The top reported proficiency rate is 71% in Math. The lowest is 63% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Fisher
Fisher Elementary School, serving kindergarten through fifth grade in Walpole, Massachusetts, is a regular public school that operates as one of four elementary schools within the Walpole Public Schools district. The student body is predominantly white, with a substantial Asian population and smaller shares of Hispanic, multiracial, Black, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and American Indian or Alaska Native students. Data on the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, receive special education services, or are English learners were not available in the source data, which is a notable gap that a family may want to clarify directly with the school or district.
Academically, Fisher’s performance on the state’s NextGen MCAS assessments falls into a clear pattern. On the most recent testing cycle, about seven in ten students scored proficient or above in mathematics, and a similar share reached that level in science. In English language arts, roughly six in ten students met the proficiency benchmark. The school’s combined proficiency index across tested subjects sits above the midpoint among districts in Norfolk County, indicating that overall academic performance is stronger than the typical school in this part of Massachusetts. This positions Fisher as a solidly performing elementary school within a competitive regional context.
Looking at trends over time, the school’s math proficiency has fluctuated in a range, with recent years showing a dip and then a recovery before settling back near the long-term average. English language arts proficiency has moved within a narrower band, though it has not returned to its pre-pandemic highs. Parents reviewing these numbers may want to ask about how the school supports students who are not yet proficient and how it challenges those who are ready for more advanced work.
The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to report. Data on chronic absenteeism and discipline were also absent from the source files, so a reader should consider reaching out to the school to understand student attendance and behavioral climate.
The housing market around Fisher reflects the broader desirability of the area. Home values in Walpole’s zip code are well above national and state medians, and the cost of renting is significant relative to typical household income. This is an expensive community to live in, and the pressure on the housing market shapes who can afford to send their children here. Families moving into the area should expect a competitive market.
Walpole itself is a mature suburban town with a traditional downtown centered on Main Street, a commuter rail station connecting to Boston, and bus service. The town is largely residential and car-dependent outside the downtown core, though Francis William Bird Park offers a substantial network of walking and biking paths. Major local employers include a state prison, which was planned for closure within a span as of a few years ago, potentially freeing up land for future redevelopment. The town’s growth trajectory has been stable rather than rapid.
A key district-level change directly affects families: the consolidation of the former Bird and Johnson middle schools into a single unified Walpole Middle School, which was substantially completed in 2024. This restructuring changes the middle school assignment for all elementary school graduates, so Fisher families should be aware that their children will feed into a single middle school campus rather than one of two separate buildings, altering commute patterns and the overall student experience in those grades.
For a family evaluating Fisher, the core picture is of an elementary school with above-average academic results in its county, set in a high-cost suburban town that offers rail access to Boston and a stable community fabric. The main question marks are the absence of data on student economic background, special education, and English learner services, all of which matter for understanding how the school serves its full range of students. A visit to the school and a conversation with the principal about student support structures would fill in those blanks.
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