The top reported proficiency rate is 28% in Math. The lowest is 23% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Edward F. Parthum
Edward F. Parthum is a K through 4 regular public school in Lawrence, a densely packed, historically industrial city on the Merrimack River whose population is predominantly Hispanic and long rooted in immigrant communities, with deep Puerto Rican and Dominican ties alongside more recent arrivals from Southeast Asia. The school sits within Lawrence’s tight urban grid, where narrow streets, triple-deckers, and repurposed mill buildings shape the residential landscape. Housing in the city is relatively modest by Boston-area standards but still carries a significant cost burden for many families; the local market is competitive, with high demand and a low supply of homes for sale.
The school serves a large enrollment for an elementary school, and the student body is overwhelmingly Hispanic, with very small shares of White, Black, 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 in the record. Given Lawrence’s demographics and the school’s composition, it is reasonable to expect that many children come from bilingual or immigrant households and that the school likely serves a high-need population.
Because Edward F. Parthum serves only kindergarten through fourth grade, it does not have a graduation rate. Academic performance is measured through the state’s Next Generation MCAS tests in grades three and four. On the most recent assessment, proficiency in math was roughly comparable to the school’s own recent historical range, while English language arts proficiency was lower than pre-pandemic levels. The multi-year trend shows math attainment climbing back from a steep drop several years ago but still well below the high point reached just before the pandemic. ELA proficiency has fluctuated over the years, settling near where it was a few years ago. Taken together, the school’s overall proficiency across tested subjects places it in the bottom quartile relative to other districts in Essex County. A parent may wish to discuss the school’s instructional approach and support for foundational literacy and numeracy with the principal or classroom teachers.
The school participates in the NextGen MCAS with very high test participation, so the results reflect nearly all eligible students. No data was available on chronic absenteeism, discipline rates, staffing ratios, or program offerings such as art, music, or enrichment. The district brief for Lawrence Public Schools did not identify any recent parent-relevant changes such as boundary adjustments, new curriculum initiatives, or facility projects.
Lawrence is a walkable city with a compact downtown core anchored by Common Street, the Essex Art Center, and Lawrence Heritage State Park, which offers a riverfront esplanade. Major employers include Lawrence General Hospital, New Balance’s shoe manufacturing plant, and a food-safety diagnostic laboratory. Public transit is available through the Merrimack Valley Regional Transit Authority and an MBTA Commuter Rail station. The city’s population has been stable with modest growth, and its ongoing redevelopment of former mill buildings reflects a slow but steady investment in the urban fabric.
For a family considering Edward F. Parthum, the key facts are clear. It is a large, diverse elementary school in a dense, working-class city where many families face economic pressures. Its state test results are below the county average, and performance has not returned to pre-pandemic peaks. The school’s neighborhood is urban, walkable, and served by transit. The absence of programmatic and staffing data makes it hard to assess the full picture of enrichment or student support. Parents would benefit from visiting the school, talking to teachers, and learning directly about the academic environment, class sizes, and how English learners and other special populations are served, since those numbers were not captured in the available records.
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