The top reported proficiency rate is 54% in English language arts. The lowest is 28% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Berlin Elementary School
Berlin Elementary School sits on Paine Turnpike North in Berlin, Vermont, a town that straddles the line between rural and suburban in Washington County. Berlin functions as the primary commercial and retail hub for the capital region, with national chain stores, the Berlin Mall, supermarkets, restaurants, and car dealerships concentrated along the Barre-Montpelier Road corridor. Beyond that commercial strip, the town retains open land and agricultural roots, with villages like Berlin Corners, Montpelier Junction, and West Berlin offering scattered, older settlement character. There is no dense, walkable downtown. The town is largely auto-oriented, and the school sits apart from the commercial corridor rather than at the center of a traditional Main Street.
The school serves prekindergarten through sixth grade with a total enrollment that places it on the smaller side for an elementary school. The student body is predominantly white, with a small number of students identifying as Hispanic or as two or more races. About half of the students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Data on individualized education programs and English learner populations was not reported, so those figures are not available here. The school is part of the Washington Central Unified Union School District.
On state assessments through the Vermont Comprehensive Assessment Program, the academic picture is mixed and varies considerably by grade and subject. English language arts results are the stronger area. Third grade proficiency lands at the midpoint, fifth grade rises above that, and sixth grade stands out as a clear strength, with a substantial majority of tested students meeting proficiency. That sixth-grade ELA result is the brightest spot in the school's academic profile.
Math results tell a different story. Third grade sits below the midpoint. Fourth grade is a particular soft spot, with only a small fraction of students reaching proficiency, and a parent may want to look into this further with the school. Fifth and sixth grade math results recover to levels in the upper portion of the range, suggesting the fourth-grade dip may reflect a cohort effect rather than a systemic pattern, though the data does not confirm that. Science is tested only in fifth grade, and results there land at the midpoint.
Because the tested populations in each grade are small, year-to-year and grade-to-grade variation can be pronounced, and a single cohort can shift the profile noticeably. The state did not report participation rates, and multi-year trend data was not available, so it is hard to say whether these results represent improvement, decline, or stability over time.
The school has no graduation rate, as it does not serve high school grades. No Advanced Placement, dual-credit, or career pathway data was provided, which is expected for an elementary school. Information on discipline, course access, staffing ratios, attendance, chronic absenteeism, and Title I status was not available in the data we received.
Housing in the Berlin area is moderately priced relative to national benchmarks, with typical home values somewhat above the national figure and roughly in line with the Vermont state benchmark. Rents are modest, and renting appears more affordable monthly than owning at current mortgage rates. The town's population has been relatively stable over recent decades, with commercial development along the Route 2 corridor outpacing residential growth. Publicly reported municipal budgets point to ongoing investment in infrastructure, including a public works garage and sewer pump station replacement, rather than large-scale residential expansion.
For a family considering Berlin Elementary, the school offers a small, community-scale elementary experience in a town that blends rural character with ready access to regional shopping, medical care, and employment. The Central Vermont Medical Center and state government offices are nearby, and Edward F. Knapp State Airport is located in town. The academic results suggest solid reading instruction, particularly in the upper elementary grades, alongside math outcomes that are uneven and worth asking about directly.
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