The top reported proficiency rate is 86% in Science. The lowest is 62% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Orleans Elementary
Orleans Elementary is a public school serving kindergarten through fifth grade in the coastal Cape Cod town of Orleans, Massachusetts. It is the only elementary school operated by the Orleans school district; students in grades 6 through 8 attend Nauset Regional Middle School, also in town, and high school students go to Nauset Regional High School in neighboring North Eastham. The school is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet, and there is no Title I designation on record.
Academically, Orleans Elementary performs well. On the state's NextGen MCAS assessments, a majority of students meet or exceed proficiency expectations in both English language arts and mathematics. Science scores are notably strong across the grades tested. Compared with other school districts in Barnstable County, this school's overall proficiency places it among the top tier. Performance has fluctuated somewhat over the past several years—rising and falling within a range that remains above the county median—but the general trajectory is steady. Because the school serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate to report, and no chronic absenteeism data were available.
The student body is relatively small. The population is predominantly white, with smaller shares of Hispanic, Black, Asian, and multiracial students. Information on the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, as well as counts of students with disabilities or English learners, was not provided in the source data, so a family looking for details on economic diversity or specialized support services would need to follow up with the school directly.
Orleans itself is a compact Cape Cod town with a tourism-driven economy, a historic center where Routes 6A and 28 meet, and a population that swells in summer. Housing costs in the area are elevated relative to state and national averages, a factor families weighing a move should consider. The school building is on School Road, a short distance from the town center, which holds civic anchors such as the Snow Library, Eldredge Park (home to the Orleans Firebirds collegiate summer baseball team), and a county courthouse. Transit is limited; the Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority runs a bus line connecting Orleans to Hyannis, but the community is largely auto-oriented. No major new housing developments or district-level changes were identified in recent public records, suggesting a stable, built-out environment.
For parents seeking a small elementary school in a coastal setting with above-average academic results, Orleans Elementary fits that description. The gaps in publicly reported data on student support programs and economic diversity mean that direct inquiry with the school is advisable for a full picture. The transition to regional middle and high schools is part of the typical pathway for Orleans students, so planning for those later grades is built into the district structure.
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