The top reported proficiency rate is 40% in Math. The lowest is 36% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Mary A. Dryden Veterans Memorial School
Mary A. Dryden Veterans Memorial School is a regular public elementary school in Springfield, Massachusetts, serving children from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. It is part of the Springfield Public Schools district. The school sits on Surrey Road in a residential section of the city, in a community that is both urban and historic. Springfield itself, the largest city in western New England, is a place of manufacturing, healthcare, legal, and entertainment sectors, with recent development projects including a casino and transit improvements. The area around the school is largely residential, with Victorian-era homes and tree-lined streets characteristic of the neighborhood.
Academically, Dryden posts proficiency rates that place it in the top quarter among districts in Hampden County when measured across tested subjects and grades. On the most recent state assessments, the share of students scoring proficient or above in math was roughly comparable to the school’s typical range over the past several years. In English language arts, the proficiency rate was in a similar band. Science results, which are tested only in a single elementary grade, also mirrored that level. These figures are below statewide averages, but they represent a relatively stronger showing within the county, where proficiency rates vary widely across districts and schools. Multi-year data show that performance has moved up and down from one year to the next. For example, ELA proficiency has fluctuated from a low point several years ago to a high point in another year and back again; math has followed a similar up-and-down pattern. The most recent year’s results sit near the middle of the school’s own historical range. A parent looking at year-to-year swings may want to ask the school about instructional consistency and how it supports students whose skills vary.
The student body is moderate in size for a PK-5 building. Racially and ethnically, the school is majority Hispanic, with substantial shares of Black and White students, along with smaller numbers of Asian and multiracial students. Information on the percentage of students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals, receive special education services, or are English learners was not available in the data we reviewed. That absence is common in public data sources, but a parent who considers these factors important would need to ask the school directly.
Springfield’s housing market is active, with median listing prices in the area lower than the state average, making the city more affordable relative to much of Massachusetts. The neighborhood around the school likely reflects a mix of owner-occupied and rental homes, with a short drive to downtown amenities such as the Basketball Hall of Fame, Symphony Hall, and Forest Park.
Publicly reported information about recent district-level changes in Springfield was limited, so this narrative does not include them. The school itself operates as a standard elementary program within a large urban district. For a family seeking a mid-sized elementary school in a city with historic character and a relatively affordable housing market, Dryden offers a setting where academic performance, while below state norms, is competitive within the county.
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