The top reported proficiency rate is 16% in English language arts. The lowest is 14% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on Parlin School
Parlin School serves kindergarten through eighth grade in Everett, a dense, compact city just north of Boston. The school is one of several K-8 buildings in the Everett Public Schools district. The building sits on Broadway, the city’s main commercial corridor, in a neighborhood marked by a mix of residential streets, restaurants, and retail. Everett has grown steadily as families seek housing closer to Boston at lower prices than Cambridge or Somerville, and the city’s population has increased accordingly.
Parlin is a large school for its grade band. The student body is predominantly Hispanic, with smaller shares of Black, white, and Asian students. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, though exact figures were not reported. The school serves a high-needs population; the district has publicly reported a surge in English language learners over the past several years, now representing a large portion of students district-wide, and Parlin’s composition reflects that shift. The school does not have a reported count of students with individualized education programs or English learner status in the available data, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about its special education and language support staffing.
On state assessments, Parlin’s results are soft. Proficiency rates in math, English language arts, science, and eighth-grade social studies all clustered at a similar low level. The school’s overall proficiency index lands in the bottom quartile relative to districts in Middlesex County. Looking back over the past several years, ELA proficiency has fluctuated in a narrow range, never climbing above a modest share of students meeting the bar. Math proficiency followed a similar pattern, with a slight uptick in one pre-pandemic year but otherwise remaining low. These numbers are consistent and represent a challenge that parents should weigh carefully. There is no graduation rate for Parlin because it does not serve high school grades; students move on to Everett High School after eighth grade.
The district context matters for families considering Parlin. In late 2024, Everett voters approved a Proposition 2½ override that raised property taxes to close a multi-million-dollar budget shortfall in the schools. Without the override, officials had warned of significant cuts to programs and services. This is a direct financial consideration for any family buying or renting in Everett.
At the same time, the district has invested in its schools. Everett High School received a major modernization that added a culinary arts kitchen, a medical arts lab, upgraded technology classrooms, and fitness facilities, expanding career and technical education pathways. The district has also rolled out Spanish-English dual-language programming across multiple schools, including a new K-5 program at Webster Elementary, and has expanded ESL staffing in response to the growth in English learners. These resources are not located at Parlin itself but give a picture of the district’s current priorities.
Housing in Everett is expensive relative to national benchmarks. Home values have risen, and the rental market is tight. The median home value in the zip code is well above the national median. The county-wide market shows a median listing price that is high, with homes typically selling quickly. Mortgage rates and the cost of rent both absorb a large share of a typical household income. For a family moving into the district, the combination of rising property taxes from the override and already elevated prices is a real budget factor.
Parlin is a neighborhood school in a city that is growing, changing, and facing real fiscal pressure. The academic results are the standout concern. A parent looking at this school should want to understand what supports are in place for students who are below grade level, what the school’s approach is to instruction for English learners, and how the school connects to the district’s broader investments in programming. The neighborhood setting is urban, walkable along Broadway, with bus access but no direct subway service. The city’s major employers include Encore Boston Harbor, Constellation Energy, and manufacturers, and the downtown area functions as a civic and commercial hub. For a family that values proximity to Boston and is aware of the academic challenges, Parlin is a straightforward choice: a large K-8 school in a district that is actively adapting, but with test results that are lower than most of its county peers.
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