. The school's participation rate on the tests was high, meaning nearly all enrolled third graders took the assessments. Looking at multi-year trends, math proficiency has fluctuated in a range around the current level over the past several years, while English language arts proficiency has trended downward from a higher point earlier in the decade. A parent may want to discuss these patterns with the school to understand what academic supports are in place.
Because Lee Academy serves only pre-kindergarten through third grade, the academic picture is necessarily partial. There is no data on middle or high school outcomes, and the school does not offer the kinds of programs—AP courses, career pathways, or dual enrollment—that are relevant only at the secondary level. The school's mission is focused on the early elementary years, and the available test results reflect only a single grade.
Dorchester is Boston's largest and most diverse neighborhood, a dense urban setting of triple-deckers, storefronts, and commercial squares connected by Dorchester Avenue. The neighborhood is served by multiple MBTA Red Line stations and the Mattapan Trolley, making it transit-accessible. It is a constellation of distinct sub-neighborhoods—Fields Corner, Uphams Corner, Codman Square, Ashmont, Lower Mills—each with its own commercial district and civic life. The area has seen ongoing residential and commercial development, particularly around transit corridors, and continues to absorb new immigrants, contributing to demand for housing and services. Housing values in the area are high, and rents are also elevated, reflecting the broader Boston market.
The school is part of the Boston Public Schools district. No recent district-level policy or budget changes of lasting impact were found in publicly available sources, so this narrative does not address them.
For a family considering Lee Academy, the picture is one of an early-elementary school in a dense, diverse urban neighborhood, serving students through third grade. The academic results on state assessments are low relative to other schools in the county, and the downward trend in English language arts is a point a parent would want to explore with the school. The school's small size and early grade focus mean that families will need to plan for a transition to another school after third grade. The neighborhood itself offers strong transit access, a range of commercial districts, and a mix of long-established and newer immigrant communities.
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