The top reported proficiency rate is 11% in Science. The lowest is 7% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on Mario Umana Academy
Mario Umana Academy is a regular public school in the East Boston neighborhood of Boston, serving students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. It is part of the Boston Public Schools system, the largest district in Massachusetts. As a PK through 8 school, Umana has no graduation rate to report and does not serve high school grades, so measures like four-year completion and advanced coursework are not applicable here.
State testing data from Massachusetts’ NextGen MCAS assessments paints a clear picture of academic performance. On the most recent assessments, proficiency rates across math, English language arts, science, and social studies were very low, each falling well below one in ten students scoring at the proficient level or above. Parents should be aware that these results place Umana's overall academic achievement in the bottom quarter when compared to all other districts in Suffolk County. Multi-year trends show that proficiency has declined steadily over the past several years. In math, proficiency has fallen from higher rates earlier in the decade and has now settled at a minimal level. ELA has followed a similar trajectory, with scores dropping from roughly a quarter of students proficient around 2019 to a small single-digit share in the most recent two years. This sustained downward pattern is something a family considering this school would want to discuss directly with school leadership to understand what supports are in place and what improvement plans exist.
Student enrollment at Umana is around several hundred children, making it a reasonably sized K-8 school for an urban setting. The student body is overwhelmingly Hispanic or Latino, with a much smaller number of white students, an even smaller number of Black students, and very few students from other racial or ethnic groups. Data on the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, receive special education services, or are identified as English learners was not available in the provided records. Given the neighborhood context and the demographics, a parent may want to ask the school directly about English learner programming and special education supports, as those resources are often central to a school serving this population.
The school is located on Border Street in East Boston, a dense, walkable neighborhood laid out on a grid plan. East Boston is notable for its strong immigrant communities, particularly from Colombia and El Salvador, and a mix of longtime Italian-American families alongside newer arrivals. The built environment is urban, dominated by triple-deckers and narrow residential streets, with commercial squares like Maverick Square and Central Square providing restaurants, shops, and foot traffic. Logan International Airport occupies a large portion of the neighborhood’s land, which means jet noise is a constant presence and the airport is a major employer. Transit access is excellent, with five MBTA Blue Line stations running through the neighborhood and ferry service connecting across the harbor.
Housing in the area is expensive. Home values are high relative to national averages, and monthly rents are substantial, making affordability a challenge. Estimated monthly mortgage and rent costs consume a large share of typical household income. The neighborhood has seen significant new development, particularly luxury apartments near the waterfront and transit, bringing both new residents and displacement pressures. For families seeking to live close to Umana, the housing market is tight and pricey.
Available data on school environment and access, such as discipline rates, staffing ratios, attendance, and course offerings, was not part of the provided information. A family would need to visit or contact Umana to get a fuller picture of daily life, safety, and the range of programs available, including any arts, athletics, or enrichment activities for elementary and middle schoolers.
Mario Umana Academy is a school where test scores are notably low and have been declining, situated in a vibrant, transit-rich, and rapidly changing urban neighborhood. It serves a predominantly Hispanic student body in a Boston Public Schools system that offers a variety of choice options and supports. For a parent weighing this school, the academic data is the central fact to investigate further alongside the school’s own account of its strengths, interventions, and community engagement.
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