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School for Exceptional Studies

Q: Is School for Exceptional Studies a good school?

School for Exceptional Studies ranks in the bottom 0.6% of Massachusetts alternative schools.

Q: How many students attend School for Exceptional Studies?

In the 2024-25 school year, 118 students attended School for Exceptional Studies.

Q: What is the racial makeup of School for Exceptional Studies?

Students at School for Exceptional Studies are 90% Hispanic, 5% White, 4% African American.

Public, Alternative Grades 1-12

347^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 349 Massachusetts Alternative Schools

Better than 1% of Massachusetts alternative schools

Summary

The School for Exceptional Studies is an alternative public school located in Lawrence, MA that serves grades KG-12 with a total enrollment of 108 students. The school is part of the Lawrence school district, which is ranked 334 out of 348 districts in Massachusetts and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Despite the school's low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 3 to 3.3 over the past few years, the School for Exceptional Studies has struggled academically. The school has had fluctuating four-year graduation rates, ranging from 72.7% to 82.4%, which are significantly lower than the state average of around 90%. Additionally, the school has had high dropout rates, ranging from 7.4% to 37.5% over the past few years, much higher than the state average. On the MCAS Next Generation assessments, the school has consistently scored 0% proficient or better across all subjects and grade levels, significantly lower than the state and district averages.

Interestingly, the School for Exceptional Studies spends significantly more per student ($56,485 in 2020-2021) compared to the nearby Pioneer Charter School of Science II ($16,308) and Collegiate Charter School of Lowell ($11,418). This raises questions about the efficiency and effectiveness of the school's resource allocation and teaching practices, especially when the school's academic performance is compared to the nearby charter schools, which outperform the School for Exceptional Studies in graduation rates, dropout rates, and test scores.

118

Students ?

3.7

Student/teacher ratio ?

$71,680

Per pupil spending ?

92%

Free/discounted lunch ?

233 Haverhill St.
Lawrence, MA 01841

(978) 975-5980

District: Lawrence

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

89.8%

White:

5.1%

African American:

4.2%

See top rated Massachusetts elementary schools

Compare School for Exceptional Studies to nearby alternative schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — <1st percentile in 2017 → 1st in 2025

Strengths

✓Small classes — about 4 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Massachusetts average (0% vs 41% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (1st percentile)

!English Language Arts scores 42 pts below the Massachusetts average

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school0%

District avg19%

Massachusetts avg41%

347^th of 349

Massachusetts public high schools ?

Bottom 1%▬ steady since 2015

See the entire ranking list of Massachusetts High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

334^th of 348Lawrence 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)

Elementary school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2019	0.5	942 of 942	0.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2017	1.0	938 of 938	0.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2016	0.9	931 of 932	0.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2015	0.4	913 of 914	0.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2014	0.3	926 of 926	0.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2013	0.4	928 of 928	0.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2012	0.7	929 of 930	0.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2011	0.9	922 of 924	0.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2010	1.1	917 of 920	0.3%	☆☆☆☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2019	11.8	660 of 665	0.8%	☆☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2019	1.5	700 of 700	0.0%	☆☆☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2019	1.2	896 of 896	0.0%	☆☆☆☆☆

Middle school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2024	5.6	487 of 493	1.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	3.8	499 of 501	0.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	3.7	500 of 501	0.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	1.0	498 of 498	0.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	1.5	484 of 484	0.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2017	1.7	487 of 487	0.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2016	2.5	476 of 482	1.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2015	0.7	441 of 441	0.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2014	1.2	452 of 455	0.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2013	0.8	454 of 455	0.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2012	0.7	454 of 455	0.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2011	0.3	449 of 449	0.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2010	3.7	418 of 434	3.7%	☆☆☆☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2021	17.3	423 of 431	1.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	13.5	421 of 424	0.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	22.0	362 of 417	13.2%	★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2024	8.2	378 of 378	0.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	8.1	362 of 364	0.5%	☆☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2024	8.1	464 of 469	1.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	4.4	479 of 481	0.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	5.1	461 of 462	0.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	2.2	452 of 452	0.0%	☆☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2024	5.8	481 of 483	0.4%	☆☆☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2024	22.9	375 of 441	15.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	16.9	429 of 444	3.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	5.2	488 of 489	0.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	2.0	484 of 484	0.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	3.3	466 of 467	0.2%	☆☆☆☆☆

High school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2025	2.5	347 of 349	0.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	0.5	348 of 351	0.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2016	0.0	350 of 351	0.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2015	0.1	352 of 354	0.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2014	0.2	342 of 347	1.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2013	0.6	337 of 344	2.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2012	2.0	327 of 340	3.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2011	9.3	310 of 340	8.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2010	2.6	328 of 335	2.1%	☆☆☆☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2019	13.0	281 of 299	6.0%	☆☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2025	5.3	245 of 245	0.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	2.9	206 of 206	0.0%	☆☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2025	3.7	333 of 334	0.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	1.4	326 of 330	1.2%	☆☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2019	0.7	345 of 346	0.3%	☆☆☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2025	13.8	300 of 302	0.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	1.5	345 of 348	0.9%	☆☆☆☆☆

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)

Elementary school

Disabled (2019)1st percentile~ school

Special Education (2019)<1st percentile~ school

Low Socio Economic Status (2019)<1st percentile~ school

Middle school

Special Education (2024)15th percentile+14 vs school

Disabled (2021)2nd percentile~ school

Low Socio Economic Status (2024)1st percentile~ school

Male (2024)<1st percentile~ school

Hispanic (2024)<1st percentile~ school

High school

Disabled (2019)6th percentile+5 vs school

Special Education (2025)1st percentile~ school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)<1st percentile~ school

Male (2019)<1st percentile~ school

Hispanic (2025)<1st percentile~ school

By subject vs Massachusetts (2024-2025) ?

English Language Arts0%-42 vs state

Mathematics0%-41 vs state

Science0%-42 vs state

Biology0%-39 vs state

★

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Schools Near School for Exceptional Studies

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking ()				Ranking ()				MCAS Next Generation English Language Arts (2025)								MCAS Next Generation Mathematics (2025)								MCAS Next Generation Science (2025)				MCAS Next Generation Biology (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 ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	SchoolDigger Rating ()	Average Standard Score ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	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 10th 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 10th Grade	MCAS Next Generation Mathematics All Grades	MCAS Next Generation Science 5th Grade	MCAS Next Generation Science 8th Grade	MCAS Next Generation Science 10th Grade	MCAS Next Generation Science All Grades	MCAS Next Generation Biology All Grades	MCAS Next Generation Civics 8th Grade	Total
School for Exceptional Studies	Public, Alternative	1-12	233 Haverhill St.	Lawrence	01841	Essex County	Lawrence	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 975-5980	118	31	3.7		6 (5.1%)	5 (4.2%)	106 (89.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)	0.0						0.0	0.0	0.0						0.0	0.0			0.0	0.0	0.0		$71,680
Bartlett School and Assessment Center	Public, Alternative	1-12	551 Washington Street	Haverhill	01830	Essex County	Haverhill	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 469-8735	45	7	6.2		20 (44.4%)	4 (8.9%)	19 (42.2%)	1 (2.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (2.2%)								(n/a)								0.0								0.0							$48,400
Dr. Janice Adie Day School	Public, Alternative	PK, KG-12	60 Carlisle Street	Chelmsford	01851	Middlesex County	Lowell	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 674-2405	70	15	4.6		21 (30.0%)	12 (17.1%)	26 (37.1%)	8 (11.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (4.3%)								(n/a)				0.0				0.0				0.0				0.0				0.0			$48,430
Collegiate Charter School of Lowell	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	1857 Middlesex Street	Lowell	01851	Middlesex County	Collegiate Charter School of Lowell	Yes	No	No	Yes	(978) 458-1399	1,212	114	10.6		279 (23.0%)	234 (19.3%)	336 (27.7%)	292 (24.1%)	27 (2.2%)	1 (0.1%)	43 (3.5%)								(n/a)	17.7	19.1	17.0	30.6	33.0	40.6	43.1	26.6	19.3	21.4	19.0	18.8	19.6	21.5	14.9	19.9	26.3	17.8	13.9	21.8	20.5	25.2	$14,457
Peabody Personalized Remote Education Program	Public, Virtual, Alternative	4-12	485R Lowell Street	Peabody	01960	Essex County	Peabody	No	No	Yes	No	(978) 536-4554	97	6	15.5		54 (55.7%)	6 (6.2%)	29 (29.9%)	4 (4.1%)	1 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.0%)								(n/a)							15.4	0.0							9.1	0.0							$14,729
Pioneer Charter School of Science II	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	97 Main Street	Saugus	01906	Essex County	Pioneer Charter School of Science II	Yes	No	No	Yes	(781) 666-3945	621	53	11.7		145 (23.3%)	195 (31.4%)	148 (23.8%)	105 (16.9%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (4.0%)								(n/a)	48.0	46.9			75.3	69.9	90.2	62.5	68.0	46.9			84.9	84.9	98.0	73.9		56.2	74.5	56.2	69.2	63.0	$17,493

Frequently Asked Questions about School for Exceptional Studies

How many students attend School for Exceptional Studies?

In the 2024-25 school year, 118 students attended School for Exceptional Studies.

Is School for Exceptional Studies a good school?

School for Exceptional Studies ranks in the bottom 0.6% of Massachusetts alternative schools.

What is the racial makeup of School for Exceptional Studies?

Students at School for Exceptional Studies are 90% Hispanic, 5% White, 4% African American.

What district is School for Exceptional Studies in?

Lawrence

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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.