The top reported proficiency rate is 7% in Science. The lowest is 5% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Francis M Leahy
Francis M Leahy Elementary serves students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in Lawrence, a densely populated, mid-sized industrial city on the Merrimack River. The school is a regular public school within the Lawrence Public Schools district. Its student body is almost entirely Hispanic, reflecting the city's strong Latino majority and its deep Puerto Rican and Dominican roots. The school's location on Haverhill Street places it within a dense urban fabric of triple-decker homes and historic brick mill buildings where the built environment supports walkable neighborhoods.
State testing data for the most recent school year shows that the share of students scoring proficient or above on the NextGen MCAS was at a small single-digit rate in both math and English language arts, as well as in science. These results place the school's overall proficiency index in the bottom quartile relative to all districts in Essex County. The school's participation rate in testing was at or near full participation, so the results reflect nearly all enrolled students.
Looking at multi-year trends, math and ELA proficiency rates have been falling over time. In earlier years, roughly a quarter of students met proficiency in reading and about a third did so in math. Those figures have dropped in the years since, with the most recent results at the low levels described above. A parent considering this school will want to discuss the school's approach to academic intervention and how it supports students who are not yet meeting grade-level benchmarks.
Enrollment is distributed across the elementary grades with a pre-kindergarten program in place. The student population is overwhelmingly Hispanic in composition. Data on the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals, receive special education services, or are classified as English learners was not available in the source data. For a school in a gateway city where a high share of families are foreign-born and many languages are spoken at home, this information would be relevant context; families may want to ask the school directly about supports for multilingual learners.
The Lawrence district itself did not have publicly reported parent-relevant changes such as boundary realignments, new program launches, or leadership transitions that clear the bar for inclusion here. The school operates as a traditional neighborhood elementary school on a regular calendar.
Housing in Lawrence is relatively affordable compared to much of the Boston metro area. Homes in the city's zip code are priced modestly, and rents are also below regional averages, though the city's median household income means that housing costs still represent a significant share of income. The local housing market has been active, with a mix of buyers and renters drawn by the city's industrial history, transit access via the MBTA Commuter Rail, and cultural life centered on events like the Feast of the Three Saints and Hispanic Heritage celebrations.
For a family considering Leahy Elementary, the central question is what kind of learning environment will fit their child. The school is a small-to-mid-sized urban elementary with a culturally cohesive student body and a deep history in the neighborhood. The academic results are low by state and county standards, and the trend lines have been moving in a difficult direction. A parent will want to understand the school's specific academic programs, how it differentiates instruction for students below grade level, and what enrichment opportunities exist within the school day. The city itself offers community anchors like Lawrence Heritage State Park, the riverfront esplanade, and the Essex Art Center, but these are community resources rather than school-based programs.
See more original research from School Decision →