The top reported proficiency rate is 36% in Science. The lowest is 31% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Granite Valley School
Granite Valley School serves grades one through six in Monson, a small, mainly residential town in Hampden County with a historical industrial past rooted in granite quarrying and woolen mills. The school is a regular public elementary and middle school, part of the Monson district, which has three schools total: Quarry Hill Community School for preschool and kindergarten, Granite Valley School for grades one through six, and Monson High School for grades seven through twelve. The district recently restructured this grade configuration, which has changed school assignment expectations and transportation patterns for families.
The student body at Granite Valley School is predominantly white, with a smaller share of Hispanic students and very small representations of Asian, Black, two or more races, and American Indian or Alaska Native students. The school does not report data on the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, nor on special education or English learner populations, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about the extent of these supports.
On the Massachusetts state assessments, known as the NextGen MCAS, Granite Valley School’s overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades places above the midpoint relative to districts in Hampden County. The school’s proficiency rate in math, while under half of students, has trended upward over recent years. The English language arts proficiency rate has declined over the same period, from a level above the current one to its present position. Science proficiency, which is tested in fewer grades, sits higher than both math and English. A parent considering the school may want to ask about the specific supports in place for literacy, given the multi-year trend. Participation rates on all tests were high, above nine in ten students.
Because Granite Valley School serves only grades one through six, it does not have a graduation rate to report. A graduation figure applies to the high school level, which is a separate building in the district. The district as a whole, according to publicly reported information, saw its graduation rate increase from a lower level to a higher level over a five-year span, a sustained positive trend for the system.
The town of Monson grows very slowly, with a modest population increase since the 2020 census. A major event that shaped the town’s recent history was an EF3 tornado that caused extensive property damage, damaging many buildings and destroying or damaging several local landmarks, including the town office building and a historic gymnasium. The housing market in Hampden County, where Monson sits, shows a median listing price that sits below the state benchmark, and homes in the area sell relatively quickly, after about a month on the market. The town’s rural character means walkability is limited outside the immediate town center, and there is no passenger rail service. Most working residents likely commute to the Springfield metropolitan area, which is a short drive west.
Program offerings at Granite Valley School were not available in the data, so it is not possible to describe the specific academic pathways, extracurriculars, or enrichment programs a family could expect. The school has no charter or magnet designation and is a regular public school. A parent looking for a full picture of what is offered beyond the core curriculum would need to seek that information directly from the school or district.
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