The top reported proficiency rate is 48% in Math. The lowest is 33% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Ernest P. Barka Elementary School
Ernest P. Barka Elementary School sits on Eastgate Road in Derry, New Hampshire, serving kindergarten through fifth grade as part of the Derry Cooperative School District. It is a regular public school, and its enrollment is sizable for an elementary building, with roughly even distribution across the six grade levels it serves. The student body is predominantly white, with a smaller share of students identifying as Hispanic or as two or more races, and still smaller groups identifying as Asian, Black, American Indian or Alaska Native, or Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander. About a quarter of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Data on individualized education programs and English learner status was not available, so those portraits remain incomplete here.
On New Hampshire's state assessments, Barka's results tell a mixed story. In mathematics, third graders performed moderately well, with a slim majority reaching proficiency, while fourth graders dipped lower, with fewer than half clearing that bar. English language arts results in both grades three and four hovered in a similar mid-range, with close to half of tested students meeting proficiency. Science, tested only in fifth grade and drawn from the prior year's results, landed lower, with about a third of students proficient. Participation was strong across all tested grades and subjects, near full participation in every case. These are not standout numbers, and a parent weighing Barka may want to look into how the school supports students who are not yet at proficiency, particularly in math at the upper elementary grades and in science.
Because Barka is an elementary school, there is no graduation rate to report and no high school course access data to draw on. The payload did not include discipline data, staffing figures, attendance rates, or a school locale classification, so those dimensions of school environment remain undescribed here rather than guessed.
Derry itself is a large, predominantly residential suburban town in Rockingham County, ranked among the most populous municipalities in the state. Its downtown is a compact historic core at the crossroads of two state routes near the town's western edge, anchored by the Adams Memorial Building and a converted train depot that now serves as a commercial hub. Outside that center, the town spreads into extensive residential neighborhoods and commercial strips along major routes. A former railroad line has been repurposed as the Rockingham Recreational Trail, giving residents a non-motorized path through and beyond town. There is no passenger rail service in Derry; the nearest rail connection is in Haverhill, Massachusetts, a considerable distance southeast. Manchester-Boston Regional Airport is the closest air link.
The town grew rapidly through the late twentieth century, fueled by proximity to Boston and Manchester and the construction of Interstate 93, but that growth has largely plateaued over the past two decades. Publicly reported data points to a Capital Improvement Plan in place, though no specific major housing developments were identified. The local economy includes Parkland Medical Center, grocery and retail employers, and industrial manufacturers. Pinkerton Academy, the independently incorporated high school that serves Derry and surrounding towns, is also a large local employer and operates on its own campus separate from downtown.
For families connected to Barka, a recent district-level change is worth noting. Derry Cooperative reconfigured West Running Brook from a middle school to an intermediate school serving grades five and six, effective July 2024. That means Barka fifth graders now move on to this intermediate setting rather than a traditional middle school, a shift that affects the transition timeline for families.
The housing market around Barka is expensive relative to state and national benchmarks. Typical home values in the school's zip code sit above the state average and well above national figures, with modest year-over-year appreciation. Rents are also elevated, though the estimated monthly mortgage on a typical home runs higher than typical rent, which shapes the buy-versus-rent calculus for families considering a move into the attendance area. Homes in the broader county are selling at a median listing price that reflects this high-cost environment, and days on market have shortened considerably compared to a year prior, suggesting a market where demand remains strong even as supply has grown.
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