The top reported proficiency rate is 32% in English language arts. The lowest is 20% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Holmes Elementary School
Holmes Elementary School serves students from pre-kindergarten through sixth grade in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston. As a regular public school within the Boston Public Schools system, it is part of the city’s largest school district. The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to report, and that absence is expected for an elementary and middle grades program.
Dorchester itself is Boston’s largest and most diverse neighborhood, a densely built urban area of triple-deckers, commercial squares, and residential streets. Dorchester Avenue runs north-south as the main commercial corridor, lined with immigrant-owned businesses and connecting distinct commercial districts such as Fields Corner, Uphams Corner, Codman Square, and Lower Mills. Multiple MBTA Red Line stations and the Mattapan Trolley provide transit access, and Franklin Park—the crown jewel of Boston’s Emerald Necklace—offers extensive green space. The neighborhood is home to many foreign-born residents, and a large share of households speak a language other than English at home. Holmes Elementary is situated in this dense, walkable urban fabric, though particular street-level conditions around the school are not detailed in the available data.
The school enrolls a student body that is predominantly Black and Hispanic, with small numbers of white, Asian, and multiracial students. Data on the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals, receive special education services, or are English learners were not available; families may wish to ask the school directly about these supports. The school’s size is moderate for its grade span, with enrollment distributed across grades PK through six.
On the Massachusetts Next-Generation MCAS assessments, Holmes Elementary’s results show that proficiency rates are below state averages, though the school’s overall proficiency across tested subjects places it above the midpoint relative to other districts in Suffolk County. In math, roughly one in five students met proficiency standards. In English language arts, about a third of students were proficient. In science, about one in four students were proficient. Multi-year trend data show that these rates have fluctuated over time but have shown some improvement in recent years, particularly in ELA where the share of proficient students has risen from a lower level earlier in the decade. The math proficiency rate has also edged upward from a notably low point a few years ago. A parent may want to speak with the school about what instructional supports are in place and how the school is working to raise these numbers.
Housing in the area around Holmes is expensive, typical of the Boston market. Home values are high, and rents are substantial, placing affordability pressure on many households. The neighborhood has seen ongoing residential and commercial development, particularly near transit corridors, and population growth has continued. Dorchester remains a vibrant, varied community with strong civic anchors including library branches, parks, and historic institutions.
The district brief for Boston Public Schools did not surface recent district-level policy or budget changes that directly affect this school, so no such context is available here. Parents considering Holmes Elementary should weigh its academic performance pattern against the school’s urban setting and the range of programs and supports that the school may offer. The data do not capture special programs, course access, or staffing ratios, so a parent would benefit from visiting the school and asking about enrichment offerings, class sizes, and how the school addresses the needs of its diverse student population. The school serves a critical role in its community, and its recent upward trend in achievement, while still below state benchmarks, is a point to note.
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