The top reported proficiency rate is 41% in Science. The lowest is 23% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Erving Elementary
Erving Elementary serves students from pre-kindergarten through sixth grade in a single small building in the rural town of Erving, Massachusetts. After sixth grade, students leave the district to attend Great Falls Middle School and Turners Falls High School in neighboring Montague, meaning this school is the entirety of a child’s experience within the Erving district.
The school is small in enrollment, and the student body is predominantly white, with a small Hispanic population and a modest share of students who identify as two or more races. Data on free or reduced-price lunch eligibility, special education services, and English learner status were not available, so a parent seeking to understand the share of students from low-income households or the availability of specialized supports would need to ask the school directly.
On the most recent state assessments, Erving Elementary’s proficiency rates were below the midpoint for all Franklin County districts, as measured by a combined index across tested grades and subjects. In English language arts, a modest share of students scored at the proficient level or above, while math proficiency was lower. Science results, which reflect a smaller group of test-takers in the grade that is assessed, were higher than both math and ELA, though the number of students tested was small enough that a single year’s figure should be interpreted with caution.
Looking across multiple years, English language arts proficiency has fluctuated. Before the pandemic, it was higher, then dropped and has recovered somewhat but remains below earlier levels. Math proficiency has moved in a narrow band and has been largely flat since before 2020. There is no single-year trend that shows a clear upward trajectory.
Because the school ends at grade six, there is no graduation rate to report, nor are there AP, dual-credit, or career pathway programs of the kind that matter for high school students. The academic program is a standard elementary curriculum, and the school does not advertise specialized program offerings that would differentiate it from other small elementary schools in the region.
Erving itself is a low-density rural town with hilly terrain, scattered villages, and a mix of residential homes and small businesses. The biggest employer is a paper mill, and the town’s population has declined slightly in recent decades. No major new housing developments or growth projects were surfaced in public information, and the housing market, while reflecting modest values relative to the state average, has been fairly stable. The town lacks a traditional walkable downtown core, and the elementary school is situated near the small village center of Erving rather than on a separated campus.
For a family considering this school, the peer environment is that of a small, predominantly white, rural elementary school. The academic performance on state tests is lower than what many other Franklin County districts show, and the trend data does not indicate a rapid improvement. Parents moving into the area with an eye on academic outcomes may want to discuss the school’s instructional strategies and any targeted supports with the principal or district leadership. The absence of data on free lunch eligibility, special education, and English learner services is a gap; it may simply reflect that the school does not report those figures in the available records, but a parent should not assume either high or low need without further inquiry.
Without high school grades, there is no way to judge how well this elementary school prepares students for secondary-level work beyond looking at the general proficiency numbers. The district’s lack of a high school means that families must also evaluate the receiving schools in Montague, which are separate entities not covered here. The town itself offers outdoor recreation, a quiet rural setting, and a small community feel, but limited commercial services and no public transit.
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