The top reported proficiency rate is 50% in English language arts. The lowest is 46% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Edward G. Molin Elementary School
Edward G. Molin Elementary School is a regular public school in Newburyport, Massachusetts, serving only fourth and fifth graders. With an enrollment of about three hundred students, it is a focused upper-elementary building within the Newburyport district. The student body is predominantly white, with a modest share of Asian and Hispanic students. Information on the share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price meals, receiving special education services, or learning English as a new language was not available in the data we examined. Because the school covers only two grades, there are no high school metrics such as a graduation rate.
On the state’s NextGen MCAS assessments, about half of Molin students reached the proficient or advanced level in English language arts, math, and science. These proficiency rates place the school above the midpoint among the districts in Essex County when looking at combined performance across tested subjects. Participation on test day was very high, which makes the results a reliable picture of how students are performing. Looking at the multi-year trend, ELA proficiency has moved within a range from the mid-fifties down to the high forties over the past several years. Math proficiency showed a similar pattern, with a dip in the early 2020s followed by some recovery, settling near the mid-forties. Parents may want to discuss with the school how it supports students who are not yet at the proficient level, especially since roughly half of students fall in that category each year.
The school sits in Newburyport, a small coastal city with a historic seaport and a compact, walkable downtown. The downtown was preserved and renovated starting in the 1970s, and today it has brick commercial buildings, a pedestrian mall, and colonial-era homes along High Street. The Merrimack River waterfront anchors much of the community's activity, with parks, shops, and recreational boating. Newburyport's schools are integrated into the city fabric; the high school, for instance, is on High Street near the historic residential area. The population has grown modestly in recent years, but the median age is relatively high and a notable portion of residents are sixty-five or older, which suggests that family-oriented housing growth has been limited.
Housing in Newburyport is expensive. Home values and rents are well above national averages, and the local market is tight, with limited inventory and homes selling quickly. For a family considering a move to the district, securing affordable housing may be a primary challenge. The area does offer civic amenities including multiple parks, a commuter rail line to Boston, and cultural institutions such as the Custom House Museum. Major employers include Anna Jaques Hospital and a variety of tourism-related businesses.
For a parent evaluating this school, the picture is one of a stable, mid-sized upper-elementary program in an affluent, historic coastal town. Academically, proficiency rates are around the middle of the pack among Essex County districts, with a slight edge above the midpoint. The absence of data on economic disadvantage and special populations makes it harder to judge how well the school serves students with different needs. Because Molin covers only two grades, families with children in other age bands will need to consider the district's other elementary schools and the middle and high school programs as part of their full picture. The high cost of housing in Newburyport is a practical constraint that shapes who can realistically enroll here.
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