The top reported proficiency rate is 63% in Science. The lowest is 50% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Masconomet Regional Middle School
Masconomet Regional Middle School is a regular public school serving only seventh and eighth grades in Boxford, Massachusetts. It sits on the Endicott Road campus that also houses the regional high school, a parcel set apart from Boxford’s two small historic village centers. The school is one part of the Masconomet district, which serves the three towns of Boxford, Middleton, and Topsfield.
Boxford itself is a heavily forested rural town with no stoplights, no street lights, and only four commercial establishments. Large-lot zoning and extensive conservation land keep development sparse, and the town functions as an affluent bedroom community for residents who commute to Boston, Cambridge, and the Route 95 corridor. Homes are expensive, and the housing market has been tight, with limited inventory and strong demand. There is no public transit within Boxford; residents rely on cars for all errands, and the nearest commuter rail stations are in neighboring towns. Civic life centers on Town Hall, the library, the Boxford State Forest, and town conservation parcels rather than a walkable downtown.
Because Masconomet Regional Middle School covers only two grades, it has no graduation rate to report, and no data on chronic absenteeism was available for this school. The profile is therefore built mainly from its academic performance on state assessments and its student body composition.
The school’s enrollment is predominantly white, with a modest share of Hispanic students and smaller numbers of Asian, Black, and multiracial students. Information on economic disadvantage, special education, and English learner status was not available in the data we reviewed, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about the share of students receiving services and the free or reduced-price lunch rate.
On state testing, Masconomet Regional Middle School posts proficiency rates that, when averaged across all tested subjects and grades, land above the midpoint among districts in Essex County. In English language arts, roughly half of students scored proficient or above on the NextGen MCAS in the most recent year, while in math the share was slightly lower. Science proficiency was higher, and on the eighth-grade social studies test, a little over half of students met the proficiency bar. Looking back over recent years, both ELA and math proficiency have shown a gradual downward drift from pre-pandemic levels, which were higher. The 2024-25 figures are near the lower end of the school’s own recent range. This pattern is common across many Massachusetts schools, but a parent might still want to ask the school what steps it is taking to support students who are not yet meeting benchmarks, particularly in math.
The school did not have data on course access or program offerings in the material we reviewed, and no information about staffing, discipline, or attendance was present. Because the school serves only seventh and eighth graders, it would not offer the same breadth of upper-level courses as a high school, but a parent may want to learn from the school what elective and enrichment options are available at the middle grades.
Masconomet Regional Middle School presents as an academically solid school in an affluent, car-dependent rural community with very stable housing stock and minimal commercial development. It fits families who value a small-town setting, are willing to commute for work and for most amenities, and are looking for a middle school that performs around the middle to upper portion of the county’s districts on state tests. The gradual decline in proficiency rates over several years is worth a conversation with the school when considering whether it aligns with your academic expectations.
See more original research from School Decision →