The top reported proficiency rate is 64% in Math. The lowest is 60% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Parmenter
Parmenter is one of five elementary schools serving kindergarten through fifth grade in the Franklin public school system, a growing suburban community roughly a half-hour south of Boston. The school occupies its own building on Wachusett Street, set within the town’s residential fabric. Its enrollment is moderate for an elementary school, and the student body is predominantly White, with notably sized Hispanic and Asian populations and a smaller number of Black students. The share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch was not reported in the available data, and counts for students with disabilities and English learners were also missing; a parent looking into how the school serves diverse learning needs may want to ask the district directly.
On the state’s NextGen MCAS assessments, Parmenter’s results place it solidly in the midrange of performance. Proficiency rates for math and English language arts cluster in the low to mid-60s percent range, with science proficiency at a similar level. That overall proficiency picture sits above the midpoint when placed against other districts in Norfolk County, meaning the school’s results are somewhat stronger than the typical district across the county. Looking at trends over the past handful of years, ELA proficiency has moved around — it was higher in the years before 2020, dipped noticeably in the early 2020s, and has recovered toward the mid-60s more recently. Math shows a similar pattern of pre-pandemic highs, a sharp drop, and a recovery that has brought it back near its earlier level. For a school serving only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate to consider; the focus is entirely on early academic foundations.
Franklin itself is a town that has seen substantial population growth in recent decades, balancing residential neighborhoods with active commercial and industrial sectors. Its downtown core includes the historic Franklin Public Library — the oldest continuously operating public library in the country — and Dean College, a small private college that anchors the center. Two MBTA Commuter Rail stops connect the town to Boston, which is a meaningful factor for commuting families. The housing market reflects the area’s desirability: home values and rents are well above national averages, and the county’s inventory of listings has been tight, with homes selling relatively quickly. A parent moving into the district should expect an expensive market, though the town offers a range of housing types from older single-family homes to newer developments.
Because the district brief turned up no recent major changes or referendums to report, the school’s operating context appears stable in terms of district-level policy. Parmenter is a conventional public school — not a charter, magnet, or Title I school (the data did not specify Title I status). The school’s academic profile, combined with the broader Franklin district’s reputation, makes it a reasonable fit for families who want a solid-performing elementary school in a well-resourced suburban town with good transit access to Boston. Those interested in the school’s specific supports for students who are economically disadvantaged or learning English will need to seek that information directly from the district, as it was not available here.
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