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Essex Elementary

Q: Is Essex Elementary a good school?

Essex Elementary ranks 328 th of 906 Massachusetts elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades K-5

328^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 906 Massachusetts Elementary Schools

Better than 64% of Massachusetts elementary schools

Summary

Essex Elementary is a public elementary school located in Essex, Massachusetts, serving 229 students in grades K-5. The school is part of the Manchester Essex Regional school district, which is ranked 52 out of 348 districts in the state.

While Essex Elementary is part of a well-regarded district, the school's academic performance has been inconsistent and generally lower than the district and state averages. The school's MCAS Next Generation proficiency rates in English Language Arts (48.33%) and Mathematics (50.83%) for the 2024-2025 school year are significantly below the Manchester Essex Regional district (61.19% and 56.55%) and the state of Massachusetts (41.53% and 40.74%) averages. The school's performance is particularly weak in 5th grade, where proficiency rates are below 40% in both subjects.

Compared to nearby schools, such as Manchester Memorial Elementary and Bessie Buker Elementary, Essex Elementary consistently underperforms in academic proficiency across all grades and subjects. The school's statewide ranking has fluctuated over the years, ranging from a high of 176th out of 934 Massachusetts elementary schools in 2017-2018 to a low of 478th out of 928 schools in 2022-2023, with its current ranking for the 2024-2025 school year at 328th out of 906 schools.

215

Students ?

9.6

Student/teacher ratio ?

$24,672

Per pupil spending ?

10%

Free/discounted lunch ?

12 Story Street
Essex, MA 01929

(978) 768-7324

District: Manchester Essex Regional

Students who attend Essex Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Manchester Essex Regional Middle School
High:	Manchester Essex Regional High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

93.5%

Hispanic:

3.7%

Two or more races:

2.3%

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At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 75th percentile in 2015 → 64th in 2025

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Massachusetts average (51% vs 41% meeting standards)

✓Above the Massachusetts median (64th percentile)

✓Small classes — about 10 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 11 percentile points since 2015

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school51%

District avg60%

Massachusetts avg41%

328^th of 906

Massachusetts public elementary schools ?

Top 36%▼ down 12 pts since 2015

From top 25% (2015) to top 36% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Massachusetts Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

2^nd of 2Elementary Schools in the Manchester Essex Regional

52^nd of 348Manchester Essex Regional among Massachusetts districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2025	65.2	328 of 906	63.8%	★★★☆☆
2024	68.5	293 of 916	68.0%	★★★☆☆
2023	49.4	478 of 928	48.5%	★★☆☆☆
2022	78.1	199 of 932	78.6%	★★★★☆
2021	75.3	229 of 936	75.5%	★★★★☆
2019	72.4	262 of 942	72.2%	★★★★☆
2018	79.5	176 of 934	81.2%	★★★★☆
2017	78.6	183 of 938	80.5%	★★★★☆
2016	69.0	279 of 932	70.1%	★★★★☆
2015	74.4	224 of 914	75.5%	★★★★☆
2014	74.4	232 of 926	74.9%	★★★★☆
2013	77.8	196 of 928	78.9%	★★★★☆
2012	77.5	205 of 930	78.0%	★★★★☆
2011	79.1	189 of 924	79.5%	★★★★☆
2010	76.9	214 of 920	76.7%	★★★★☆
2009	81.1	154 of 909	83.1%	★★★★☆
2008	84.9	104 of 908	88.5%	★★★★☆
2007	70.5	276 of 911	69.7%	★★★☆☆
2006	67.7	290 of 911	68.2%	★★★☆☆
2005	73.4	257 of 887	71.0%	★★★★☆
2004	82.0	151 of 882	82.9%	★★★★☆
2003	73.8	240 of 884	72.9%	★★★★☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2019	60.4	206 of 665	69.0%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2025	64.1	313 of 869	64.0%	★★★☆☆
2024	65.6	304 of 886	65.7%	★★★☆☆
2023	49.8	460 of 887	48.1%	★★☆☆☆
2022	78.0	182 of 901	79.8%	★★★★☆
2021	72.8	233 of 898	74.1%	★★★★☆
2019	68.4	270 of 902	70.1%	★★★★☆
2018	76.1	190 of 893	78.7%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2025	65.1	311 of 884	64.8%	★★★☆☆
2024	70.1	268 of 891	69.9%	★★★★☆
2023	48.1	464 of 896	48.2%	★★☆☆☆
2022	74.3	214 of 908	76.4%	★★★★☆
2021	72.2	247 of 904	72.7%	★★★★☆
2019	72.9	244 of 907	73.1%	★★★★☆
2018	77.9	187 of 898	79.2%	★★★★☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2025	33.4	465 of 717	35.1%	★★☆☆☆
2023	35.5	432 of 703	38.5%	★★☆☆☆
2021	72.0	168 of 894	81.2%	★★★★☆
2019	54.2	377 of 896	57.9%	★★★☆☆

Tested In Person

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2021	74.8	231 of 925	75.0%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2025	54.2	348 of 737	52.8%	★★★☆☆
2024	56.0	334 of 753	55.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	33.2	552 of 762	27.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	70.3	193 of 764	74.7%	★★★★☆
2021	66.5	235 of 765	69.3%	★★★☆☆
2019	60.5	302 of 780	61.3%	★★★☆☆
2018	72.4	185 of 772	76.0%	★★★★☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Tested In Person (2021)75th percentile~ school

Disabled (2019)69th percentile-3 vs school

Male (2025)65th percentile~ school

Female (2025)64th percentile~ school

White (2025)53rd percentile-11 vs school

Special Education (2025)35th percentile-29 vs school

By subject vs Massachusetts (2024-2025) ?

Science57%+15 vs state

Mathematics51%+10 vs state

English Language Arts48%+7 vs state

★

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Schools Near Essex Elementary

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				MCAS Next Generation English Language Arts (2025)				MCAS Next Generation Mathematics (2025)				MCAS Next Generation Science (2025)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	MCAS Next Generation English Language Arts 3rd Grade	MCAS Next Generation English Language Arts 4th Grade	MCAS Next Generation English Language Arts 5th Grade	MCAS Next Generation English Language Arts All Grades	MCAS Next Generation Mathematics 3rd Grade	MCAS Next Generation Mathematics 4th Grade	MCAS Next Generation Mathematics 5th Grade	MCAS Next Generation Mathematics All Grades	MCAS Next Generation Science 5th Grade	MCAS Next Generation Science All Grades	Total
Essex Elementary	Public	K-5	12 Story Street	Essex	01929	Essex County	Manchester Essex Regional	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 768-7324	215	22	9.6		201 (93.5%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (3.7%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (2.3%)	65.2	328^th of 906 public elementary schools	63.8%		68.5	293^rd of 916 public elementary schools	68.0%	35	58.3	50.0	39.1	48.3	33.3	65.8	52.2	50.8	56.5	56.5	$24,672
Manchester Memorial Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	43 Lincoln Street	Manchester	01944	Essex County	Manchester Essex Regional	No	No	No	No	(978) 526-1908	304	31	9.9		281 (92.4%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (3.9%)	4 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.3%)	87.2	105^th of 906 public elementary schools	88.4%		84.5	130^th of 916 public elementary schools	85.8%	25	81.6	59.2	60.0	65.9	76.3	65.3	54.4	64.7	76.1	76.1	$24,902
West Parish	Public	K-5	10 Concord Street	Gloucester	01930	Essex County	Gloucester	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 281-9835	382	29	13.1		322 (84.3%)	3 (0.8%)	30 (7.9%)	5 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.8%)	19 (5.0%)	31.9	617^th of 906 public elementary schools	31.9%		48.2	493^rd of 916 public elementary schools	46.2%	124	21.3	31.7	33.9	29.0	18.0	35.0	38.5	30.7	41.5	41.5	$22,089
Winthrop School	Public	PK, KG-5	325 Bay Rd	South Hamilton	01982	Essex County	Hamilton-Wenham	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 468-5340	329	27	12.1		284 (86.3%)	2 (0.6%)	19 (5.8%)	15 (4.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.7%)	79	192^nd of 906 public elementary schools	78.8%		70	278^th of 916 public elementary schools	69.7%	86	55.6	40.4	66.7	53.3	68.9	57.9	70.8	65.3	70.8	70.8	$22,442
Winthrop	Public	PK, KG-5	65 Central Street	Ipswich	01938	Essex County	Ipswich	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 356-2976	373	37	10.1		303 (81.2%)	4 (1.1%)	38 (10.2%)	10 (2.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (4.8%)	75.2	227^th of 906 public elementary schools	74.9%		82.1	155^th of 916 public elementary schools	83.1%	72	64.7	53.1	50.9	56.9	58.8	52.1	50.9	54.3	61.1	61.1	$25,647
Cutler School	Public	K-5	237 Asbury Street	South Hamilton	01982	Essex County	Hamilton-Wenham	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 468-5330	246	22	11.1		217 (88.2%)	1 (0.4%)	18 (7.3%)	4 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.4%)	80.8	172^nd of 906 public elementary schools	81.0%		37.8	576^th of 916 public elementary schools	37.1%	404	69.8	61.8	60.0	64.1	67.4	64.7	52.5	61.5	50.0	50.0	$20,524
Centerville Elementary	Public	K-4	17 Hull Street	Beverly	01915	Essex County	Beverly	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 921-6120	327	29	11.4		230 (70.3%)	15 (4.6%)	56 (17.1%)	7 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (5.8%)	81.1	170^th of 906 public elementary schools	81.2%		77.9	208^th of 916 public elementary schools	77.3%	38	53.5	63.9		58.8	59.3	67.2		63.3			$20,236
Bessie Buker Elementary	Public	K-5	1 School Street	Wenham	01984	Essex County	Hamilton-Wenham	No	No	No	No	(978) 468-5324	255	18	14.1		223 (87.5%)	3 (1.2%)	16 (6.3%)	7 (2.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.4%)	90.1	67^th of 906 public elementary schools	92.6%		89.5	81^st of 916 public elementary schools	91.2%	14	62.5	61.5	80.0	66.7	71.9	65.8	79.4	72.1	79.4	79.4	$20,383
North Beverly Elementary	Public	K-4	48 Putnam Street	Beverly	01915	Essex County	Beverly	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 921-6130	356	29	12.2		263 (73.9%)	13 (3.7%)	48 (13.5%)	16 (4.5%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	14 (3.9%)	86.3	113^th of 906 public elementary schools	87.5%		84	133^rd of 916 public elementary schools	85.5%	20	61.4	56.6		58.7	70.2	74.7		72.7			$19,489
Paul F Doyon Memorial	Public	PK, KG-5	216 Linebrook Rd	Ipswich	01938	Essex County	Ipswich	No	No	No	No	(978) 356-5506	366	35	10.5		301 (82.2%)	6 (1.6%)	32 (8.7%)	4 (1.1%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (5.7%)	80.7	173^rd of 906 public elementary schools	80.9%		76.9	221^st of 916 public elementary schools	75.9%	48	51.8	53.7	65.5	57.0	58.9	58.2	65.5	60.8	74.6	74.6	$24,593

Frequently Asked Questions about Essex Elementary

How many students attend Essex Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 215 students attended Essex Elementary.

What schools do graduates of Essex Elementary attend?

Students who attend Essex Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Manchester Essex Regional Middle School
High : Manchester Essex Regional High School

What is the racial makeup of Essex Elementary?

Students at Essex Elementary are 93% White, 4% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races.

What district is Essex Elementary in?

Manchester Essex Regional

Is Essex Elementary a good school?

Essex Elementary ranks 328^th of 906 Massachusetts elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Rate Essex Elementary!

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.