The top reported proficiency rate is 34% in English language arts. The lowest is 19% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on Sullivan Middle
Sullivan Middle, a regular public school in Worcester serving grades six through eight, is a midsize school within the Worcester Public Schools district. The school is located on Apricot Street in Worcester, a mid-sized city that blends residential, commercial, and institutional uses. A quick look at the available data shows that Sullivan Middle uses the NextGen MCAS for its state assessments, and the school participated in testing at a very high rate.
The student body is diverse. The largest group is Hispanic, followed by white students, then Black and Asian students. The remaining share is made up of students of two or more races and a small number of American Indian or Alaska Native students. Information on the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, or who receive special education services or English learner support, was not available in the data we reviewed. A parent or guardian may wish to ask the school directly about these support structures and how they are resourced.
On the 2024-25 NextGen MCAS assessments, the school's proficiency rates fell below the midpoint when compared with other middle schools in Worcester County. The proficiency index, which averages rates across all tested subjects and grades, placed Sullivan Middle in the bottom quartile of county middle schools. In English language arts, roughly a third of students scored at the proficient level or above. In math, the figure was just over a quarter of students. Science proficiency was lower, and social studies proficiency was lower still. Looking at available trend data, the school’s performance has been relatively stable over time. In English language arts, the proficiency rate has moved within a narrow band over several years, and the most recent year’s result is essentially where it was in 2017. In math, the proficiency rate has also been largely steady, hovering near the same level it was a decade ago after a dip in 2021. This consistency suggests that the school’s academic profile has not recently undergone any dramatic shift, either upward or downward.
Worcester itself is a city of substantial scale and complexity. It is home to several colleges and universities, major hospitals, and a growing biotechnology sector. Its population has grown in recent decades, reversing a long post-war decline, and a notable share of residents were born outside the United States. The city is well-connected by highways and commuter rail to Boston. The district, Worcester Public Schools, has recently made some noteworthy changes. In 2023, it launched a new district-wide elementary literacy curriculum that shifted from balanced literacy to structured literacy, a change that represents a fundamental shift in how reading is taught, though it primarily affects younger grades. In 2024, the school committee approved a new three-year strategic plan, the first comprehensive one in over a decade, which sets priorities around teaching and learning, student well-being, social-emotional learning, and family engagement. The district has also outlined a large facilities plan to address aging school buildings, which includes a potential future vote on a property tax override to fund the work.
For a family considering Sullivan Middle, the academic picture is one of relatively flat performance at a level below many other middle schools in the surrounding county. The school is large enough to offer a range of peer interactions within a diverse student body. The broader district is in a period of active planning and curriculum reform, though the effects of those changes on a middle school are not yet clear from the data. The city’s context as a growing, dense, and diverse urban center with a strong higher-education presence and significant infrastructure will be a major factor in any family’s decision.
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