The top reported proficiency rate is 33% in Science. The lowest is 24% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Atherton Hough
Atherton Hough is a regular public elementary school serving kindergarten through fifth grade in Quincy, Massachusetts. The school draws its enrollment from the surrounding neighborhood in this dense, primarily urban city that functions as one of Boston’s immediate southern suburbs. The student body is small for its grade band and is predominantly White, with the largest minority groups being Asian, Hispanic, Black, and students of two or more races. Data on the share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, as well as counts of students with Individualized Education Programs and English learners, were not reported in the available records.
On the 2024-25 NextGen MCAS assessments, the school’s proficiency rates came in below the midpoint for elementary schools in the district. In math, about a quarter of students scored proficient or above. In English language arts, just under a quarter did. In science, roughly a third of students tested met the proficiency bar. Overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades placed Atherton Hough in the bottom quartile of schools relative to districts in Norfolk County when compared on that composite measure. Participation rates on all three tests were very high, so the results represent nearly the entire tested population.
The multi-year trend data, available for the years 2016-17 through 2024-25, shows a clear pattern. In English language arts, the proficiency rate stood at approximately two-thirds of students in the late 2010s, then declined noticeably in the early 2020s and settled around one-quarter in the most recent two years. In math, the proficiency rate was roughly half in 2017-18, fluctuated around two-fifths for several years, then dropped to about one-quarter in 2023-24 before a modest uptick in 2024-25. A parent or resident may want to discuss these trends directly with the school or district to understand what supports are in place.
Because Atherton Hough serves only elementary grades, no graduation rate is reported. Data on chronic absenteeism, discipline, course access, and staffing were also not available in the record, so a full picture of the school environment and student supports is incomplete.
Quincy itself is a city of strong character. It blends residential neighborhoods with significant commercial nodes, especially around Quincy Center, and has a well-documented immigrant community, particularly of Chinese descent. The city underwent a major downtown revitalization project encompassing a large mixed-use development. Public transit connections to Boston are extensive, with multiple MBTA Red Line stations in the city. Housing in the area is expensive relative to national benchmarks, and the market has seen rising rents and a competitive for-sale market. The district brief did not identify any recent lasting parent-relevant changes, such as new programs, boundary shifts, or leadership transitions, that would affect the school’s current operation.
For a family considering this school, Atherton Hough offers a neighborhood elementary setting in a historic, transit-connected city. The school’s test performance, however, has been declining over the past several years and now sits well below the county median. The missing data on economic disadvantage and special populations makes it harder to assess what academic or social supports might be needed or available. Families who value a walkable urban environment with strong Boston access may find Quincy appealing, but they should seek further information from the school about instructional strategies, intervention programs, and how the school is addressing the downward trend in proficiency.
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