The top reported proficiency rate is 47% in Science. The lowest is 34% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Bates
Bates is a regular public elementary school in Salem, Massachusetts, serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. It is one of several elementary schools in the Salem district. With an enrollment in the mid-hundreds for its grade band, it is not a large school. The student body is roughly half white, and just over a third of students are Hispanic; smaller shares are Black, multiracial, or from other racial backgrounds. Data on eligibility for free or reduced-price meals, special education services, and English learner status were not available in the provided source, so a reader cannot determine from this information alone the share of students from low-income households or those receiving targeted support.
On the Massachusetts Next-Generation MCAS assessments, Bates’s proficiency rates place its overall performance below the midpoint when compared with other districts in Essex County. Across the three tested subjects—English language arts, math, and science—only about a third of students scored at the proficient level or above in ELA, a figure that has held roughly steady over the past several years, fluctuating within a narrow band. Math proficiency has been more variable, ranging from a low around a fifth of students to a high near half in different years; the most recent results show math proficiency somewhat above a third. Science, which is tested only at fifth grade, shows about half of students reaching proficiency. These are not strong numbers relative to the county, and a family considering this school may want to ask how the school supports students who are not yet meeting grade-level benchmarks and what academic interventions are in place.
Because Bates serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate to report, which is typical for schools at this level. No information on chronic absenteeism, discipline rates, staffing ratios, or course access was available in the data examined. That means the picture of the school environment is incomplete; a parent might want to request details directly from the school about classroom size, enrichment programs, and behavioral climate.
Bates is located in Salem, a compact, dense city on Boston’s North Shore. Salem’s character blends historic residential neighborhoods with a strong tourism economy, anchored by the Peabody Essex Museum, Salem Maritime National Historic Site, and numerous attractions related to the city’s well-known history. Salem State University is a notable institutional presence. The city’s downtown is near the waterfront, and the overall setting is walkable and transit-connected, though a specific walk score was not reported here. The housing market reflects the region’s high cost: home values and rents in the area are well above national medians, consistent with greater Boston’s expensive market. Families moving to Salem for this school should expect housing costs that are a significant part of household budgets.
Bates itself does not report any specialized program offerings in the available data, such as magnet themes or dual-language tracks. It operates as a neighborhood elementary school within the Salem district. A parent who values a small, traditional public elementary in a historic urban environment with a diverse student body may find Bates a good fit, but the academic results indicate that the school faces challenges in bringing a majority of students to proficiency, particularly in reading. Anyone considering Bates should look into how the school addresses these gaps and what supports are offered for students at all levels.
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