The top reported proficiency rate is 26% in Science. The lowest is 12% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Washington Elementary School
Washington Elementary School is a kindergarten-through-fifth-grade regular public school in Lynn, Massachusetts, an urban city just north of Boston that sits within the Greater Boston inner core. Lynn is a densely populated city with a mix of residential neighborhoods, industrial legacy, a downtown cultural district, and a significant immigrant population. The school draws from its surrounding neighborhood in a city that has historically been a center for manufacturing, with GE Aerospace remaining a major employer. Housing in the Lynn zip code has a Zillow Home Value Index that hovers near the state benchmark for Massachusetts, with rents similarly priced slightly above the national median. The broader Essex County housing market shows a substantial share of new listings and active listings in a competitive environment.
The student body at Washington Elementary is composed predominantly of Hispanic students, who make up the large majority of the enrollment. The remainder of the student population is Black, White, and Asian, with a small number of students identifying as two or more races. Enrollment data for free-or-reduced-price lunch status, special education, and English learner classifications were not available in the provided information, so a full poverty or support-services profile could not be assembled.
On the Massachusetts Next-Generation MCAS assessments, Washington Elementary School's performance falls well below the midpoint among districts across Essex County, landing in the bottom quartile. In English language arts, proficiency was reported for roughly one out of every seven students tested, well below the state median for elementary schools. In mathematics, the proficiency rate was even lower, with roughly one out of every eight students meeting the proficient or above threshold. Science proficiency, which is assessed in grades five only, was reported for roughly one out of every four students tested. Participation rates on all three assessments were described as full, so the results reflect the full tested population.
Looking at trends over time, the school's achievement in both math and English language arts has been consistently low for the past several years. In math, proficiency was in the mid-twenties a decade ago but dropped to single digits in the post-pandemic period and has stayed at comparably low levels. In English language arts, performance was closer to the low thirties before the pandemic but has been in the low teens for most of the most recent years. The data do not show a clear upward trajectory in recent history.
As an elementary school that serves only grades kindergarten through five, there is no graduation rate to report, and the school does not have the programmatic offerings of a high school, such as Advanced Placement, dual-credit, or career pathways. The district brief notes several changes at the Lynn Public Schools level that may be relevant for families considering this school. The school committee voted to expand the dual-language program, which offers instruction in English and Spanish, from one to three elementary schools, so it is possible that Washington Elementary might host or be affected by that program. The Lynn Public Schools have also received the Early College Promise designation and a High Quality College and Career Pathway designation at the high school level, although those programs do not directly affect elementary students.
For a family evaluating Washington Elementary, the core academic picture is one of persistently low test scores relative to state and county averages. The school serves a large and diverse student population in an urban setting, within a district that has been making notable investments in literacy instruction through a federal grant and is expanding bilingual options. Housing in Lynn is moderately priced by Massachusetts standards but remains expensive relative to national norms, reflecting the broader Boston-area market. A parent considering this school may want to visit, speak with the principal about the school's approach to raising achievement, and learn which of the district's expanding programs are available or planned for the grade levels Washington Elementary serves.
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