The top reported proficiency rate is 42% in Science. The lowest is 29% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Joseph H Martin
Joseph H Martin is a regular public school in the Taunton district serving students in grades five through seven. It is located in East Taunton, a suburban residential neighborhood within the larger city of Taunton. The school occupies a single building at 131 Caswell Street and draws from a community described as low-density suburban, with single-family homes and some apartment complexes, a handful of longstanding manufacturers, and the former site of a shopping mall now being redeveloped as a business park. The area is car-dependent, with access to major routes including Route 24 and the MBTA commuter rail station providing service toward Boston.
On state assessments administered through the NextGen MCAS, Joseph H Martin’s overall proficiency rate across tested subjects places the school below the midpoint relative to districts in Bristol County. In the most recent testing year, roughly three in ten students scored proficient or above in both math and English language arts. Science results were somewhat stronger, with about four in ten students reaching proficiency. These figures have held fairly steady over the past several years; math and ELA proficiency have fluctuated in a narrow range and show no clear upward trend. Participation rates were high, with nearly all students taking the tests.
Because Joseph H Martin serves only middle grades, the school does not report a graduation rate. No data on chronic absenteeism were available. Information on free or reduced-price meal eligibility, special education status, and English learner status was also not reported, so a fuller picture of the student population’s economic and support needs is incomplete. A parent may want to ask the school or district directly about those figures.
The student body numbers about 650. The largest racial group is White, making up somewhat more than half of enrollment. Black students account for roughly a quarter, and Hispanic students about one in nine. Smaller shares identify as Asian, two or more races, or other groups. The school’s grade configuration means students enter in fifth grade and move on after seventh grade, a setup that provides a focused middle-school environment without the transitions of a K-8 or the wider program range of a high school.
No formal program offerings were listed in available data, and the school’s website and district materials did not yield additional details about course pathways, extracurriculars, or specialized academies. The Taunton district brief did not surface any recent parent-relevant changes, such as boundary adjustments, facility projects, or leadership shifts, though the search may have missed some developments.
Housing in the broader East Taunton area has a median value roughly in line with the national average but below the Massachusetts statewide figure. The market shows moderate demand and low vacancy, with a median listing price for the county that has dipped slightly year over year. Mortgage rates nationally were around six and a half percent at the time of this data, and median household income nationally was roughly $84,000. For families considering the area, the cost of housing relative to income is a factor worth weighing against the school’s academic profile.
Joseph H Martin fits a family looking for a standard suburban middle school within a midsized district, where the peer environment is racially diverse and the academic results are modest. The low proficiency rates in core subjects are a soft spot that a parent would want to investigate further with the school, particularly around what supports are in place for students who are not yet meeting grade-level benchmarks. The absence of program and staffing details means a parent should also inquire directly about what enrichment, intervention, and extracurricular options exist. The school’s stable enrollment and consistent test participation suggest a functioning school with regular operations, but the academic outcomes indicate room for improvement in how students are performing relative to state and county peers.
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