The top reported proficiency rate is 29% in Math. The lowest is 28% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Park Avenue Elementary
Park Avenue Elementary serves students from pre-kindergarten through fourth grade in Webster, Massachusetts, and is a regular public school within the Webster Public Schools district. It is a school that serves only early elementary grades, so the academic snapshot comes from state testing in grades three and four. On the Massachusetts NextGen MCAS, Park Avenue Elementary’s overall proficiency across tested subjects sits below the midpoint compared to other districts in Worcester County. The school’s proficiency rates in both math and English language arts have moved up and down over the past several years, with the most recent results showing roughly a quarter of students scoring at the proficient level or above in each subject. Parents looking at this school will want to discuss with the school how it supports students who are not yet meeting proficiency benchmarks, particularly given that these rates have been relatively low and inconsistent over time. The school has a high participation rate on state assessments, which means the results reflect nearly all eligible students.
The student body is ethnically diverse for a small-town Massachusetts elementary school. White students make up the largest group, followed by a substantial Hispanic or Latino population, and smaller shares of Black, multiracial, and Asian students. Information on the share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, the number of students with individualized education plans, and the English learner population were not available in the data. A family may want to ask the school directly about these support structures, as they often shape the resources and services a school provides.
Housing context is relevant for families considering the area. In and around Webster, home values have ticked up slightly over the past year, and the median listing price is noticeably higher than the national benchmark but below the Massachusetts state average. Rents have also been rising across Worcester County. The local housing market has seen active listings increase, and homes have been selling relatively quickly. For a family moving into the area, the town of Webster itself has a traditional New England downtown core centered on Main Street and Town Hall, with residential neighborhoods spreading outward toward Lake Chaubunagungamaug, a large lake that serves as a recreational anchor. The town has a working-class industrial history rooted in textile manufacturing, and today employs a mix of insurance and food company headquarters alongside town government and school district jobs.
The district has recently set new priorities. In June 2025, Webster Public Schools approved a strategic plan focused on high-quality instruction for all students, social-emotional learning, family and community engagement, and operations and facilities. The school committee also passed a budget for the current fiscal year with a notable increase over the prior year, which the district says maintains class sizes and current programs. These moves signal a district-level push to strengthen the classroom experience, though it is still early to see how that translates into measurable outcomes at Park Avenue Elementary.
Park Avenue Elementary is one of several schools in Webster on separate campuses. Students here will go on to Webster Middle School and then to Bartlett High School. Because the school only goes through fourth grade, there is no graduation rate to report here. The school does not offer high school level programs such as Advanced Placement, career pathways, or dual enrollment, as those are not relevant to its grade band. What is available to families is a pre-kindergarten through fourth grade program that sits within a small-town district with a recently articulated strategic plan and a modest budget increase. The proficiency picture is the main concern a parent will want to weigh, and a conversation with the school about intervention strategies and student progress over time would be a sensible next step.
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