Best Elementary Schools in Springfield, MA

Springfield, Massachusetts has 35 elementary schools serving roughly 12,119 students, mostly as PK–5 campuses with a few variations — two K–8/PK–8 schools, a PK–K early childhood center, and a 3–5 academy. Enrollment averages about 346 students per school (median 314), ranging from 33 students at Springfield Public Day Elementary School to 621 at German Gerena Community School. Most schools belong to the Springfield district, which ranks 322 of 351 districts statewide, while two charters operate independently.

Academic results vary widely. Springfield Preparatory Charter School is the strongest overall — 76th percentile, 4 stars, and proficiency above the state average in ELA, Math, and Science. Alfred G. Zanetti Montessori Magnet School has the highest ELA score (55.56) and also beats the state in all three subjects. Frederick Harris and Warner round out the top group; Warner leads in Math (57.50), and Alice B Beal Elementary leads in Science (57.14). Roughly 18% of schools meet the state ELA average, 15% for Math, and 24% for Science. Several schools have improved noticeably, including Frederick Harris (31st to 59th percentile over three years), Samuel Bowles (17th to 41st), and Mary M Walsh (22nd to 41st).

The challenges remain substantial: about 55% of ranked schools sit in the bottom quartile. Lincoln is persistently near the bottom (0 percentile, 0 stars), and Springfield International Academy at Johnson enrolled only 38 students and reported 0% in all three subjects. Brightwood, Washington, and Benjamin Swan Elementary also rank in the lowest percentiles. Notably, the top-performing schools are not the highest-spending, and Science scores often outpace ELA and Math, though these reflect smaller grade-5 cohorts. Test score and spending figures should be read with those limits in mind.