The top reported proficiency rate is 69% in Math. The lowest is 63% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Hatherly Elementary
Hatherly Elementary is a regular public school in Scituate, Massachusetts, serving kindergarten through fifth grade. It is one of several elementary schools in the Scituate district, each drawing from different neighborhoods. A family looking at Hatherly will find a school whose academic results stand out when placed beside other districts in Plymouth County—its overall proficiency across tested subjects places it in the top quartile of that group.
On the most recent state assessments, Hatherly’s students posted proficiency rates that are solidly above the county median. In math, roughly two-thirds of students met or exceeded state standards. In English language arts, a similar share did the same. Science, which is tested in one grade at this level, came in close to those marks. These are strong numbers for a Massachusetts elementary school. Looking at the multi-year trend, there is a clear pattern: before the pandemic, Hatherly’s ELA and math proficiency rates were higher, in the mid-to-high seventy percent range for ELA and around seventy percent for math. During the 2020-21 and 2021-22 school years, rates dropped into the high fifties and low sixties. Since then, the school has recovered some ground. The most recent year’s rates are essentially back to the levels seen in the early pandemic period, but still short of the pre-pandemic highs. A parent might want to ask the school how it is working to regain that earlier performance.
The school’s enrollment is moderate for an elementary school. Class sizes by grade are fairly even, with slightly larger kindergarten and fifth grade groups. The student body is overwhelmingly white, with small shares of Black, Hispanic, and multiracial students. Data on the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals, receive special education services, or are English learners were not reported for the school. That means a family cannot tell from this information how much economic or learning diversity is present in the building. It is worth noting that the absence of these measures may reflect the school’s demographic profile or reporting practices; a parent may want to ask the district directly.
Scituate itself is a coastal town on the South Shore, midway between Boston and Plymouth. It has a working harbor, a handful of distinct villages, and a seasonal population that swells in summer. The town’s commercial heart is Scituate Harbor, with shops and restaurants. Housing in the area carries a high price tag; the typical home value in the zip code is well above the national median, and the area has seen modest annual appreciation. The town has commuter rail service to Boston, which makes it a draw for families who work in the city but want a coastal setting. The public schools are spread across separate campuses rather than clustered together; Hatherly serves its own neighborhood.
Because Hatherly Elementary does not serve grades beyond fifth, there is no graduation rate or high school course data to consider. The district as a whole did not show any recent major changes in the public record. For a family evaluating this school, the academic picture is one of a school that performs very well relative to its county peers, with a recovery underway from pandemic-era dips. The community is affluent, coastal, and largely white. The school’s moderate size and neighborhood feel are likely to appeal to families in Scituate’s residential areas. The main soft spots are the incomplete demographic and support-program data, which a prospective parent would want to clarify by speaking directly with the school.
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