The top reported proficiency rate is 42% in Science. The lowest is 24% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on A. C. Whelan Elementary School
A. C. Whelan Elementary School serves kindergarten through fifth grade as a regular public school in Revere, a densely populated urban city just northeast of downtown Boston. The school is part of the Revere Public Schools district and draws its students from the surrounding residential neighborhoods.
On the 2024-25 NextGen MCAS assessments, about a quarter of students scored proficient or above in English language arts, and roughly three in ten reached that bar in math. Science results, which reflect only the tested grade, were stronger, with more than four in ten students meeting proficiency. These absolute rates are below the state’s targets, a pattern that holds for many schools in communities with similar demographics. At the same time, when measured against other districts within Suffolk County, Whelan’s combined proficiency across tested subjects places it in the top quartile of that set. That relative strength suggests that while the school faces the same headwinds as its peers, its academic performance is competitive within its county context.
Looking back over recent years, the trend lines tell a clear story. In the years before the pandemic, ELA proficiency hovered near the halfway mark, and math was in a similar range. After the disruption of 2020-21, rates dropped sharply and have not recovered. ELA has stayed in the low twenties, while math has fluctuated in the high twenties to low thirties. The most recent data shows no meaningful rebound from the prior year. Parents considering Whelan should know that the school is working with a student population where a large share entered the pandemic years at a disadvantage, and the academic recovery has been slow.
The student body is diverse and reflective of the broader city. Hispanic or Latino students make up the largest group, around six in ten, while White students account for about a third. Smaller shares are Asian, Black, and multiracial. Data on how many students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, how many have individualized education programs, and how many are English learners were not available in the source material. A parent may want to ask the school directly about these supports.
Revere itself has been growing rapidly. After the 2020 census it was identified as the fastest-growing city in Massachusetts, though recent estimates suggest the population has leveled off slightly. The city is connected to Boston by the MBTA Blue Line, and its eastern edge is defined by Revere Beach, the oldest public beach in the United States. Housing costs reflect the Boston metro area’s high demand: home values and rents are well above national medians. Major employers include retail, healthcare, and logistics, and the city has recently launched a comprehensive master plan focused on economic development.
For families in the district, the school system has been investing. Revere Public Schools reported substantial capital construction expenditures in a recent fiscal year, and the city has announced plans to repurpose a municipal building to double the district’s preschool capacity. That expansion signals a lasting increase in early childhood education access, which could benefit families with younger children before they reach Whelan.
The school itself, with a sizable enrollment for an elementary school, is spread across the grade levels fairly evenly. It is one of several neighborhood elementary schools in Revere, each serving its own attendance zone. No data was available on discipline, course access, staffing ratios, or attendance patterns, so those dimensions of the school environment are not captured here. A family weighing this school will want to visit, talk to current parents, and get a feel for the daily experience beyond what the assessment numbers show.
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