The top reported proficiency rate is 36% in Math. The lowest is 26% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Moody Elementary
Moody Elementary serves students from preschool through fourth grade in the city of Lowell, Massachusetts. It is a regular public school within the Lowell school district. The school is a neighborhood elementary building, and its enrollment is on the smaller side for a school serving this grade band. The student body is diverse. The largest group of students is Hispanic, followed by White students, with smaller shares of Asian, Black, and multiracial students. The school receives federal Title I funding, which means it serves a population with higher economic need, though specific free and reduced-price lunch figures were not available in the data.
On the 2024-25 state assessments, the NextGen MCAS, Moody Elementary’s proficiency rates were below the midpoint for elementary schools across Middlesex County. In math, about a third of students scored at the proficient level or above. In English language arts, that figure was closer to a quarter. The trend data shows some movement over the years. In 2016-17, math proficiency was higher than in the most recent year, and ELA proficiency was also stronger. The numbers dipped noticeably during the pandemic years, with very low proficiency in both subjects in 2020-21 and 2021-22. The most recent results represent a recovery from those lows, but they have not returned to the pre-pandemic levels. Science results were last reported from 2018-19, and the proficiency rate then was about a third of students; that data is old enough that it offers limited insight into current science performance. A parent may want to ask the school for more recent science results, as this subject is tested in grade five, which is beyond this school’s grade span.
Moody Elementary does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate. The school’s academic record is a clear area where a family should look closely. The overall proficiency index places the school in the bottom quarter among districts in Middlesex County. That is a soft spot in the profile. A parent considering this school will want to understand how the school supports students who are below grade level, what interventions are in place, and how the school’s approach aligns with their child’s needs.
The housing market in the school’s ZIP code is expensive. Home values are above the national benchmark, and rental costs are also high. The typical rent consumes a substantial share of a median household income. The broader Middlesex County housing market shows a moderate number of homes for sale, with the median listing price in the county above nine hundred thousand dollars. Homes tend to sell quickly, staying on the market for a short period. This profile suggests that families looking to live in the district face a competitive and costly market. Lowell itself is an older industrial city that has undergone redevelopment, and it offers a range of housing stock, from multifamily homes to single-family houses. Publicly reported information indicates the city has been working on school facilities and programming, though no specific recent district changes of lasting impact were identified in the search.
For a family, Moody Elementary offers a small, diverse elementary setting in a city with a high cost of living. The academic performance data is a concern, and a parent would be wise to investigate how the school addresses learning gaps, what enrichment is available, and how the school communicates with families about progress. The school’s size and grade span mean it is a neighborhood entry point into the Lowell public schools, and a family’s longer-term plan would include the middle and high school options in the district.
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