The top reported proficiency rate is 35% in Math. The lowest is 31% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Golden Hill
Golden Hill is a regular public elementary school in Haverhill, Massachusetts, serving kindergarten through fourth grade. Because the school ends at fourth grade, there is no graduation rate to report, and state testing results apply only to the grades that are tested. The school sits at 140 Boardman Street in the Merrimack River city of Haverhill, a mid-sized city that blends residential neighborhoods with commercial and light-industrial activity. Historically a major shoe-manufacturing center, Haverhill has diversified into electrical goods, computerized systems, services, and retail trade. The city is bisected by the Merrimack River, with distinct neighborhoods such as Bradford on the other side, and has two MBTA commuter rail stations. Several school construction projects, including a completed rebuild of Hunking Middle School and ongoing work on a new Consentino Middle School campus, signal continued investment in the district’s facilities.
Golden Hill enrolls a student body of several hundred children across kindergarten through fourth grade. The racial and ethnic composition is fairly evenly split between white students and Hispanic students, with a smaller share of Black students and a very small share of Asian and multiracial students. Data on the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, receive special education services, or are classified as English learners was not available from the sources used. The absence of those figures leaves a gap in understanding the school’s level of economic and learning support needs.
State testing results from the most recent school year show that roughly one in three students scored proficient or above in math, and about the same share did so in English language arts. Looking at the multi-year trend, both subjects have stayed in a similar range over the past several years, with some year-to-year variation but no clear upward or downward trajectory. For example, math proficiency has occasionally reached the mid-thirties, and ELA has fluctuated between the low twenties and the upper thirties. The school’s overall proficiency index, which combines both subjects, sits below the midpoint when compared against other districts in Essex County. That position is based on the 37 districts in the county that reported usable testing data. For a parent or resident evaluating academic performance, these figures indicate that a majority of students at Golden Hill are not meeting the state’s proficiency benchmarks. This is a pattern that may warrant a closer conversation with the school about classroom instruction, intervention programs, and the resources available to support student learning.
Housing in the area around the school is consistent with the broader Essex County market, where home prices and rents have been rising steadily. The typical home value in the immediate zip code is well above the national median, and the typical rent is also above average, reflecting the region’s overall affordability pressures. A parent moving to this neighborhood should expect a housing market that is competitive and expensive relative to many parts of the country.
No information about specific programs, extended learning opportunities, or school climate data such as discipline or chronic absenteeism was available in the provided materials. The district’s recent changes were searched and little of lasting impact was found. For families considering this school for their child, the academic results are the single most concrete piece of evidence, and they point to a school where many students are not yet reaching grade-level expectations. A visit to the school and a conversation with the principal about how the school is addressing those results would be a natural next step.
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