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Bessie Buker Elementary

Public Grades K-5

67^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 906 Massachusetts Elementary Schools

Better than 93% of Massachusetts elementary schools

Summary

Bessie Buker Elementary is a public elementary school in Wenham, Massachusetts, serving 259 students from kindergarten to 5th grade. The school is part of the highly-ranked Hamilton-Wenham school district, which is rated 4 out of 5 stars by SchoolDigger.

Bessie Buker Elementary consistently outperforms the state and district averages in MCAS Next Generation assessments for English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science. In the 2024-2025 school year, the school had 66.67% of students proficient or better in ELA, compared to 62.52% for the district and 41.53% for the state. In Mathematics, Bessie Buker had 72.06% of students proficient or better, compared to 61.88% for the district and 40.74% for the state. The school's performance in Science was also exceptional, with 79.41% of students proficient or better, compared to 67.6% for the district and 41.51% for the state. Bessie Buker has consistently ranked among the top elementary schools in Massachusetts, with its statewide ranking ranging from 67 to 285 out of over 900 schools.

When compared to nearby schools, Bessie Buker Elementary stands out as a high-performing institution. The school's low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 13.2 to 13.9 over the past few years, is lower than the nearby schools in the analysis. Additionally, Bessie Buker's exceptional performance across multiple subject areas and student subgroups, including female students, male students, white students, and special education students, makes it an attractive option for families in the area.

255

Students ?

14.1

Student/teacher ratio ?

$20,383

Per pupil spending ?

8.8%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1 School Street
Wenham, MA 01984

(978) 468-5324

District: Hamilton-Wenham

Students who attend Bessie Buker Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Miles River Middle
High:	Hamilton-Wenham Regional High

Racial breakdown:

White:

87.5%

Hispanic:

6.3%

Asian:

2.7%

See top rated Massachusetts elementary schools

Compare Bessie Buker Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 65th percentile in 2015 → 93rd in 2025

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Massachusetts average (70% vs 41% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 7% of Massachusetts elementary schools

✓Ranking is trending up — up 28 percentile points since 2015

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school70%

District avg63%

Massachusetts avg41%

67^th of 906

Massachusetts public elementary schools ?

Top 7%▲ up 27 pts since 2015

From top 35% (2015) to top 7% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Massachusetts Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

1^st of 3Elementary Schools in the Hamilton-Wenham

39^th of 348Hamilton-Wenham 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	90.1	67 of 906	92.6%	★★★★★
2024	89.5	81 of 916	91.2%	★★★★★
2023	83.6	150 of 928	83.8%	★★★★☆
2022	90.0	87 of 932	90.7%	★★★★★
2021	81.9	153 of 936	83.7%	★★★★☆
2019	74.6	237 of 942	74.8%	★★★★☆
2018	73.7	241 of 934	74.2%	★★★★☆
2017	68.4	285 of 938	69.6%	★★★☆☆
2016	82.5	138 of 932	85.2%	★★★★☆
2015	66.7	317 of 914	65.3%	★★★☆☆
2014	77.1	199 of 926	78.5%	★★★★☆
2013	76.1	216 of 928	76.7%	★★★★☆
2012	80.4	171 of 930	81.6%	★★★★☆
2011	72.1	285 of 924	69.2%	★★★☆☆
2010	66.8	330 of 920	64.1%	★★★☆☆
2009	67.9	315 of 909	65.3%	★★★☆☆
2008	65.1	333 of 908	63.3%	★★★☆☆
2007	70.2	280 of 911	69.3%	★★★☆☆
2006	71.3	258 of 911	71.7%	★★★★☆
2005	78.4	197 of 887	77.8%	★★★★☆
2004	78.4	188 of 882	78.7%	★★★★☆
2003	58.6	409 of 884	53.7%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2025	88.7	76 of 869	91.3%	★★★★★
2024	94.4	21 of 886	97.6%	★★★★★
2023	88.8	76 of 887	91.4%	★★★★★
2022	89.9	72 of 901	92.0%	★★★★★
2021	85.2	121 of 898	86.5%	★★★★☆
2019	75.3	209 of 902	76.8%	★★★★☆
2018	65.2	326 of 893	63.5%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2025	83.1	131 of 884	85.2%	★★★★☆
2024	78.0	181 of 891	79.7%	★★★★☆
2023	72.5	244 of 896	72.8%	★★★★☆
2022	86.8	98 of 908	89.2%	★★★★☆
2021	73.9	235 of 904	74.0%	★★★★☆
2019	68.8	278 of 907	69.3%	★★★☆☆
2018	76.8	200 of 898	77.7%	★★★★☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2022	93.0	26 of 905	97.1%	★★★★★
2019	56.0	347 of 896	61.3%	★★★☆☆
2018	59.9	307 of 886	65.3%	★★★☆☆

Tested In Person

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2021	81.6	160 of 925	82.7%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2025	86.3	59 of 737	92.0%	★★★★★
2024	84.1	80 of 753	89.4%	★★★★☆
2023	73.0	172 of 762	77.4%	★★★★☆
2022	81.6	109 of 764	85.7%	★★★★☆
2021	71.0	199 of 765	74.0%	★★★★☆
2019	63.7	273 of 780	65.0%	★★★☆☆
2018	63.1	285 of 772	63.1%	★★★☆☆

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)

Special Education (2022)97th percentile+6 vs school

White (2025)92nd percentile~ school

Female (2025)91st percentile~ school

Male (2025)85th percentile-7 vs school

Tested In Person (2021)83rd percentile~ school

By subject vs Massachusetts (2024-2025) ?

Science79%+38 vs state

Mathematics72%+31 vs state

English Language Arts67%+25 vs state

★

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Schools Near Bessie Buker Elementary

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 All Grades	MCAS Next Generation Mathematics 3rd Grade	MCAS Next Generation Mathematics 4th Grade	MCAS Next Generation Mathematics 5th Grade	MCAS Next Generation Mathematics All Grades	MCAS Next Generation Science 5th Grade	MCAS Next Generation Science All Grades	Total
Bessie Buker Elementary	Public	K-5	1 School Street	Wenham	01984	Essex County	Hamilton-Wenham	No	No	No	No	(978) 468-5324	255	18	14.1		223 (87.5%)	3 (1.2%)	16 (6.3%)	7 (2.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.4%)	90.1	67^th of 906 public elementary schools	92.6%		89.5	81^st of 916 public elementary schools	91.2%	14	62.5	61.5	80.0	66.7	71.9	65.8	79.4	72.1	79.4	79.4	$20,383
Winthrop School	Public	PK, KG-5	325 Bay Rd	South Hamilton	01982	Essex County	Hamilton-Wenham	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 468-5340	329	27	12.1		284 (86.3%)	2 (0.6%)	19 (5.8%)	15 (4.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.7%)	79	192^nd of 906 public elementary schools	78.8%		70	278^th of 916 public elementary schools	69.7%	86	55.6	40.4	66.7	53.3	68.9	57.9	70.8	65.3	70.8	70.8	$22,442
Cutler School	Public	K-5	237 Asbury Street	South Hamilton	01982	Essex County	Hamilton-Wenham	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 468-5330	246	22	11.1		217 (88.2%)	1 (0.4%)	18 (7.3%)	4 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.4%)	80.8	172^nd of 906 public elementary schools	81.0%		37.8	576^th of 916 public elementary schools	37.1%	404	69.8	61.8	60.0	64.1	67.4	64.7	52.5	61.5	50.0	50.0	$20,524
North Beverly Elementary	Public	K-4	48 Putnam Street	Beverly	01915	Essex County	Beverly	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 921-6130	356	29	12.2		263 (73.9%)	13 (3.7%)	48 (13.5%)	16 (4.5%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	14 (3.9%)	86.3	113^th of 906 public elementary schools	87.5%		84	133^rd of 916 public elementary schools	85.5%	20	61.4	56.6		58.7	70.2	74.7		72.7			$19,489
Hannah Elementary	Public	K-4	41R Brimbal Avenue	Beverly	01915	Essex County	Beverly	No	No	No	No	(978) 921-6126	312	26	12.0		238 (76.3%)	6 (1.9%)	39 (12.5%)	11 (3.5%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (4.8%)	76.9	219^th of 906 public elementary schools	75.8%		63.4	335^th of 916 public elementary schools	63.4%	116	58.8	56.0		57.6	55.9	60.0		57.6			$19,275
Centerville Elementary	Public	K-4	17 Hull Street	Beverly	01915	Essex County	Beverly	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 921-6120	327	29	11.4		230 (70.3%)	15 (4.6%)	56 (17.1%)	7 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (5.8%)	81.1	170^th of 906 public elementary schools	81.2%		77.9	208^th of 916 public elementary schools	77.3%	38	53.5	63.9		58.8	59.3	67.2		63.3			$20,236
Willis E Thorpe	Public	K-5	1 Avon Road	Danvers	01923	Essex County	Danvers	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 774-6946	294	21	14.1		253 (86.1%)	6 (2.0%)	31 (10.5%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.7%)	63.1	338^th of 906 public elementary schools	62.7%		73.6	256^th of 916 public elementary schools	72.1%	82	39.4	51.6	44.4	46.5	40.6	67.2	46.7	54.6	44.4	44.4	$18,174
Steward Elementary	Public	PK, KG-3	261 Perkins Row	Topsfield	01983	Essex County	Topsfield	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 887-1538	347	31	11.1		319 (91.9%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (4.0%)	6 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (2.3%)								(n/a)	65.6			65.6	56.7			56.7			$21,700
Ivan G Smith	Public	K-5	15 Lobao Drive	Danvers	01923	Essex County	Danvers	No	No	No	No	(978) 774-1350	389	32	12.0		298 (76.6%)	30 (7.7%)	47 (12.1%)	11 (2.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.8%)	56.9	387^th of 906 public elementary schools	57.3%		65.1	319^th of 916 public elementary schools	65.2%	68	44.6	35.7	51.7	43.5	51.8	48.6	41.4	47.3	49.1	49.1	$18,852
Cove Elementary	Public	K-4	20 Eisenhower Avenue	Beverly	01915	Essex County	Beverly	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 921-6121	394	32	12.4		285 (72.3%)	15 (3.8%)	71 (18.0%)	4 (1.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (4.6%)	59.4	362^nd of 906 public elementary schools	60.0%		49.7	475^th of 916 public elementary schools	48.1%	113	52.1	36.3		43.8	52.1	51.3		51.6			$19,578

Frequently Asked Questions about Bessie Buker Elementary

How many students attend Bessie Buker Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 255 students attended Bessie Buker Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Bessie Buker Elementary?

Students at Bessie Buker Elementary are 87% White, 6% Hispanic, 3% Asian, 2% Two or more races, 1% African American.

Is Bessie Buker Elementary a good school?

Yes. Bessie Buker Elementary ranks in the top 7.4% of Massachusetts elementary schools.

What district is Bessie Buker Elementary in?

Hamilton-Wenham

What schools do graduates of Bessie Buker Elementary attend?

Students who attend Bessie Buker Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Miles River Middle
High : Hamilton-Wenham Regional High

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Schools in Wenham, 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.