The top reported proficiency rate is 51% in Science. The lowest is 35% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on George R Austin Intermediate School
George R Austin Intermediate School serves fourth and fifth graders in Lakeville, part of the Freetown-Lakeville Regional School District. It is a regular public school that sits as one link in a regional chain: students move on from here to the district’s middle school and then to Apponequet Regional High School. The school enrolls a sizable student body for a two-grade building, and the student population is predominantly white, with small shares of students who are Hispanic, two or more races, Black, and Asian. Information on how many students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, receive special education services, or are English learners was not available in the data provided, so a parent would want to check directly with the school for those details.
On the Massachusetts state assessments, performance across subjects is mixed. In math, roughly half of students scored at proficient or above, which is a common benchmark in the state. In science, about half of students also reached that level. In English language arts, the share was notably lower, with roughly a third of students meeting the proficient mark. Looking back over recent years, the school’s ELA results have trended downward: the proficiency rate was higher earlier in the last decade and has declined since, with the most recent year the lowest in that span. Math results have been steadier, though they have fluctuated year to year and also sit at a lower point than they did earlier in the decade. When compared with other districts across Plymouth County, the school’s combined proficiency across subjects lands below the midpoint for the county. The district itself received a state accountability classification of not requiring assistance or intervention, with moderate progress toward improvement targets, meaning it is meeting adequate performance standards.
Because this is a grade 4–5 school, there is no graduation rate to report, and the data did not include information on chronic absenteeism, discipline, or staffing ratios. Those are gaps a family may want to follow up on.
Lakeville is a rural residential town defined by its chain of lakes and ponds, with Ocean Spray Cranberries headquartered there as the most prominent employer. The town has no traditional downtown; civic buildings cluster near a state route junction, and the built environment is low-density and car-dependent. Housing values are elevated, outpacing the national benchmark, and the market shows limited inventory, typical of a desirable commuter area within reach of the Boston-Providence corridor and the South Coast. Population growth data was not available in the search results, but the town’s location near major highways positions it for continued residential interest from those who work in nearby employment centers.
For a family considering this school, the picture is one of a midsized intermediate school where math and science results are solid but ELA performance is a softer spot and has been declining. The student body is not especially diverse, though the available demographic data is limited. The rural, car-dependent setting means children are bused to school, and the school itself is part of a regional arrangement that shares governance with neighboring Freetown, so district-wide decisions affect the classroom. A parent who sees a strong math-science profile as a foundation, and who is comfortable with a largely white, suburban-rural peer group, may find this a reasonable fit. A parent more focused on literacy outcomes or on a more diverse or urban setting would want to look further into how the school supports reading and writing growth, and whether any targeted programs address the downward trend.
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