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Bowen

Q: Is Bowen a good school?

Bowen ranks 164 th of 899 Massachusetts elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades K-5

164^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 899 Massachusetts Elementary Schools

Better than 82% of Massachusetts elementary schools

Summary

Bowen is a K–5 elementary school in Newton Centre, MA, serving 325 students as part of the highly rated Newton Public Schools district. The district ranks 30th of 351 districts statewide (91st percentile, 5 stars), while Bowen earns 4 stars and ranks 164th of 899 Massachusetts elementary schools in 2025–2026 (82nd percentile). Bowen has generally been high-performing, but this recent rank is below its 2023–2024 peak. Its student–teacher ratio improved to 10.0 in 2024–2025, and per-student spending was $20,244 in 2020–2021.

Bowen is above the state average in all three tested subjects: ELA 53.01% vs. 40.03% statewide, math 65.27% vs. 41.11%, and science 61.67% vs. 40.98%. However, it is below the Newton district average in all three—ELA 65.19%, math 69.09%, science 66.88%—with ELA showing the largest gap. Among nearby Newton elementary schools, Bowen ranks 7th of 8 overall, ahead only of Cabot, and has the lowest ELA proficiency of the group. John Ward, Mason-Rice, A E Angier, Memorial Spaulding, Countryside, and Zervas all rank higher. Nearby Brookline schools Edith C Baker and Roland Hayes also rank ahead. Math is Bowen’s comparative strength: Grade 3 math is 74.07%, above district, and Grade 4 math is 68.63%, slightly above district. Grade 5 is weaker, with math at 54.84%, ELA at 51.61%, and science at 61.67%, all below district.

Recent trends show an ELA slide: 65.56% in 2023–2024, 56.98% in 2024–2025, and 53.01% in 2025–2026, while district ELA stayed around 63%–66%. Math has been steadier in the low-to-mid 60s. Science was a bright spot in 2024–2025 at 74.60%, above district, but fell to 61.67% in 2025–2026, below district. Special education effectiveness is a standout: Bowen ranked 46th of 709 (94th percentile, 5 stars) in 2025–2026. Some additional effectiveness rankings have declined, consistent with the broader ELA drop. Resources are comparatively lean, but class size is favorable. Overall, Bowen remains a high-performing school in a very strong district, with math as its comparative advantage and special-education effectiveness as a notable strength; the main concern is the recent ELA decline and its position below most nearby Newton elementary schools.

325

Students ?

10.0

Student/teacher ratio ?

$25,514

Per pupil spending ?

10.5%

Free/discounted lunch ?

280 Cypress Street
Newton Centre, MA 02459

(617) 559-9330

District: Newton

Students who attend Bowen usually attend:

Middle:	Oak Hill Middle
High:	Newton South High

Racial breakdown:

White:

43.4%

Asian:

30.8%

Hispanic:

12.6%

See top rated Massachusetts elementary schools

Compare Bowen to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 81st percentile in 2016 → 82nd in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Massachusetts average (60% vs 41% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 18% of Massachusetts elementary schools

✓Small classes — about 10 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school60%

District avg67%

Massachusetts avg41%

164^th of 899

Massachusetts public elementary schools ?

Top 18%▲ up 1 pts since 2016

See the entire ranking list of Massachusetts Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

11^th of 15Elementary Schools in the Newton

30^th of 351Newton 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
2026	80.6	164 of 899	81.8%	★★★★☆
2025	82.6	150 of 906	83.4%	★★★★☆
2024	88.1	99 of 916	89.2%	★★★★☆
2023	82.2	162 of 928	82.5%	★★★★☆
2022	84.9	131 of 932	85.9%	★★★★☆
2021	84.7	133 of 936	85.8%	★★★★☆
2019	84.2	121 of 942	87.2%	★★★★☆
2018	86.8	95 of 934	89.8%	★★★★☆
2017	72.1	250 of 938	73.3%	★★★★☆
2016	79.2	177 of 932	81.0%	★★★★☆
2015	78.5	184 of 914	79.9%	★★★★☆
2014	87.5	67 of 926	92.8%	★★★★★
2013	87.2	71 of 928	92.3%	★★★★★
2012	87.7	71 of 930	92.4%	★★★★★
2011	90.5	33 of 924	96.4%	★★★★★
2010	91.0	23 of 920	97.5%	★★★★★
2009	88.6	61 of 909	93.3%	★★★★★
2008	91.1	37 of 908	95.9%	★★★★★
2007	91.5	29 of 911	96.8%	★★★★★
2006	91.6	28 of 911	96.9%	★★★★★
2005	91.7	29 of 887	96.7%	★★★★★
2004	94.1	7 of 882	99.2%	★★★★★
2003	86.1	93 of 884	89.5%	★★★★☆

Asian

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2026	62.2	75 of 149	49.7%	★★★☆☆
2025	63.9	57 of 142	59.9%	★★★☆☆
2024	78.7	31 of 152	79.6%	★★★★☆
2023	65.0	60 of 145	58.6%	★★★☆☆
2022	55.4	82 of 143	42.7%	★★☆☆☆
2021	57.4	78 of 141	44.7%	★★☆☆☆
2019	56.6	73 of 155	52.9%	★★★☆☆
2018	60.6	72 of 154	53.2%	★★★☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2022	87.0	47 of 672	93.0%	★★★★★
2021	50.9	259 of 632	59.0%	★★★☆☆
2019	86.6	45 of 665	93.2%	★★★★★
2018	87.7	37 of 656	94.4%	★★★★★

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2026	77.2	182 of 869	79.1%	★★★★☆
2025	78.6	174 of 869	80.0%	★★★★☆
2024	83.9	133 of 886	85.0%	★★★★☆
2023	86.5	113 of 887	87.3%	★★★★☆
2022	87.3	102 of 901	88.7%	★★★★☆
2021	85.0	124 of 898	86.2%	★★★★☆
2019	78.4	168 of 902	81.4%	★★★★☆
2018	81.9	123 of 893	86.2%	★★★★☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2024	86.2	28 of 446	93.7%	★★★★★

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2026	59.0	247 of 742	66.7%	★★★☆☆
2019	90.3	21 of 700	97.0%	★★★★★

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2026	80.5	150 of 879	82.9%	★★★★☆
2025	81.8	149 of 884	83.1%	★★★★☆
2024	88.8	74 of 891	91.7%	★★★★★
2023	70.7	262 of 896	70.8%	★★★★☆
2022	75.1	204 of 908	77.5%	★★★★☆
2021	76.2	212 of 904	76.5%	★★★★☆
2019	86.4	96 of 907	89.4%	★★★★☆
2018	87.4	81 of 898	91.0%	★★★★★

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2026	88.0	46 of 709	93.5%	★★★★★
2024	95.5	7 of 731	99.0%	★★★★★
2023	77.0	107 of 703	84.8%	★★★★☆
2022	88.7	48 of 905	94.7%	★★★★★
2021	84.9	87 of 894	90.3%	★★★★★
2019	89.5	36 of 896	96.0%	★★★★★
2018	84.4	77 of 886	91.3%	★★★★★

Tested In Person

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2021	86.0	118 of 925	87.2%	★★★★☆

Tested Remotely

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2021	78.9	75 of 399	81.2%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2026	60.3	285 of 734	61.2%	★★★☆☆
2025	68.7	208 of 737	71.8%	★★★★☆
2024	81.9	94 of 753	87.5%	★★★★☆
2023	65.3	248 of 762	67.5%	★★★☆☆
2022	76.4	141 of 764	81.5%	★★★★☆
2021	79.7	130 of 765	83.0%	★★★★☆
2019	78.5	125 of 780	84.0%	★★★★☆
2018	82.4	87 of 772	88.7%	★★★★☆

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)

Hispanic (2024)94th percentile+5 vs school

Special Education (2026)94th percentile+12 vs school

Disabled (2022)93rd percentile+7 vs school

Tested In Person (2021)87th percentile~ school

Male (2026)83rd percentile~ school

Tested Remotely (2021)81st percentile-5 vs school

Female (2026)79th percentile-3 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)67th percentile-15 vs school

White (2026)61st percentile-21 vs school

Asian (2026)50th percentile-32 vs school

By subject vs Massachusetts (2025-2026) ?

Mathematics65%+24 vs state

Science62%+21 vs state

English Language Arts53%+13 vs state

5.0

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What people are saying

by a parent
Wednesday, September 7, 2016

Bowen is an excellent school, which prides itself with great academic offerings. The community is diverse and inclusive. Close Quote

Schools Near Bowen

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				MCAS Next Generation English Language Arts (2026)							MCAS Next Generation Mathematics (2026)							MCAS Next Generation Science (2026)			MCAS Next Generation Civics (2026)	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 (2015)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	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
Bowen	Public	K-5	280 Cypress Street	Newton Centre	02459	Middlesex County	Newton	No	No	No	No	(617) 559-9330	325	33	10.0	10.5%	141 (43.4%)	10 (3.1%)	41 (12.6%)	100 (30.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (10.2%)	80.6	164^th of 899 public elementary schools	81.8%		82.6	150^th of 906 public elementary schools	83.4%	14	53.7	54.0	51.6				53.0	74.1	68.6	54.8				65.3	61.7		61.7		$25,514
Countryside	Public	K-5	191 Dedham Street	Newton Highlands	02461	Middlesex County	Newton	No	No	No	No	(617) 559-9450	369	38	9.7	13.1%	180 (48.8%)	23 (6.2%)	35 (9.5%)	92 (24.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (10.6%)	88.4	97^th of 899 public elementary schools	89.2%		84	137^th of 906 public elementary schools	84.9%	40	55.7	64.3	76.2				65.5	65.6	68.1	69.8				67.9	66.7		66.7		$27,250
Mason-Rice	Public	K-5	149 Pleasant Street	Newton Centre	02459	Middlesex County	Newton	No	No	No	No	(617) 559-9570	321	27	11.7	4.8%	195 (60.7%)	5 (1.6%)	20 (6.2%)	64 (19.9%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	35 (10.9%)	94.3	28^th of 899 public elementary schools	96.9%		95.7	15^th of 906 public elementary schools	98.3%	13	82.3	55.4	81.0				73.5	79.4	67.9	82.5				76.9	81.0		81.0		$24,660
John Ward	Public	K-5	10 Dolphin Rd	Newton Centre	02459	Middlesex County	Newton	No	No	No	No	(617) 559-6450	186	21	8.8	8.6%	114 (61.3%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (7.0%)	35 (18.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (12.9%)	95.9	15^th of 899 public elementary schools	98.3%		95.2	22^nd of 906 public elementary schools	97.6%	7	77.3	81.8	74.4				77.7	86.4	87.9	77.5				83.2	67.5		67.5		$26,500
Memorial Spaulding	Public	K-5	250 Brookline Street	Newton Centre	02459	Middlesex County	Newton	No	No	No	No	(617) 559-9600	342	35	9.9	11.3%	175 (51.2%)	14 (4.1%)	29 (8.5%)	96 (28.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (8.2%)	92.4	46^th of 899 public elementary schools	94.9%		92.6	45^th of 906 public elementary schools	95.0%	1	66.0	77.9	64.8				70.7	79.3	71.1	67.3				72.3	69.1		69.1		$25,515
Zervas	Public	K-5	30 Beethoven Avenue	Waban	02468	Middlesex County	Newton	No	No	No	Yes	(617) 559-6750	399	35	11.3	9.7%	178 (44.6%)	32 (8.0%)	43 (10.8%)	94 (23.6%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	49 (12.3%)	83.1	143^rd of 899 public elementary schools	84.1%		79.7	186^th of 906 public elementary schools	79.5%	43	70.9	55.4	55.2				59.9	64.8	62.2	56.1				61.1	61.4		61.4		$26,900
Cabot	Public	K-5	229 Cabot Street	Newtonville	02460	Middlesex County	Newton	No	No	No	No	(617) 559-9400	414	38	11.0	8.9%	200 (48.3%)	18 (4.3%)	63 (15.2%)	76 (18.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	56 (13.5%)	79.5	173^rd of 899 public elementary schools	80.8%		75.9	225^th of 906 public elementary schools	75.2%	52	60.3	64.2	50.6				57.4	51.5	73.1	61.9				61.3	56.0		56.0		$25,166
Edith C Baker	Public	K-8	205 Beverly Rd	Chestnut Hill	02467	Middlesex County	Brookline	No	No	No	No	(617) 879-4500	665	45	14.8	4.3%	266 (40.0%)	47 (7.1%)	71 (10.7%)	223 (33.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	58 (8.7%)	89.2	83^rd of 899 public elementary schools	90.8%		89.1	80^th of 906 public elementary schools	91.2%	3	58.0	60.5	71.6	77.1	66.2	73.0	67.7	60.9	65.8	63.0	78.6	81.7	74.6	70.5	72.8	77.8	75.0	71.4	$27,407
Roland Hayes	Public	PK, KG-8	100 Eliot Street	Chestnut Hill	02467	Middlesex County	Brookline	No	No	No	No	(617) 879-4570	418	31	13.3	5.5%	217 (51.9%)	27 (6.5%)	51 (12.2%)	71 (17.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	52 (12.4%)	87.2	110^th of 899 public elementary schools	87.8%		88.5	91^st of 906 public elementary schools	90.0%	19	68.6	74.4	61.9	63.3	60.8	79.3	68.1	62.9	71.4	50.0	67.4	64.7	80.4	66.7	64.3	72.6	68.8	80.4	$26,505
Edison Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	60 Glenmont Road	Brighton	02135	Suffolk County	Boston	No	No	No	Yes	(617) 635-8436	502	57	8.8	68.9%	77 (15.3%)	90 (17.9%)	285 (56.8%)	36 (7.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (2.6%)	13.6	801^st of 899 public elementary schools	10.9%		13.3	807^th of 906 public elementary schools	10.9%	6	15.9	18.3	12.1	15.9			15.6	15.9	34.4	20.3	17.1			21.6	14.0		14.0		$38,326

Frequently Asked Questions about Bowen

What schools do graduates of Bowen attend?

Students who attend Bowen usually go on to attend:

Middle : Oak Hill Middle
High : Newton South High

How many students attend Bowen?

In the 2024-25 school year, 325 students attended Bowen.

What district is Bowen in?

Newton

Is Bowen a good school?

Bowen ranks 164^th of 899 Massachusetts elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Bowen?

Students at Bowen are 43% White, 31% Asian, 13% Hispanic, 10% Two or more races, 3% African American.

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Latest Massachusetts data All new data »

2024–25 dropout rates & graduation ratesMar 5, 2026

2024–25 MCAS Next Generation test scoresSep 29, 2025

2023–24 school spending dataMay 8, 2025

2023–24 dropout rates & graduation ratesMay 1, 2025

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.