The top reported proficiency rate is 22% in Science. The lowest is 18% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Mary E Stapleton Elementary
Mary E Stapleton Elementary is a regular public school in Framingham, Massachusetts, serving kindergarten through fifth grade. It sits within a mid-sized city that blends suburban, commercial, and some rural qualities, roughly twenty miles west of downtown Boston in the MetroWest subregion. Framingham has a large Brazilian American population, roots dating to the 1980s, and major retail corridors along Route 9. The city is home to headquarters of Bose, Staples, and TJX, along with Framingham State University and MassBay Community College. The surrounding housing market is expensive, reflecting pressure from the Greater Boston area.
Academically, the picture at Stapleton is one of very low performance on the state’s NextGen MCAS assessments. In the most recent testing year, the share of students scoring proficient or above in math was about one in six, in English language arts about one in five, and in science about one in five. These results place Stapleton in the bottom quartile of elementary schools within Middlesex County for overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades. State testing participation was complete, so the numbers reflect nearly all students. Over time, the multi-year trend shows that proficiency rates were higher before the pandemic, in the mid- to upper-30s for ELA and math in the late 2010s, then declined and have settled at roughly one-fifth of students reaching proficiency in recent years. A parent considering this school will want to understand what instructional supports and interventions are in place to raise these outcomes.
Because Stapleton serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate to report. The school does not provide high school programs, so that metric does not apply. We looked for data on chronic absenteeism, staffing, course access, and discipline but found none; those gaps often reflect the limited scope of reporting at the elementary level rather than any particular concern. Data on the share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch was also missing, as were counts of students with disabilities and English learners, though the school’s demographic composition gives some context.
The student body is diverse. About half of the enrollment is Hispanic, roughly three in ten are white, and smaller shares are Black, Asian, and multiracial. This composition mirrors Framingham’s broader population, which includes a substantial Brazilian community and a varied mix of ethnic backgrounds. The school’s enrollment is moderate, with about three dozen to four dozen students per grade, and classes are spread across kindergarten through fifth grade.
A note on grade configuration: the Framingham Public Schools district underwent a restructuring that moved fifth grade to middle school starting in the 2022-23 school year, shifting from K-5 elementary to K-4. However, the data for Stapleton shows fifth-grade enrollment in its reported counts. A parent should verify whether the school currently houses grade five or has transitioned to the K-4 model, as feeder patterns and building assignments may have changed.
Framingham itself is predominantly car-dependent suburban development, though the downtown area near Concord Street and the Memorial Building has some walkable civic fabric. The city offers a commuter rail station on the MBTA Framingham/Worcester line, several parks and ponds, and cultural institutions such as the Danforth Art museum and Amazing Things Arts Center. Housing values are high, typical of the MetroWest region, with a median listing price above the national benchmark and rents that strain affordability. The local economy is anchored by large corporate headquarters and public institutions.
In sum, Stapleton Elementary serves a diverse, city-suburban student population in a high-cost housing market. Its academic proficiency levels are low relative to other Middlesex County schools and have not recovered to pre-pandemic levels. Families evaluating this school will want to learn about specific academic support programs, how the school addresses the needs of its English learners and other special populations, and whether the grade configuration has been updated to match the district’s reorganization.
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