The top reported proficiency rate is 13% in Science. The lowest is 7% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Wm P Connery
Wm P Connery is an elementary school in Lynn serving kindergarten through fifth grade. It sits within the Lynn Public Schools district, a system that has undergone several notable changes recently. The district expanded its dual-language program from one elementary school to three, opened an Early College Promise pathway for high schoolers, and received a federal literacy grant to support reading instruction. At the same time, the district closed Thurgood Marshall Middle School due to declining enrollment, and Lynn English High School entered a state feasibility process for a major renovation or replacement. These moves reflect a district actively reshaping its footprint and programming.
The school itself is a regular public elementary school with a total enrollment that is moderate for its grade span. The student body is heavily Hispanic, with a small share of Asian students and smaller numbers of Black, white, and multiracial students. The school does not report its free-or-reduced-price lunch rate or its special education and English learner counts in the data reviewed, so a family would need to ask the school directly for those numbers to get a fuller picture of the student support context.
State testing results show a school where proficiency rates are low and have declined notably over time. On the NextGen MCAS assessments for the most recent year, the share of students scoring proficient or above in math, English language arts, and science was small. This places Connery in the bottom quartile among the county's districts when looking at overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades. The trend data going back several years shows that proficiency rates were higher before the pandemic, with ELA rates reaching a modest peak before declining sharply, and math rates following a similar pattern. A parent considering Connery will want to look into what instructional strategies and interventions the school is using, what literacy and math supports are in place, and how the school's approach compares with other elementary options in Lynn.
The school's location in Lynn means families live in a densely populated urban city that is part of Greater Boston's inner core. Lynn has a downtown cultural district, historic architecture, loft-style apartment conversions in former industrial buildings, and public parks including the large Lynn Woods Reservation and oceanfront reservations. The city's economy is anchored by GE Aerospace, the school district itself, and North Shore Community College, among other employers. The housing market in the area shows home values that are above the national benchmark, with a median listing price well above the national figure and rents that take up a substantial share of household income. The county market has seen a jump in pending listings and a slight dip in median listing prices, but demand remains high and inventory is tight. The school is not a charter or magnet school, and its Title I status was not available in the data, so a family should confirm directly what federal supports the school receives.
Given the low proficiency rates and the downward trend, this is a school where a family would want to engage closely with the school's leadership, understand the curriculum and intervention programs, and consider what additional academic support they may need to provide at home. The district's recent literacy grant investments and dual-language expansion may eventually reach this school, but the data does not indicate whether Connery is part of those initiatives. For a family committed to this neighborhood and school, the questions are about the quality of teaching, the school climate, and the specific academic programs in place.
See more original research from School Decision →