The top reported proficiency rate is 74% in Science. The lowest is 54% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Ernest F Upham
Ernest F Upham is one of seven elementary schools in the Wellesley public school system, serving kindergarten through fifth grade as a regular public school. It is located in a residential neighborhood of this mature suburban town roughly fifteen miles west of Boston. The school’s directory data lists its status as open, while the town’s profile notes that Upham officially closed in 2024 following the rebuilds of two other elementary schools in the district. Because the most recent academic and enrollment data are from the 2023-24 school year, what follows describes the school’s last year of operation.
On the 2023-24 NextGen MCAS, Upham’s students posted results that varied by subject. In math, a solid majority of test takers scored at the proficient level or above. In English language arts, the proficient share was somewhat lower, at just over half of students tested. Science results, which are reported only for a subset of grades in elementary school, were higher, with a large majority reaching proficiency. The school’s composite proficiency index across tested subjects placed it above the midpoint among school districts in Norfolk County.
Looking at multi-year trends, Upham’s ELA proficiency rates had generally hovered in the high sixties to mid-seventies in the years before the pandemic, then settled near two-thirds for several years before dropping sharply to the most recent level. Math proficiency had held in the low to mid-seventies for several years after the pandemic, then also declined. Both subjects showed a notable dip in the 2023-24 results compared with earlier years. A parent may want to discuss these shifts with the school or district to understand the context.
The school enrolled many fewer students than a typical elementary school for its grade band. Enrollment by grade ran fairly evenly across grades K through five. Data on free and reduced-price lunch eligibility, special education, and English learner status were not available for this school, so a reader cannot assess the level of economic diversity or the scale of specialized support from the data provided.
Wellesley itself is a primarily residential community with a deep commitment to education, anchored by three college campuses. The town has multiple walkable village centers with commuter rail stations and bus service. Home values are very high relative to state and national benchmarks, and rental costs are also substantial. The district recently approved a debt exclusion to build a new Hardy Elementary School, which is expected to open for the 2025-26 school year. The school committee has also been studying elementary enrollment and configuration, with some discussion of possible consolidation.
Given the closure noted in the town profile, families considering Wellesley’s elementary schools should confirm which attendance boundaries are currently active and which school their child would attend. Upham’s academic record from its final year shows a school that performed above the county midpoint overall, though with a notably lower ELA proficiency rate than in prior years.
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