The top reported proficiency rate is 50% in Math. The lowest is 29% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on James Fitzgerald Elementary School
James Fitzgerald Elementary School serves students from kindergarten through fifth grade in the city of Waltham, part of Middlesex County. It is a regular public school, and its academic performance on the state’s NextGen MCAS assessments places it below the midpoint when compared with other districts in the county. A parent looking at the most recent testing results will see that roughly half of students met proficiency in math, while about two out of five met the bar in English language arts. Science proficiency, tested only in grade five, is lower, at roughly three in ten students. Participation on test days was complete, so the results reflect nearly the entire eligible student body.
Looking back over the last several years, the school’s academic path shows some unevenness. In English language arts, the share of proficient students was around six in ten before the pandemic, then declined to about four in ten by the 2022-23 school year and has stayed near that level since. Math followed a similar pattern, with a peak around six in ten in 2018-19, a sharp drop during the 2020-21 testing cycle, and then a gradual recovery to about half. The recent data suggests performance has stabilized but has not returned to pre-pandemic levels. For families weighing the school, these trends indicate that academic recovery is still underway, and the current results lag behind many other elementary schools in the county.
The student body is diverse. A little more than half of the children are white, and roughly three in ten are Hispanic. Smaller shares of Asian, Black, and multiracial students attend as well. Information on the percentage of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, receive special education services, or are learning English is not available in the data provided. That is a meaningful gap for any parent trying to understand the level of support the school provides for different learners, and it may be worth a direct inquiry with the school or district.
Waltham itself is a mixed-use city with a strong corporate and university presence. Brandeis University and Bentley University are both located here, and major employers span life sciences, technology, and higher education. The city has a walkable core around Main Street and Moody Street, with a commuter rail line into Boston. Housing values in the area are well above national averages, and home prices have remained high despite a slight recent dip. Rents are similarly elevated. The school sits on Beal Road, in a residential section of the city, and serves a neighborhood that is part of the broader Waltham community.
No recent district-level changes or initiatives were reported in the available research, so there is no public record of major shifts in programming, leadership, or facilities that parents might factor into their decision. The district brief turned up little, so it is best not to assume any recent disruptions or improvements without further checking with the district office.
In sum, James Fitzgerald Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in a city with a strong economic base and good access to Boston. Its academic results are below the county median, and while math has rebounded somewhat from pandemic lows, English proficiency remains soft. The lack of data on free lunch, special education, and English learner populations means a clear picture of student support is incomplete. A parent considering this school would do well to visit, talk to staff about how they serve students who need extra help, and ask about the resources available for the school’s substantial Hispanic population and for any children with learning differences. The community context is appealing, but the academic numbers call for a closer look.
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