The top reported proficiency rate is 81% in Science. The lowest is 53% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Donald Ross
Donald Ross is a public elementary school in Braintree, Massachusetts, serving kindergarten through fourth grade. It is one of six elementary schools in the Braintree district, a mature inner-ring suburb of Boston with a strong residential character, a significant commercial base anchored by South Shore Plaza, and major transportation corridors that bring heavy traffic. Braintree describes itself as a community positioned for controlled growth, with established neighborhoods and some newer housing. The school sits at 20 Hayward Street, within a town that offers notable civic amenities including the Blue Hills Reservation, rail and subway connections to Boston, and a mix of public and private school options.
The school enrolls a moderate number of students for its grade band. The student body is racially and ethnically diverse: white students make up the largest share, followed by Asian students, Black students, Hispanic students, and small numbers of multiracial and Native American students. Data on free or reduced-price meal eligibility, special education identification, and English learner status were not available in this profile, creating gaps for families who evaluate schools on those dimensions. A parent may want to inquire directly with the school about these support programs.
Donald Ross is a regular public school; it is not a charter, magnet, or Title I school by the available data. The school participates in the state's NextGen MCAS assessment, which tests students in grades three and four in English language arts and mathematics. In the most recent testing year, the school’s combined proficiency rate across these subjects placed it above the midpoint when compared with other school districts in Norfolk County. That is a solid position. In ELA, roughly half of tested students scored proficient or above; in math, a similar share did. Looking back over available years, performance in both subjects dropped during the pandemic period and has since been recovering, with math in particular climbing back from a low point to near pre-pandemic levels. Science results are only available from an earlier year and should be treated as outdated; families interested in science instruction should ask the school for current information.
The school operates within a district that recently made two significant changes. Beginning in the 2024-2025 school year, Braintree closed its separate kindergarten center and integrated kindergarten into all six elementary schools. Donald Ross now houses its own kindergarten classes as a result, and some elementary boundaries were adjusted to balance enrollment. Separately, the district introduced a new elementary world language program across all K-5 schools, expanding early language instruction. Both changes are lasting and directly affect the academic experience at Donald Ross.
Because the school serves only kindergarten through fourth grade, there are no high school outcomes such as graduation rates or advanced coursework to report. The school’s academic picture is confined to early elementary literacy and numeracy. For families considering a move into the area, Braintree’s housing market reflects its proximity to Boston: home values and rents are high relative to national benchmarks, consistent with the region’s expensive market. The county market shows a modest number of active listings and a median listing price that has softened slightly from a year ago, but demand remains present.
In sum, Donald Ross is a mid-sized elementary school in a well-established suburban town with good regional access. Its academic performance sits comfortably within the middle to upper range of Norfolk County districts. The recent addition of kindergarten and a world language program are new features families will want to understand in context. Gaps remain in reported data on student support services, which a prospective parent may wish to explore further.
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