The top reported proficiency rate is 28% in English language arts. The lowest is 24% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on James L. Mulcahey Elementary School
James L. Mulcahey Elementary School serves students from preschool through fourth grade in Taunton, Massachusetts, a mid-sized city in Bristol County with a mix of residential neighborhoods, industrial parks, and a historic downtown. Taunton's economy has shifted from its 19th-century silversmithing roots toward semiconductor and electronics manufacturing, anchored by the large Myles Standish Industrial Park, and the city serves as the county seat. The school sits in a city that blends historic civic spaces like Taunton Green with spread-out residential areas, placing it within a public school system that covers a sizable geographic area.
Mulcahey is a regular public school with an enrollment that is substantial for an elementary serving only pre-kindergarten through fourth grade. The student body draws from the surrounding Taunton neighborhoods and reflects the city's demographic composition. A large share of students are white, with Black students making up the next largest group, followed by Hispanic students, and smaller shares of students who are Asian, two or more races, or from other racial backgrounds. The school did not report data on the share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price meals, and similarly did not report counts for students with individualized education programs or English learners, so a parent looking for that context would need to ask the school directly.
On the Massachusetts Next-Generation MCAS assessments, which students in grades three and four take, Mulcahey's proficiency rates across math and English language arts combined place it below the midpoint among elementary schools in its county. In math, roughly a quarter of students scored at the proficient level or above. In English language arts, the share was slightly higher, also around a quarter. Participation rates on both tests were high. These are not strong numbers compared with many schools in the surrounding area. The available trend data for English language arts shows the share of students reaching proficiency has moved up and down over the years, from a high near two-fifths about a decade ago to a lower range in more recent years, with the most recent two years showing a modest upward move from a low point. Math has followed a similar pattern of fluctuation without a sustained upward trajectory. A parent weighing this school should understand that the typical student is not meeting grade-level benchmarks on the state tests, and it would be reasonable to ask the school about the specific supports and interventions in place, particularly in the early grades where the foundation for later learning is set.
Because Mulcahey only goes through fourth grade, there is no high school graduation rate or secondary-level program data to report. The school's academic profile is its core story: it is a neighborhood elementary in a midsize city, serving a diverse student population, where the academic results as measured by state tests have been below county averages. The city of Taunton itself has seen modest population growth and continued economic development efforts, and the district brief did not turn up recent changes in programming or policy at the district level that a parent would need to know about. For a family choosing this school, the practical questions will center on classroom instruction, early literacy and math intervention practices, and how the school supports students who are not yet at grade level, all of which are best explored in a direct conversation with the principal or a classroom visit.
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