The top reported proficiency rate is 48% in English language arts. The lowest is 35% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Taft Early Learning Center
Taft Early Learning Center is the elementary entry point for the Uxbridge public schools, serving children from pre-kindergarten through grade three. As a regular public school, it covers the earliest years of formal education before students move on to Whitin Intermediate School. Because the school’s grade band ends before the typical start of high school, there is no graduation rate to report for Taft, and state testing results apply only to the single tested grade at the building—third grade.
The school sits in Uxbridge, a primarily residential town in the Blackstone Valley of central Massachusetts. Uxbridge has a compact historic center along Main Street, but most of the town’s nearly thirty square miles consist of low-density suburban neighborhoods, farmland, and open space. Getting around requires a car. The local economy includes distribution centers, a mix of high-tech and service businesses, and local government and education. Population growth has been modest in recent years. Housing in Uxbridge is somewhat more affordable than the state average, though prices have risen, and the rental market reflects a similar pattern. The Uxbridge school district recently secured funding for capital improvements that include a roof replacement at Taft Early Learning Center and HVAC upgrades across the district, along with technology infrastructure investments.
The school’s enrollment is relatively large for a PK-3 building, and the student body is predominantly white. Other racial and ethnic groups together make up a smaller share, with Hispanic students the largest among them. Data on the share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price meals, as well as on students with disabilities and English learners, was not reported in the available records.
On the Massachusetts NextGen MCAS assessments administered in grade three, Taft’s results show a mixed picture. In English language arts, proficiency has fluctuated notably from year to year. It was higher in the period before the pandemic, dipped in the early 2020s, recovered to a stronger level in the 2023–24 school year, and then declined somewhat in the most recent testing cycle. In math, performance has followed a similar pattern of variability, ending with a lower proficiency rate in the most recent year after a period of improvement. Overall, when combining results across both tested subjects, the school’s proficiency index sits above the midpoint among districts in Worcester County, meaning its performance is in the upper half of the county’s range. Still, the recent drop in both subjects at grade three is a soft spot that a family may want to discuss with the school to understand the context and any support in place.
The district has begun using a new evidence-based literacy curriculum, CKLA/Amplify, at the elementary level starting in the 2024–25 school year, aligning with state guidance on early reading instruction. This represents a structural shift in how foundational reading skills are taught at Taft and could influence future ELA outcomes. The building improvements approved through town meeting, including the roof replacement at Taft itself, address the physical learning environment.
For a family considering Taft Early Learning Center, the school offers a dedicated early elementary program within a small-town school district that has invested in its facilities and adopted a structured literacy approach. The academic results in grade three, particularly in math, are an area where the school appears to have room for improvement, and parents may want to ask about early numeracy instruction and intervention practices. Data on student support programs, discipline, and staffing was not available in this profile to round out the picture further.
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