The top reported proficiency rate is 23% in English language arts. The lowest is 15% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Rice Square
Rice Square is an elementary school serving kindergarten through grade six in the Worcester Public Schools system. It operates as a regular public school in Massachusetts’ second-largest city, a place shaped by its colleges, hospitals, and a mix of historic housing stock and ongoing urban renewal. The school sits within a district that, as of the 2024-2025 school year, had recently adopted a new elementary literacy curriculum and approved a three-year strategic plan, both of which touch the classrooms at Rice Square.
The student body at Rice Square reflects the diversity of its surrounding neighborhood. The largest share of students is of Hispanic background, with a substantial share of White students and a meaningful presence of Black and Asian students; a smaller number identify with two or more races or as American Indian or Alaska Native. The school’s total enrollment is moderate for its grade band, spread roughly evenly across each grade level. Information on the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, as well as data on special education and English learner populations, was not available in the source materials. A parent may want to ask the school directly about its supports for these groups.
Test results from the state’s NextGen MCAS assessments for the most recent school year provide a central picture of academic performance. In English language arts, about a quarter of Rice Square students scored at the proficient level or above. The rate in math was lower, and in science it was lower still. Across all three subjects, the proficiency rates are in the bottom portion when compared with other school districts across Worcester County. This places the school’s academic outcomes below the midpoint of its county peers. Trend data over several earlier years shows that the school’s proficiency rates in both ELA and math have fluctuated within a similar range, with no sustained upward or downward movement; the most recent year is consistent with that pattern. For a family considering the school, these scores suggest that while some students are meeting grade-level benchmarks, a larger share are not, and this is an area worth discussing with the school to understand what interventions and supports are in place.
Because Rice Square serves only elementary and middle grades, it has no graduation rate to report. That metric does not apply here.
The school is part of the Worcester Public Schools, a district that has drawn attention for its facilities needs. Publicly reported plans describe a multi-year, sizable capital plan for the district’s aging buildings, with a new high school and renovations to other schools under discussion. A future property tax override vote has been mentioned as a potential funding mechanism. Families living within the Rice Square attendance zone may want to be aware of these district-level conversations, as they could affect both school buildings and local tax burdens over time.
The neighborhood context of Rice Square sits within a city that is dense in its older core, heavily automobile-oriented despite its walkable downtown pockets, and served by commuter rail to Boston. The housing market in the city has been active, with home values and rents that are substantial but below the state average. For a resident or prospective parent, the school offers a regular public education in a diverse, city setting. The academic profile is a softer one, with proficiency rates that lag behind many other districts in Worcester County, and no data on civil rights topics such as chronic absenteeism or discipline were available for review. A parent considering Rice Square will want to visit, talk to the principal about how the school supports students who are not yet proficient, and learn about the specific programs and culture of the building.
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