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Russell Elementary School

Public Grades PK, KG-5

828^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 906 Massachusetts Elementary Schools

Better than 9% of Massachusetts elementary schools

Summary

Russell Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Dorchester, MA, serving 346 students in grades PK-5. The school is part of the Boston Public School District, which is ranked 298 out of 348 districts in Massachusetts and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger. Russell Elementary School has consistently ranked in the bottom half of Massachusetts elementary schools over the past several years, with a ranking between 641-822 out of around 900-940 schools.

Russell Elementary School faces significant challenges in terms of academic performance, with students consistently underperforming compared to the Boston district and Massachusetts state averages on MCAS Next Generation assessments across all grades and subjects. In 2024-2025, only 19.83% of students were proficient or better in ELA, compared to 29.27% in Boston and 41.53% statewide. In math, only 11.21% were proficient, compared to 27.68% in Boston and 40.74% statewide. The school's performance has been relatively stagnant over the past few years, with little improvement in proficiency rates. Additionally, the school struggles to support certain student subgroups, such as African American and Hispanic students, who perform significantly worse than their peers at the school.

While Russell Elementary School spends a relatively high amount per student, the student-teacher ratio is relatively high compared to nearby schools like Mason Elementary and Winthrop Elementary. Interestingly, the Conservatory Lab Charter School, located about 0.8 miles away, outperforms Russell Elementary and other nearby schools on MCAS assessments, suggesting that school choice and alternative educational models may be beneficial for the community. Addressing the challenges at Russell Elementary School will require a comprehensive, data-driven approach to improve instructional practices, target interventions for struggling students, and ensure equitable access to educational opportunities.

356

Students ?

11.8

Student/teacher ratio ?

$32,273

Per pupil spending ?

70%

Free/discounted lunch ?

750 Columbia Road
Dorchester, MA 02125

(617) 635-8803

District: Boston

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

59.3%

African American:

30.9%

White:

6.2%

See top rated Massachusetts elementary schools

Compare Russell Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 15th percentile in 2015 → 9th in 2025

Strengths

✓Small classes — about 12 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Massachusetts average (16% vs 41% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (9th percentile)

!Ranking has slipped — down 6 percentile points since 2015

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school16%

District avg28%

Massachusetts avg41%

828^th of 906

Massachusetts public elementary schools ?

Bottom 9%▼ down 6 pts since 2015

From bottom 15% (2015) to bottom 9% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Massachusetts Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

48^th of 65Elementary Schools in the Boston

298^th of 348Boston 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	11.9	828 of 906	8.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	13.1	822 of 916	10.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	25.0	691 of 928	25.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	25.4	699 of 932	25.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	23.2	720 of 936	23.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	36.2	641 of 942	32.0%	★★☆☆☆
2018	21.9	762 of 934	18.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	24.4	745 of 938	20.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	35.3	640 of 932	31.3%	★★☆☆☆
2015	17.7	779 of 914	14.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	27.8	716 of 926	22.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	28.5	709 of 928	23.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	11.6	836 of 930	10.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	14.7	805 of 924	12.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	21.0	769 of 920	16.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	8.5	851 of 909	6.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2008	12.9	813 of 908	10.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	16.3	791 of 911	13.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	12.7	820 of 911	10.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2005	3.5	873 of 887	1.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2004	5.4	852 of 882	3.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2003	4.0	856 of 884	3.2%	☆☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2024	23.2	147 of 167	12.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	61.9	44 of 173	74.6%	★★★★☆
2021	31.9	123 of 166	25.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	47.5	88 of 172	48.8%	★★☆☆☆
2018	59.0	55 of 174	68.4%	★★★☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2025	43.3	138 of 281	50.9%	★★★☆☆
2024	43.8	135 of 282	52.1%	★★★☆☆
2023	37.5	165 of 264	37.5%	★★☆☆☆
2022	69.7	29 of 267	89.1%	★★★★☆
2021	71.5	23 of 240	90.4%	★★★★★
2019	89.0	15 of 258	94.2%	★★★★★
2018	51.7	89 of 244	63.5%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2025	14.9	769 of 869	11.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	22.0	712 of 886	19.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	26.2	663 of 887	25.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	25.6	684 of 901	24.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	22.6	698 of 898	22.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	33.7	638 of 902	29.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	17.2	779 of 893	12.8%	★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2025	32.1	331 of 458	27.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	40.3	257 of 446	42.4%	★★☆☆☆
2023	44.1	216 of 420	48.6%	★★☆☆☆
2022	47.7	168 of 401	58.1%	★★★☆☆
2021	52.1	138 of 379	63.6%	★★★☆☆
2019	66.8	90 of 398	77.4%	★★★★☆
2018	43.5	221 of 379	41.7%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2025	27.9	593 of 736	19.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	28.8	607 of 760	20.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	39.7	477 of 757	37.0%	★★☆☆☆
2022	45.5	417 of 772	46.0%	★★☆☆☆
2021	36.8	458 of 705	35.0%	★★☆☆☆
2019	66.9	177 of 700	74.7%	★★★★☆
2018	35.3	498 of 685	27.3%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2025	11.9	816 of 884	7.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	10.2	840 of 891	5.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	24.9	682 of 896	23.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	26.5	685 of 908	24.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	27.6	664 of 904	26.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	40.2	561 of 907	38.1%	★★☆☆☆
2018	29.0	674 of 898	24.9%	★☆☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2022	47.3	463 of 905	48.8%	★★☆☆☆
2021	40.3	547 of 894	38.8%	★★☆☆☆
2019	63.6	255 of 896	71.5%	★★★★☆
2018	39.0	570 of 886	35.7%	★★☆☆☆

Tested In Person

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2021	20.4	735 of 925	20.5%	★☆☆☆☆

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)

English Language Learner (2025)51st percentile+42 vs school

Special Education (2022)49th percentile+24 vs school

Hispanic (2025)28th percentile+19 vs school

Tested In Person (2021)21st percentile-3 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)19th percentile+11 vs school

African American (2024)12th percentile~ school

Female (2025)12th percentile+3 vs school

Male (2025)8th percentile~ school

By subject vs Massachusetts (2024-2025) ?

Science21%-21 vs state

English Language Arts20%-22 vs state

Mathematics11%-30 vs state

★

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Schools Near Russell Elementary School

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)			MCAS Next Generation Civics (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 6th Grade	MCAS Next Generation English Language Arts 7th Grade	MCAS Next Generation English Language Arts 8th 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 6th Grade	MCAS Next Generation Mathematics 7th Grade	MCAS Next Generation Mathematics 8th Grade	MCAS Next Generation Mathematics All Grades	MCAS Next Generation Science 5th Grade	MCAS Next Generation Science 8th Grade	MCAS Next Generation Science All Grades	MCAS Next Generation Civics 8th Grade	Total
Russell Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	750 Columbia Road	Dorchester	02125	Suffolk County	Boston	No	No	No	Yes	(617) 635-8803	356	30	11.8		22 (6.2%)	110 (30.9%)	211 (59.3%)	8 (2.2%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	3 (0.8%)	11.9	828^th of 906 public elementary schools	8.6%		13.1	822^nd of 916 public elementary schools	10.3%	6	23.8	12.5	23.5				19.8	14.3	0.0	20.6				11.2	20.6		20.6		$32,273
Clap Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	35 Harvest Street	Dorchester	02125	Suffolk County	Boston	No	No	No	Yes	(617) 635-8672	140	16	8.9		16 (11.4%)	47 (33.6%)	61 (43.6%)	10 (7.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (4.3%)	10.8	842^nd of 906 public elementary schools	7.1%		13.3	821^st of 916 public elementary schools	10.4%	21	11.1	11.8	26.7	13.3			15.4	11.1	11.8	20.0	13.3			13.9	20.0		20.0		$39,976
Everett Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	71 Pleasant Street	Dorchester	02125	Suffolk County	Boston	No	No	No	Yes	(617) 635-8778	288	26	11.2		32 (11.1%)	119 (41.3%)	97 (33.7%)	32 (11.1%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.1%)	27.9	654^th of 906 public elementary schools	27.8%		27.6	660^th of 916 public elementary schools	27.9%	6	44.1	30.3	48.7	10.8			33.3	26.5	21.2	21.6	10.8			19.9	35.1		35.1		$33,138
Dudley Street Neighborhood Charter School	Public, Charter	PK, KG-5	6 Shirley Street	Boston	02119	Suffolk County	Dudley Street Neighborhood Charter School	Yes	No	No	Yes	(617) 227-8055	293	19	15.4		10 (3.4%)	165 (56.3%)	110 (37.5%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.7%)	1 (0.3%)	4 (1.4%)	14.9	788^th of 906 public elementary schools	13.0%		15.2	800^th of 916 public elementary schools	12.7%	12	27.8	17.8	23.5				22.6	25.0	6.7	14.7				14.8	26.5		26.5		$21,094
Mason Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	150 Norfolk Avenue	Roxbury	02119	Suffolk County	Boston	No	No	No	Yes	(617) 635-8405	205	22	9.4		10 (4.9%)	104 (50.7%)	82 (40.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (3.9%)	7.5	871^st of 906 public elementary schools	3.9%		11.4	848^th of 916 public elementary schools	7.4%	23	21.4	12.1	0.0				12.1	7.1	18.2	9.1				12.1	9.1		9.1		$39,624
Conservatory Lab Charter School	Public, Charter	PK, KG-8	395 Columbia Rd	Dorchester	02125	Suffolk County	Conservatory Lab Charter	Yes	No	No	Yes	(617) 254-8904	454	27	16.5		17 (3.7%)	229 (50.4%)	186 (41.0%)	5 (1.1%)	3 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	13 (2.9%)	36.6	582^nd of 906 public elementary schools	35.8%		33.1	609^th of 916 public elementary schools	33.5%	27	38.0	33.3	33.3	51.2	40.0	32.0	37.9	35.3	33.3	27.5	32.6	28.0	16.0	30.2	26.0	20.0	24.0	12.0	$24,122
Winthrop Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	35 Brookford Street	Dorchester	02125	Suffolk County	Boston	No	No	No	Yes	(617) 635-8379	226	25	9.2		8 (3.5%)	114 (50.4%)	86 (38.1%)	6 (2.7%)	2 (0.9%)	1 (0.4%)	9 (4.0%)	36.7	581^st of 906 public elementary schools	35.9%		29.5	644^th of 916 public elementary schools	29.7%	63	20.0	20.0	40.0	52.4			31.3	20.0	28.0	30.0	66.7			34.4	45.0		45.0		$35,779
Mather Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	24 Parish Street	Dorchester	02122	Suffolk County	Boston	No	No	No	Yes	(617) 635-8757	473	44	10.8		32 (6.8%)	168 (35.5%)	93 (19.7%)	156 (33.0%)	4 (0.8%)	2 (0.4%)	18 (3.8%)	22	706^th of 906 public elementary schools	22.1%		32.9	613^th of 916 public elementary schools	33.1%	93	35.2	17.2	17.9	31.9			24.9	25.0	29.2	26.8	23.4			26.3	23.2		23.2		$35,435
Dever Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	325 Mt Vernon Street	Dorchester	02125	Suffolk County	Boston	No	No	No	Yes	(617) 635-8694	445	39	11.4		35 (7.9%)	96 (21.6%)	292 (65.6%)	14 (3.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	7 (1.6%)	17.6	767^th of 906 public elementary schools	15.3%		10.3	858^th of 916 public elementary schools	6.3%	91	32.0	12.7	9.3	8.6			15.2	46.0	14.6	32.7	6.8			24.2	18.5		18.5		$34,948
Perkins Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	50 Burke Street	South Boston	02127	Suffolk County	Boston	No	No	No	Yes	(617) 635-8601	167	19	8.8		15 (9.0%)	61 (36.5%)	76 (45.5%)	9 (5.4%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (3.0%)	19.5	744^th of 906 public elementary schools	17.9%		15.3	799^th of 916 public elementary schools	12.8%	55	32.0	11.8	20.0	30.0			23.9	28.0	17.7	13.3	30.0			22.4	26.7		26.7		$41,105

Frequently Asked Questions about Russell Elementary School

Is Russell Elementary School a good school?

Russell Elementary School ranks in the bottom 8.6% of Massachusetts elementary schools.

What district is Russell Elementary School in?

Boston

How many students attend Russell Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 356 students attended Russell Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Russell Elementary School?

Students at Russell Elementary School are 59% Hispanic, 31% African American, 6% White, 2% Asian.

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Schools in Dorchester, MA

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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.