The top reported proficiency rate is 16% in Math. The lowest is 8% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Gilmore Elementary School
Gilmore Elementary School is a regular public school serving preschool through fifth grade in Brockton, a mid-sized urban city with a dense residential and commercial fabric. The school sits within the Brockton Public Schools district, which serves a diverse student population across the city. Enrollment at Gilmore is moderate for an elementary school, and the grade span is a standard early-elementary through upper-elementary configuration.
Academic performance on the Massachusetts NextGen MCAS assessments is an area where families will want to focus their questions. The school’s overall proficiency rates across the tested subjects of math, English language arts, and science are low, and the pattern holds steady when looking back over several years. In math, the proportion of students meeting the state’s proficiency benchmark has ranged in previous years from a low point to a moderate level, but the most recent results place it at a level that is well below the average for elementary schools in the state. In ELA, the picture is similar, with proficiency hovering at a narrow band that has not shown upward movement over time. Science, tested at grade five, has a very small share of students reaching proficiency. When compared with other school districts in Plymouth County, Gilmore’s overall proficiency index sits in the bottom quartile of the 38 districts in the comparison set. The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to report, and data on chronic absenteeism was not available.
The student body at Gilmore reflects Brockton’s demographic character. The majority of students are Black, and a substantial share are Hispanic, with smaller numbers of white students and those identifying as two or more races. The school is one part of a district that serves a city with one of the largest Cape Verdean American communities in the United States and where the population became majority-Black early in the 2020s. Data on the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals, who receive special education services, or who are English learners was not reported in the available records, so families should ask the school directly about those supports.
Brockton itself is a city with a traditional New England downtown, a network of commuter rail stations connecting to Boston, and a mixed economy anchored by healthcare, education, and the headquarters of a major office supplies retailer. Housing values in the city’s ZIP code area are moderate relative to the Boston region, with the typical home priced near half a million dollars. The local housing market shows active listings and rising pending sales, suggesting a fairly competitive environment for buyers. The broader economy is stable, with a national unemployment rate that is low by historical standards and mortgage rates that remain elevated compared to a few years ago.
On the district level, families should be aware that the Brockton Public Schools have been classified by the state as requiring assistance or intervention due to a low graduation rate and moderate progress toward improvement targets. This classification means the district operates under sustained state oversight. Additionally, Brockton High School, the district’s single comprehensive high school, received national attention in early 2024 when some school committee members requested National Guard assistance to address safety and staffing concerns. That episode highlights challenges at the high school level that may also resonate with families considering the elementary feeder pattern.
The school’s environment and governance data fields are mostly empty in the available records, so information on discipline practices, staffing ratios, course access, and attendance patterns is not directly available for this narrative. With limited program offerings listed, Gilmore appears to be a neighborhood school providing a standard elementary curriculum. A parent evaluating Gilmore would want to visit, discuss the academic support structures in place, and understand how the school works with students who need additional help, especially given the persistent low proficiency outcomes. The city’s urban setting, with its density and transit connections, presents a different living and schooling context from the more suburban towns in Plymouth County. For a family weighing the trade-offs of this school, the key considerations are the academic challenges documented in the state assessments, the district’s current accountability status, and the broader city environment where housing costs and public transportation are part of everyday life.
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