The top reported proficiency rate is 81% in Science. The lowest is 77% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Mason-rice
Mason-Rice is a regular public elementary school in the village of Newton Centre, part of the Newton Public Schools. It serves kindergarten through fifth grade and has a moderate enrollment for that grade band. The school draws its students from the surrounding neighborhood, which is described as a dense suburban area with a mix of historic homes and newer construction. Newton Centre itself is the largest of Newton's thirteen villages, with a walkable commercial triangle anchored by the MBTA Green Line station, restaurants, coffee shops, and a village green. Housing values in the ZIP code are very high, reflecting the area's reputation as an upscale destination for the western suburbs of Boston.
Academically, Mason-Rice performs at a strong level. On the state's NextGen MCAS assessments, a large majority of students scored proficient or above in math, English language arts, and science. The proficiency index, which combines results across tested subjects, places Mason-Rice in the top quartile of all schools within districts in Middlesex County. This is a clear strength. The school's longitudinal data shows that these high proficiency rates have been generally stable over the past several years, with no major swings up or down. Readers should note that the science assessment is only administered in fifth grade, so that score reflects a single cohort, while math and ELA results cover grades three through five.
The student body is predominantly white, with a substantial Asian population and smaller shares of students who identify as two or more races, Hispanic, Black, and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander. Information on the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, receive special education services, or are English learners was not reported in the data provided. A parent considering this school may want to ask the district directly about the availability of those supports and the specific services offered.
The school is situated within the Newton district, which did not have any recent district-level changes or initiatives flagged in publicly available information. The broader community shows no signs of major new development, and the city's character remains principally suburban-residential. The school itself sits on Pleasant Street, close to the Newton Centre Common and other civic anchors.
For a family comparing elementary options in the western Boston suburbs, Mason-Rice offers consistently high academic outcomes and a walkable, amenity-rich neighborhood. The absence of certain demographic data means that a parent looking for specific information on the school's share of students with disabilities or English learners should follow up with the school or district office. The school's performance, however, is well established and stands out among its county peers.
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