The top reported proficiency rate is 7% in English language arts. The lowest is 0% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Next Wave Junior High
Next Wave Junior High is an alternative school in Somerville, Massachusetts, serving only seventh and eighth grades. Its alternative designation signals that it is designed for students whose learning needs may not be well met in a traditional middle school setting. The school is very small, with an enrollment that numbers in the low teens, split roughly evenly between the two grade levels. That small scale shapes almost everything about it.
Somerville is a densely populated inner suburb of Boston, known for its many neighborhood squares, high walkability, and transit connectivity. It is one of the most crowded municipalities in New England, with a residential fabric that mixes long-time blue-collar families, young professionals, and a significant immigrant population from countries including El Salvador, Haiti, and Brazil. The housing market is expensive, even by the standards of the greater Boston area, and the cost of renting or buying in the city is high. The city has seen substantial redevelopment in recent years, including the completion of the Green Line Extension and major mixed-use projects like Assembly Row.
The student body at Next Wave Junior High reflects the city's diversity. Hispanic students make up the largest share, followed by White students, with small numbers of Black and multiracial students. Data on the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, as well as the proportions of students with disabilities or English learners, were not available in the source data, so those dimensions of the student profile remain unclear.
On state assessments, academic performance has been very low over several years. In math, no student reached the proficient level in any recent testing year for which data is available. In English language arts, the proficient share has been in the single digits in the years reported, and in many years it was zero. The most recent science results, from a much earlier testing cycle, also showed no proficiency. These scores place the school in the bottom quartile among districts in Middlesex County when comparing overall proficiency across tested subjects. However, because this is an alternative school, the student population likely includes many who have struggled in conventional classrooms, so these results may reflect the school's mission rather than a simple measure of instructional quality. A parent considering Next Wave would want to discuss with the school how it defines academic success and what supports are in place for students who arrive below grade level.
Since the school serves only seventh and eighth grades, there is no graduation rate to report. Data on chronic absenteeism, discipline, and staffing were also not available. No information about specific program offerings, such as arts, music, or career pathways, was included in the source material.
The school operates under the Somerville Public Schools district. Recent district-level changes with direct relevance to parents were not identified in the research available.
In short, Next Wave Junior High is a small alternative middle school serving a diverse student body in a dense, expensive city. Its test results are very low, but that needs to be understood in the context of an alternative mission. Families for whom a traditional middle school has not been a good fit may find this school worth investigating, though the available data does not provide a full picture of the school's approach, climate, or outcomes beyond test scores. Anyone considering Next Wave should seek out direct information from the school about its educational philosophy, student support services, and how it prepares its students for the transition to high school.
See more original research from School Decision →