The top reported proficiency rate is 66% in English language arts. The lowest is 57% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Steward Elementary
Steward Elementary serves children from pre-kindergarten through grade three, making it the entry point for Topsfield’s public schools. The student body is predominantly white, with small shares of Hispanic, Asian, and multiracial students. The school is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet. Because the grade band ends at third grade, there is no graduation rate to report here.
The school’s academic performance on the state’s NextGen MCAS assessments, which test students in grades three through eight, is a clear strength. On the most recent available results, a solid majority of third graders scored proficient or above in both English language arts and math. Performance in both subjects places the school in the top quartile among its peers in Essex County, a strong showing for any elementary school. Looking back over the years, ELA proficiency has fluctuated within a range that generally stays above the school’s long-term average, while math has moved around a bit more but has also held at generally solid levels. The most recent data from the 2024-25 school year shows an upward tick in math relative to the prior year, and ELA held steady in the range it has occupied for the past several years.
The school environment has some significant data gaps. Information on the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch was not reported, nor were counts of students with individualized education programs or English learner status. It is not clear from the available data whether this reflects the school’s demographics or a reporting anomaly. Discipline, staffing, and attendance data were also not provided, so a parent would want to follow up with the school directly on those topics.
Topsfield is a small, primarily residential community with a rural New England character. The town center has a traditional common, and the village shopping area sits along Route 1. The school itself is located on Perkins Row, a separate campus from the district’s other elementary building, Proctor School, which serves grades four through six. Older students attend the regional middle and high school on a shared campus in neighboring Boxford, though those schools carry Topsfield mailing addresses. The town has limited commercial development and no major employers driving growth, so the area’s feel is settled and stable rather than rapidly expanding. Housing values in the zip code are well above the national benchmark, reflecting the broader pricing pressure across eastern Massachusetts.
The district itself reported no major parent-relevant changes in recent years, so the educational experience here appears to be operating on a consistent footing. For a family looking at this school, the primary question will be about fit. Steward Elementary offers strong early academic results in a small-town, low-density setting where most students come from similar socioeconomic backgrounds. The school’s modest size and early-grade-only focus mean children will transition to a new school after third grade, first to Proctor Elementary and later to the regional middle and high school. Parents who value a stable, small-scale elementary experience with solid test scores may find this a good match. Those looking for more demographic diversity, robust after-school programming data, or detailed special education information would need to seek that from the school directly.
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