The top reported proficiency rate is 46% in Math. The lowest is 42% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on John H Duval
John H. Duval Elementary School serves students from kindergarten through grade five in Whitman, Massachusetts, as part of the Whitman-Hanson Regional School District. The school is a regular public school and operates on a separate campus in the eastern part of town, one of two elementary schools in Whitman. The student body is diverse in its composition, with the largest share of students identifying as white, followed by Hispanic students, and smaller numbers of Black, multiracial, Asian, and American Indian or Alaska Native students. The school’s overall enrollment is on the smaller side for an elementary school of this grade span.
On state assessments administered through Massachusetts’ Next Generation MCAS program, Duval’s students posted proficiency rates that placed the school’s overall performance across tested subjects below the midpoint when compared with other districts in Plymouth County. In the most recent school year, roughly two out of every five students scored at the proficient level or above in English language arts, and just under half did so in mathematics. Science results for the tested grade showed a similar pattern, with about two in five students reaching proficiency. These results reflect a school where a clear majority of students are not yet reaching the state’s proficiency bar in these core subjects, a metric a parent may wish to discuss with the school to understand the instructional supports in place.
Looking at trends over time, Duval’s proficiency rates in English language arts and math have moved within a range without a strong sustained upward trajectory. In English, the share of proficient students was higher in years prior to the pandemic than in the most recent couple of years, though the most recent year shows a modest recovery from a recent low. Math proficiency has similarly fluctuated, with the most recent result roughly in line with the middle of the school’s historical range. The school’s participation rate on these tests has been very high, meaning the results are a near-complete picture of student performance.
The community of Whitman is a largely residential town located a moderate distance south of Boston on the western edge of the South Shore. Historically a manufacturing center for shoes and related industries, the town has transitioned to a primarily residential economy. The town center clusters civic buildings such as town hall, the public library, and a fire department around the intersection of two local routes. There are no interstates in town, and the built environment is low-density across a small land area. Whitman has access to the MBTA Commuter Rail, which provides train service to Boston, and a town park with a playground and pool. The population has grown steadily in recent years, with farmland being converted to residential development over time, though the search results did not surface specific major new housing projects. The housing market in the broader county shows high demand relative to supply, with homes moving quickly.
The Whitman-Hanson Regional School District operates under a governance structure established by a regional agreement between Whitman and Hanson, with a school committee that includes representatives from both towns. The district’s high school recently moved into a new building, a major infrastructure investment that sets the stage for the high school experience students from Duval will eventually enter. No specific academic program offerings or staffing data for Duval were available in the provided information. The school does not operate as a magnet or charter school, and its Title I status was not reported, so a parent should check directly with the district about whether the school receives federal support for low-income students. Data on chronic absenteeism and discipline were also not available, leaving those aspects of the school environment uncharacterized here.
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