The top reported proficiency rate is 20% in Science. The lowest is 10% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on Arlington Middle School
Arlington Middle School serves fifth through eighth graders in Lawrence, a densely packed industrial city on the Merrimack River with a strong working-class and immigrant identity. The city’s population is predominantly Hispanic and Latino, with deep roots in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic alongside more recent arrivals from Southeast Asia. Historic brick mill buildings line the river, triple-decker homes fill the neighborhoods, and the downtown around Common Street hosts cultural events such as the Feast of the Three Saints. Manufacturing in textiles, footwear, and electronic equipment remains active, and major employers include Lawrence General Hospital and a New Balance shoe plant. Housing costs are modest for the Boston metro area, though the local market shows strong demand and limited supply. No specific parent-relevant changes to the Lawrence district were found in public records from the recent period.
The student body at Arlington Middle School is almost entirely Hispanic, with a very small number of white, Black, and multiracial students. Free-or-reduced-price lunch data was not available, nor were counts for students with disabilities or English learners, though given the district-wide context a parent may want to ask the school directly about the share of students who qualify for support programs or meal assistance. The school is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet, and Title I status was not reported.
On the state’s NextGen MCAS assessments, proficiency rates are low across all tested subjects. In English language arts, about one in ten students scored proficient or above. In math, the rate was a bit higher but still below one in five. Science proficiency was roughly one in five, while social studies, tested only in eighth grade, was about one in ten. Participation rates were near complete, so the results reflect nearly the entire student body. Trends over the past several years show that math proficiency fluctuated in the low teens to low twenties, while English language arts stayed in the low teens to mid-twenties, with no clear upward movement. Compared to other districts in Essex County, Arlington Middle School’s overall proficiency index sits in the bottom quartile. A parent considering this school will want to understand what academic supports and interventions are in place. The school does not serve high school grades, so it does not have a graduation rate to report.
The school environment and access data did not include information on discipline rates, course access, staffing ratios, or attendance. Chronic absenteeism rates were also absent. Because the data payload does not provide these fields, a reader cannot assess those dimensions from this profile. A parent may wish to ask about class sizes, teacher experience, and the availability of enrichment or intervention programming directly.
Arlington Middle School sits within Lawrence’s dense urban grid, embedded in a residential neighborhood rather than on a separate campus. The city itself offers riverfront esplanades, Den Rock Park for hiking and climbing, and cultural institutions like the Essex Art Center and Lawrence Heritage State Park. Transit includes local bus service and an MBTA Commuter Rail stop on the Haverhill Line, which makes downtown Boston accessible.
For a family weighing this school, the picture is defined by a student population that is nearly entirely Hispanic, a city with deep immigrant and industrial roots, and state test results that are low relative to regional peers. The school’s strengths appear to be in its role as a neighborhood middle school serving a cohesive community, but the academic proficiency numbers are a soft spot that a parent would want to explore further with the school to understand the specific strategies and supports available for students.
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