Beta You're viewing our redesigned school page. Prefer the classic layout?

Plum Cove School

Q: Is Plum Cove School a good school?

Plum Cove School ranks 320 th of 906 Massachusetts elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades K-5

320^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 906 Massachusetts Elementary Schools

Better than 65% of Massachusetts elementary schools

Summary

Plum Cove School is an elementary school in Gloucester, Massachusetts, serving 208 students from kindergarten to 5th grade. The school consistently outperforms the Gloucester district and the state of Massachusetts in academic assessments, with particularly strong results in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science.

Plum Cove School's academic excellence is evident across different student subgroups, including those from low socioeconomic backgrounds and students with special needs. In the 2024-2025 school year, the school had 44.76% of students proficient or better in ELA, compared to 33.57% for Gloucester and 41.53% for Massachusetts. In Mathematics, Plum Cove School had 56.19% of students proficient or better, significantly higher than the 29.82% for Gloucester and 40.74% for the state. The school's performance in Science is particularly impressive, with 82.14% of students proficient or better, far exceeding the Gloucester district (36.9%) and the state (41.51%).

When compared to nearby elementary schools, such as West Parish and East Veterans Elementary, both in the Gloucester district, Plum Cove School consistently outperforms its peers in academic achievement. This consistent excellence across multiple subject areas and student subgroups makes Plum Cove School a standout educational institution within the Gloucester community and the state of Massachusetts.

217

Students ?

12.9

Student/teacher ratio ?

$23,201

Per pupil spending ?

31.7%

Free/discounted lunch ?

15 Hickory Street
Gloucester, MA 01930

(978) 282-3030

District: Gloucester

Students who attend Plum Cove School usually attend:

Middle:	Ralph B O'Maley Middle
High:	Gloucester High

Racial breakdown:

White:

84.8%

Two or more races:

6.5%

Hispanic:

6.0%

See top rated Massachusetts elementary schools

Compare Plum Cove School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 78th percentile in 2015 → 65th in 2025

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Massachusetts average (54% vs 41% meeting standards)

✓Among the top-ranked schools in Gloucester

✓Above the Massachusetts median (65th percentile)

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 13 percentile points since 2015

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school54%

District avg32%

Massachusetts avg41%

320^th of 906

Massachusetts public elementary schools ?

Top 35%▼ down 14 pts since 2015

From top 22% (2015) to top 35% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Massachusetts Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

1^st of 4Elementary Schools in the Gloucester

259^th of 348Gloucester 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	66.0	320 of 906	64.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	62.7	343 of 916	62.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	74.8	236 of 928	74.6%	★★★★☆
2022	76.0	215 of 932	76.9%	★★★★☆
2021	82.1	151 of 936	83.9%	★★★★☆
2019	73.7	249 of 942	73.6%	★★★★☆
2018	61.5	379 of 934	59.4%	★★★☆☆
2017	61.9	368 of 938	60.8%	★★★☆☆
2016	77.3	200 of 932	78.5%	★★★★☆
2015	77.1	198 of 914	78.3%	★★★★☆
2014	65.3	341 of 926	63.2%	★★★☆☆
2013	59.4	417 of 928	55.1%	★★★☆☆
2012	65.8	354 of 930	61.9%	★★★☆☆
2011	62.4	385 of 924	58.3%	★★★☆☆
2010	50.8	519 of 920	43.6%	★★☆☆☆
2009	36.0	632 of 909	30.5%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2025	67.7	284 of 869	67.3%	★★★☆☆
2024	58.3	382 of 886	56.9%	★★★☆☆
2023	62.1	345 of 887	61.1%	★★★☆☆
2022	70.5	252 of 901	72.0%	★★★★☆
2021	67.7	283 of 898	68.5%	★★★☆☆
2019	60.8	360 of 902	60.1%	★★★☆☆
2018	56.0	417 of 893	53.3%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2025	60.7	226 of 736	69.3%	★★★☆☆
2023	88.7	37 of 757	95.1%	★★★★★
2022	88.9	27 of 772	96.5%	★★★★★
2021	92.6	14 of 705	98.0%	★★★★★
2018	72.8	114 of 685	83.4%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2025	62.2	329 of 884	62.8%	★★★☆☆
2024	64.0	310 of 891	65.2%	★★★☆☆
2023	81.8	144 of 896	83.9%	★★★★☆
2022	76.7	186 of 908	79.5%	★★★★☆
2021	89.7	68 of 904	92.5%	★★★★★
2019	79.0	168 of 907	81.5%	★★★★☆
2018	65.9	305 of 898	66.0%	★★★☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2024	45.3	351 of 731	52.0%	★★★☆☆
2023	79.6	88 of 703	87.5%	★★★★☆
2022	75.3	154 of 905	83.0%	★★★★☆
2021	83.5	93 of 894	89.6%	★★★★☆
2019	59.7	299 of 896	66.6%	★★★☆☆
2018	59.8	308 of 886	65.2%	★★★☆☆

Tested In Person

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2021	79.1	183 of 925	80.2%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2025	54.1	349 of 737	52.6%	★★★☆☆
2024	47.8	409 of 753	45.7%	★★☆☆☆
2023	61.7	277 of 762	63.6%	★★★☆☆
2022	64.1	250 of 764	67.3%	★★★☆☆
2021	74.3	174 of 765	77.3%	★★★★☆
2019	63.5	278 of 780	64.4%	★★★☆☆
2018	49.0	432 of 772	44.0%	★★☆☆☆

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)80th percentile-4 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)69th percentile+5 vs school

Female (2025)67th percentile+3 vs school

Male (2025)63rd percentile~ school

White (2025)53rd percentile-12 vs school

Special Education (2024)52nd percentile-11 vs school

By subject vs Massachusetts (2024-2025) ?

Science82%+41 vs state

Mathematics56%+15 vs state

English Language Arts45%+3 vs state

★

No ratings yet

Be the first to rate Plum Cove School and help other families decide.

Rate Plum Cove School

Have first-hand experience? A quick rating - and a sentence or two about what stands out (teachers, academics, safety, communication) - helps other families know what to expect.

Takes about a minute. We email you a link to verify your review - your address is never shown publicly.

Tap a star to rate

Reviews

No written reviews yet. If you know this school, be the first to share what stands out.

Schools Near Plum Cove 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)		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 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 All Grades	MCAS Next Generation Science 5th Grade	MCAS Next Generation Science All Grades	Total
Plum Cove School	Public	K-5	15 Hickory Street	Gloucester	01930	Essex County	Gloucester	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 282-3030	217	17	12.9		184 (84.8%)	4 (1.8%)	13 (6.0%)	2 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (6.5%)	66	320^th of 906 public elementary schools	64.7%		62.7	343^rd of 916 public elementary schools	62.6%	23	40.0	29.7	71.4		44.8	52.5	51.4	67.9		56.2	82.1	82.1	$23,201
Beeman Memorial	Public	K-5	138 Cherry Street	Gloucester	01930	Essex County	Gloucester	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 281-9825	292	31	9.5		184 (63.0%)	9 (3.1%)	83 (28.4%)	5 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (3.8%)	20.6	730^th of 906 public elementary schools	19.4%		27.1	668^th of 916 public elementary schools	27.1%	62	28.3	29.1	20.0		26.1	24.5	25.5	23.9		24.7	23.9	23.9	$22,223
Rockport Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	34 Jerdens Lane	Rockport	01966	Essex County	Rockport	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 546-1220	264	29	9.0		230 (87.1%)	2 (0.8%)	16 (6.1%)	3 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (4.9%)	48.9	466^th of 906 public elementary schools	48.6%		58.1	390^th of 916 public elementary schools	57.4%	76	48.7	46.7	23.1		39.8	41.0	37.8	33.3		37.4	59.5	59.5	$28,871
East Veterans Elementary School	Public	K-5	11 Webster Street	Gloucester	01930	Essex County	Gloucester	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(978) 281-9820	451	40	11.2		282 (62.5%)	17 (3.8%)	115 (25.5%)	10 (2.2%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	25 (5.5%)	30.1	635^th of 906 public elementary schools	29.9%		35.1	597^th of 916 public elementary schools	34.8%	38	27.5	31.3	33.3		30.7	34.8	21.9	31.9		29.8	36.1	36.1	$23,017
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
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
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
Pine Grove	Public	PK, KG-6	191 Main Street	Rowley	01969	Essex County	Triton	No	No	No	No	(978) 948-2520	429	38	11.2		395 (92.1%)	2 (0.5%)	16 (3.7%)	5 (1.2%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.1%)	81.9	161^st of 906 public elementary schools	82.2%		76.9	223^rd of 916 public elementary schools	75.7%	62	65.7	53.9	67.7	60.4	63.0	68.7	53.9	51.6	58.3	58.8	62.9	62.9	$23,123
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 Plum Cove School

How many students attend Plum Cove School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 217 students attended Plum Cove School.

What schools do graduates of Plum Cove School attend?

Students who attend Plum Cove School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Ralph B O'Maley Middle
High : Gloucester High

Is Plum Cove School a good school?

Plum Cove School ranks 320^th of 906 Massachusetts elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What district is Plum Cove School in?

Gloucester

What is the racial makeup of Plum Cove School?

Students at Plum Cove School are 85% White, 6% Two or more races, 6% Hispanic, 2% African American.

Rate Plum Cove School!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

MAMassachusetts Elementary School Rankings

MAMassachusetts District Rankings

Schools in Gloucester, MA

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Plum Cove School!

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.