The top reported proficiency rate is 47% in Math. The lowest is 43% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on South Memorial
South Memorial is a regular public elementary school in Peabody, Massachusetts, serving students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. It is one of the elementary schools in the Peabody district, a community north of Boston. Because it serves only elementary grades, there are no graduation rate or high school outcome measures to report; those simply do not apply.
State testing results from the 2024-25 school year show that in math, about half of students scored proficient or above, and in English language arts the share was slightly lower, also around the halfway mark. Science results, for the grade levels tested, were similar. The school’s overall proficiency across all tested subjects and grades sits below the midpoint when compared with other districts in Essex County. That comparison covers the full set of county districts and places South Memorial a bit behind the median for the county.
Looking at the multi-year pattern, math proficiency was roughly steady in the mid to upper fortieth percentile from about 2017 through 2019, then dipped in 2021 before climbing back to its recent level. English language arts proficiency has been more variable; it was at the same level as math several years ago, dropped to a low point in 2024, and then rose again in 2025. The rebound in both subjects in the most recent year is notable, though overall performance still trails the county median.
Enrollment is in the mid hundreds, typical for a K-5 building in a suburban district. The student body is majority white, with a substantial Hispanic presence and smaller shares of Asian, Black, and multiracial students. Data on the share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, as well as on special education and English learner status, were not available in the record, so a family would want to ask the school directly about those supports and the resources attached to them.
The housing market in the zip code serving South Memorial is expensive relative to national norms. Home values are well above the national benchmark, and rents are also high. The county market has been active, with a recent uptick in pending listings and a modest decline in median listing price from the previous year. For a family considering a move to the area, affordability is a real factor; the ratio of home prices to incomes in the region is high, and mortgage costs are elevated given current interest rates.
No information was found about the walkability or local street life in Peabody’s downtown, or about any recent district-level changes such as curriculum revisions or building projects. The district brief turned up no sourceable parent-relevant changes from recent years. A family looking for a sense of the community’s character or upcoming initiatives would need to visit, talk to current parents, or check local sources directly.
South Memorial offers a standard elementary program in a medium-sized school. Its academic results have been inconsistent over time and currently sit below the county average, which is a soft spot a parent may want to explore further with the school. The school itself reports that participation on state tests was full, meaning nearly every enrolled student was tested. The demographic mix is fairly diverse within a largely white setting, and the broader Peabody area is a high-cost housing market.
See more original research from School Decision →