Summary:
The city of New Salem, Massachusetts has only one public elementary school, Swift River Elementary School, which serves students from kindergarten through 6th grade. The school's performance has consistently ranked in the bottom half of Massachusetts elementary schools over the past three years, with test scores below the state averages in English Language Arts and Mathematics.
While New Salem-Wendell School District spends more per student ($24,376) than the state average, Swift River Elementary School's academic outcomes remain a concern. The school's English Language Arts and Mathematics proficiency rates were significantly lower than the state averages in the 2024-2025 school year, at 28.95% and 25.97% respectively, compared to the state's 41.53% and 40.74%. However, the school performed better in Science, with 52.63% of students proficient or better, exceeding the state average of 41.51%.
The data suggests that Swift River Elementary School faces challenges in improving student learning, particularly in core subjects like English Language Arts and Mathematics. Further investigation into the factors contributing to the school's consistent underperformance, as well as strategies for effectively allocating resources to support student success, could provide valuable insights for the school and district to address these issues.
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