The top reported proficiency rate is 81% in Science. The lowest is 66% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Margaret a Neary
Margaret A Neary is a regular public school in Southborough, Massachusetts, serving only fourth and fifth graders. It is one of two elementary-level buildings in the Southborough district, feeding into the town’s middle school and then into regional high schools in neighboring towns. Because the school covers just two upper elementary grades, there is no graduation rate to report, and no data on chronic absenteeism or disciplinary actions are available here.
On the Massachusetts Next Generation MCAS, Neary’s students posted results that place the school among the strongest in Worcester County when proficiency is averaged across subjects. In math, a large majority of students met or exceeded the state standard, and in science the share was even higher. English language arts, while still above the county median, lagged behind the other two subjects, with a smaller majority scoring proficient. Looking at the trend over the past several years, Neary’s ELA proficiency has drifted downward from a higher baseline around the middle of the last decade, though the single-year figure for the most recent testing year held roughly steady from the year before. Math proficiency has been more stable. A parent may want to ask the school about literacy support and whether the ELA dip is concentrated in particular groups or classrooms.
The enrollment is modest for an upper elementary school, with a roughly even split between fourth and fifth graders. Racially and ethnically, the student body is predominantly white, with an Asian population that forms the next largest share, and small numbers of Hispanic, Black, and multiracial students. Data on free or reduced-price lunch eligibility, special education classification, and English learner status were not available from the source used here, so a reader cannot tell from this profile what share of Neary’s families qualify for income-based support or what special programs are in place.
Southborough itself is a primarily residential town halfway between Boston and Worcester, with a high median household income that ranks at the top of Worcester County. The town is car-dependent, with a historic village center anchored by two private boarding schools and the town library, while the public school campuses are spread across town. The MBTA commuter rail connects Southborough to Boston and Worcester, and the local economy includes a headquarters for an IT services company as well as a Harvard University depository. Housing values in the area are well above national and state benchmarks, and the real estate market is active. The district brief for Southborough turned up no major recent changes of lasting impact to parents.
For families considering Neary, the picture is of an upper elementary school in an affluent suburb with strong math and science outcomes, a noticeable but not dramatic decline in reading proficiency over the longer term, and a student body that is not economically diverse by the typical measures. Without the missing demographic and program data, it is hard to assess the full range of support services available. Parents may want to visit the school, speak with teachers about literacy instruction, and check whether enrichment or intervention programs are offered at this grade level.
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