The top reported proficiency rate is 12% in English language arts. The lowest is 1% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Kiley Academy
Kiley Academy is a regular public middle school in Springfield, Massachusetts, serving grades six through eight. It is part of the Springfield public school district, the largest district in western Massachusetts and the third-largest in the state. The school sits in the city's eastern section, on Cooley Street, in a residential neighborhood of Springfield.
The academic picture at Kiley Academy is a challenging one. On the state's Next Generation MCAS assessments, the share of students scoring at the proficient level or above was low in every tested subject. In English language arts, about one in nine students met that bar. In math, the figure was lower still, and in science it was very low. Social studies, tested only in grade eight, showed a similar pattern. When placed against other districts in Hampden County, Kiley Academy's overall proficiency across subjects fell in the bottom quartile. Looking at trend data over the last several years, proficiency rates in both ELA and math have stayed consistently low, with no sustained upward movement. This is a school where the vast majority of students are not reaching the state's proficiency benchmark.
That said, the school serves a population that faces substantial economic and social challenges. Though specific data on free or reduced-price lunch eligibility, special education status, or English learner classification were not available in the data provided, the student body is diverse and predominantly Hispanic, with a significant Black enrollment and smaller shares of white and multiracial students. The school's location in Springfield places it in a city that has experienced decades of economic restructuring and is still in the midst of revitalization efforts. Springfield is an urban center with a deep history—the birthplace of basketball, home to the Springfield Armory, and a hub for insurance and manufacturing—but also a city with persistent poverty and the effects of a devastating tornado in 2011. Housing values in the area are moderate relative to Massachusetts as a whole, and the local housing market shows strong demand and limited supply.
Because Kiley Academy is a middle school, there is no graduation rate to report. Data on discipline, course access, and staffing were also absent from the record, so it is not possible to speak to those dimensions of school life. A parent may want to ask the school directly about class sizes, elective offerings, student supports, and the school's approach to academic intervention, especially given the low test scores.
The district itself—Springfield Public Schools—has not made any major recent changes that were publicly reported in the research available, so the focus remains on this individual school.
For a family considering Kiley Academy, the essential takeaway is that this is a school where academic achievement, as measured by state tests, is very low across the board. The school serves a predominantly Hispanic and Black student body in an urban district with many competing needs. The peer environment is one of high diversity. The larger community of Springfield offers cultural institutions and a sense of history, but also the realities of a city working through economic recovery. A parent looking at this school would want to understand what academic supports are in place, how the school addresses literacy and math gaps, and what pathways exist for students who need additional help. Without more data on programs, staffing, and student support services, the academic numbers alone suggest that this is a school where a family would need to be very engaged and proactive to ensure their child is on track.
See more original research from School Decision →