New Bedford

New Bedford is a large urban district serving about 12,216 students across 23 schools — 17 elementary, 3 middle, 2 high, and 1 alternative — with enrollment ranging from 93 students at Trinity Day Academy to 2,878 at New Bedford High, which alone holds roughly a quarter of the district's students. Overall, the New Bedford district ranks 327 of 351 in Massachusetts, at the 7th percentile with 0 stars, and all-grade proficiency is about 19.81% in ELA, 19.26% in math, and 16.05% in science, versus state rates near 40–41% — roughly half the state level or lower.

Performance varies enormously from school to school. William H Taylor is the strongest performer, beating the state in all three subjects (ELA 50.0%, math 58.04%, science 48.57%) and ranking at the 68th percentile with 3 stars. James B Congdon (3 stars) tops the state in math and science, Elizabeth Carter Brooks tops it in ELA, and Casimir Pulaski is another bright spot. At the other end, Whaling City Junior/Senior High School ranks 353 of 353 with 0 stars, 0% ELA and math proficiency, a 50.6% graduation rate, and a 29.9% dropout rate. Trinity Day Academy also reports 0% proficiency, and elementary schools including Irwin M. Jacobs Elementary School, Alfred J Gomes, and Thomas R Rodman rank near the bottom of the state.

A few patterns stand out. Science is a district-wide weakness, and all three middle schools — Keith Middle School, Normandin Middle School, and Roosevelt Middle School — cluster near the bottom of the state. The top-performing schools are not the biggest spenders: William H Taylor and James B Congdon spend less per student than several lower-performing schools, while Trinity Day Academy and Whaling City spend the most. New Bedford High is below state averages but outperforms the district's other high schools, with an 84.8% graduation rate. Grade-level scores swing widely within schools, and because poverty data is missing and spending figures are from 2020-2021, percentages at very small schools should be read with caution.