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John E. McCarthy

Q: Is John E. McCarthy a good school?

John E. McCarthy ranks 594 th of 906 Massachusetts elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades K-5

594^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 906 Massachusetts Elementary Schools

Better than 34% of Massachusetts elementary schools

Summary

John E. McCarthy is a K-5 elementary school in Peabody, MA, serving 385 students as part of the Peabody Public School District, which is ranked in the bottom quarter of Massachusetts districts.

John E. McCarthy has experienced a notable decline in academic performance over the past year, dropping to its lowest statewide ranking in nearly a decade. The most significant concern is a sharp drop-off in 5th-grade proficiency rates, which fell well below the school's 3rd and 4th-grade levels in both English Language Arts (24%) and Math (19%). This pattern is unique among nearby schools; for example, at West Memorial, 5th graders are the strongest performers. While McCarthy has historically performed above the Peabody district average, its recent scores have converged with or fallen below that average, while other Peabody schools like South Memorial and John E Burke are showing strong upward trends. The school's spending per student ($12,681) is the lowest among nearby comparison schools, yet it has historically been competitive within its district, suggesting efficient operations that may now need re-evaluation.

Despite the overall decline, John E. McCarthy shows a notable strength in serving its Hispanic students, who earned a 4-star rating and ranked in the 72nd percentile statewide in 2024-2025. However, the school's effectiveness with students from low socio-economic backgrounds has reversed dramatically, dropping from a 4-star rating to a 2-star rating in the same period. The school's ranking history is unusually volatile, swinging from the 76th percentile to the 34th percentile over the past decade, which suggests it may be highly sensitive to changes in student population or staff turnover. Geographically, McCarthy is very close to top-performing Lynnfield schools like Huckleberry Hill and Summer Street, which consistently rank in the 88th-97th percentile, highlighting a stark contrast in educational outcomes within a small geographic area.

385

Students ?

13.3

Student/teacher ratio ?

$15,979

Per pupil spending ?

36.1%

Free/discounted lunch ?

76 Lake Street
Peabody, MA 01960

(978) 536-5625

District: Peabody

Students who attend John E. McCarthy usually attend:

Middle:	J Henry Higgins Middle
High:	Peabody Veterans Memorial High

Racial breakdown:

White:

44.2%

Hispanic:

26.5%

African American:

20.5%

See top rated Massachusetts elementary schools

Compare John E. McCarthy to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 67th percentile in 2015 → 34th in 2025

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Massachusetts average (33% vs 41% meeting standards)

!Ranking has slipped — down 33 percentile points since 2015

!Science scores 21 pts below the Massachusetts average

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school33%

District avg31%

Massachusetts avg41%

594^th of 906

Massachusetts public elementary schools ?

Bottom 34%▼ down 33 pts since 2015

From top 33% (2015) to bottom 34% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Massachusetts Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

4^th of 7Elementary Schools in the Peabody

265^th of 348Peabody 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	35.3	594 of 906	34.4%	★★☆☆☆
2024	47.5	498 of 916	45.6%	★★☆☆☆
2023	47.4	496 of 928	46.6%	★★☆☆☆
2022	46.3	502 of 932	46.1%	★★☆☆☆
2021	61.0	382 of 936	59.2%	★★★☆☆
2019	51.2	481 of 942	48.9%	★★☆☆☆
2018	51.0	491 of 934	47.4%	★★☆☆☆
2017	74.6	226 of 938	75.9%	★★★★☆
2016	60.9	385 of 932	58.7%	★★★☆☆
2015	68.9	298 of 914	67.4%	★★★☆☆
2014	61.0	398 of 926	57.0%	★★★☆☆
2013	67.2	332 of 928	64.2%	★★★☆☆
2012	60.7	407 of 930	56.2%	★★★☆☆
2011	59.8	408 of 924	55.8%	★★★☆☆
2010	49.9	525 of 920	42.9%	★★☆☆☆
2009	45.6	538 of 909	40.8%	★★☆☆☆
2008	50.6	493 of 908	45.7%	★★☆☆☆
2007	62.3	380 of 911	58.3%	★★★☆☆
2006	56.4	422 of 911	53.7%	★★★☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2025	54.9	69 of 169	59.2%	★★★☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2018	44.1	327 of 656	50.2%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2025	32.5	597 of 869	31.3%	★★☆☆☆
2024	40.9	531 of 886	40.1%	★★☆☆☆
2023	43.6	518 of 887	41.6%	★★☆☆☆
2022	48.9	482 of 901	46.5%	★★☆☆☆
2021	68.6	267 of 898	70.3%	★★★★☆
2019	63.4	333 of 902	63.1%	★★★☆☆
2018	62.8	352 of 893	60.6%	★★★☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2025	59.1	129 of 458	71.8%	★★★★☆
2024	74.3	63 of 446	85.9%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2025	42.5	425 of 736	42.3%	★★☆☆☆
2024	62.8	221 of 760	70.9%	★★★★☆
2023	62.3	226 of 757	70.1%	★★★★☆
2022	57.9	286 of 772	63.0%	★★★☆☆
2021	81.7	51 of 705	92.8%	★★★★★
2019	48.4	371 of 700	47.0%	★★☆☆☆
2018	60.2	220 of 685	67.9%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2025	40.8	527 of 884	40.4%	★★☆☆☆
2024	57.8	374 of 891	58.0%	★★★☆☆
2023	51.2	438 of 896	51.1%	★★★☆☆
2022	38.7	561 of 908	38.2%	★★☆☆☆
2021	55.9	411 of 904	54.5%	★★★☆☆
2019	38.9	573 of 907	36.8%	★★☆☆☆
2018	41.3	559 of 898	37.8%	★★☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2024	36.7	448 of 731	38.7%	★★☆☆☆
2022	59.4	305 of 905	66.3%	★★★☆☆
2021	71.0	175 of 894	80.4%	★★★★☆
2019	46.0	494 of 896	44.9%	★★☆☆☆
2018	48.7	435 of 886	50.9%	★★★☆☆

Tested In Person

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2021	59.9	389 of 925	57.9%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2025	29.8	558 of 737	24.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	30.0	581 of 753	22.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	38.8	501 of 762	34.3%	★★☆☆☆
2022	37.0	514 of 764	32.7%	★★☆☆☆
2021	43.7	448 of 765	41.4%	★★☆☆☆
2019	39.1	518 of 780	33.6%	★★☆☆☆
2018	38.0	527 of 772	31.7%	★★☆☆☆

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 (2025)72nd percentile+37 vs school

African American (2025)59th percentile+25 vs school

Tested In Person (2021)58th percentile~ school

Disabled (2018)50th percentile+3 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)42nd percentile+8 vs school

Male (2025)40th percentile+6 vs school

Special Education (2024)39th percentile-7 vs school

Female (2025)31st percentile-3 vs school

White (2025)24th percentile-10 vs school

By subject vs Massachusetts (2024-2025) ?

English Language Arts35%-6 vs state

Mathematics35%-6 vs state

Science20%-21 vs state

★

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Schools Near John E. McCarthy

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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 (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
John E. McCarthy	Public	K-5	76 Lake Street	Peabody	01960	Essex County	Peabody	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 536-5625	385	29	13.3		170 (44.2%)	79 (20.5%)	102 (26.5%)	18 (4.7%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (3.6%)	35.3	594^th of 906 public elementary schools	34.4%		47.5	498^th of 916 public elementary schools	45.6%	96	40.0	40.0	24.1	35.2	45.0	40.0	18.5	35.2	20.4	20.4	$15,979
West Memorial	Public	PK, KG-5	15 Bow Street	Peabody	01960	Essex County	Peabody	No	No	No	No	(978) 536-5850	294	21	14.1		234 (79.6%)	11 (3.7%)	33 (11.2%)	5 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (3.7%)	61.8	350^th of 906 public elementary schools	61.4%		50.9	463^rd of 916 public elementary schools	49.5%	113	48.9	34.2	53.9	45.9	48.9	42.1	61.5	50.8	53.9	53.9	$19,836
Huckleberry Hill	Public	K-4	5 Knoll Road	Lynnfield	01940	Essex County	Lynnfield	No	No	No	Yes	(781) 334-5835	416	31	13.4		301 (72.4%)	13 (3.1%)	31 (7.5%)	50 (12.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (5.0%)	86.3	112^th of 906 public elementary schools	87.6%		91	60^th of 916 public elementary schools	93.4%	52	63.3	60.8		61.9	74.7	62.9		68.2			$18,682
John E Burke	Public	K-5	127 Birch Street	Peabody	01960	Essex County	Peabody	No	No	No	No	(978) 536-5400	294	27	11.0		240 (81.6%)	9 (3.1%)	36 (12.2%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.4%)	55.6	399^th of 906 public elementary schools	56.0%		43.7	528^th of 916 public elementary schools	42.4%	129	54.7	22.5	46.9	41.7	64.2	30.6	48.0	48.0	48.0	48.0	$19,898
Summer Street	Public	K-4	262 Summer Street	Lynnfield	01940	Essex County	Lynnfield	No	No	No	No	(781) 334-5830	440	32	13.7		376 (85.5%)	5 (1.1%)	16 (3.6%)	23 (5.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (4.5%)	87	107^th of 906 public elementary schools	88.2%		88.7	88^th of 916 public elementary schools	90.4%	19	62.6	65.9		64.1	66.7	67.1		66.9			$18,110
Capt William G Shoemaker	Public	PK, KG-5	26 Regina Rd	Lynn	01904	Essex County	Lynn	No	No	No	Yes	(781) 477-7450	361	41	8.7		115 (31.9%)	37 (10.2%)	167 (46.3%)	24 (6.6%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (4.7%)	27.6	656^th of 906 public elementary schools	27.6%		29.5	642^nd of 916 public elementary schools	29.9%	14	30.4	30.6	32.5	31.0	30.4	34.7	15.0	27.6	32.5	32.5	$31,702
Highlands	Public	K-5	190 Hobart Street	Danvers	01923	Essex County	Danvers	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 774-5011	385	23	16.4		272 (70.6%)	28 (7.3%)	68 (17.7%)	10 (2.6%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	5 (1.3%)	33.9	604^th of 906 public elementary schools	33.3%		30.6	633^rd of 916 public elementary schools	30.9%	29	34.3	25.0	40.9	33.5	36.4	35.9	28.8	33.7	32.3	32.3	$17,780
Fuller Meadow	Public	K-2	143 South Main Street	Middleton	01949	Essex County	Middleton	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 750-4756	269	30	9.0		227 (84.4%)	4 (1.5%)	18 (6.7%)	8 (3.0%)	1 (0.4%)	1 (0.4%)	10 (3.7%)								(n/a)											$23,417
South Memorial	Public	PK, KG-5	16 Maple St Ext	Peabody	01960	Essex County	Peabody	No	No	No	No	(978) 536-5700	506	32	16.0		366 (72.3%)	18 (3.6%)	82 (16.2%)	11 (2.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (5.5%)	56.2	394^th of 906 public elementary schools	56.5%		40.9	554^th of 916 public elementary schools	39.5%	160	48.5	46.4	39.5	44.4	39.7	53.6	47.7	47.1	43.0	43.0	$17,801
Lynn Woods	Public	K-5	31 Trevett Avenue	Lynn	01904	Essex County	Lynn	No	No	No	Yes	(781) 477-7433	153	16	9.5		61 (39.9%)	5 (3.3%)	72 (47.1%)	9 (5.9%)	1 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (3.3%)	48.6	472^nd of 906 public elementary schools	47.9%		49.8	472^nd of 916 public elementary schools	48.5%		19.2	42.1	56.3	37.5	23.1	60.5	18.8	40.0	62.5	62.5	$26,779

Frequently Asked Questions about John E. McCarthy

How many students attend John E. McCarthy?

In the 2024-25 school year, 385 students attended John E. McCarthy.

What schools do graduates of John E. McCarthy attend?

Students who attend John E. McCarthy usually go on to attend:

Middle : J Henry Higgins Middle
High : Peabody Veterans Memorial High

Is John E. McCarthy a good school?

John E. McCarthy ranks 594^th of 906 Massachusetts elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What district is John E. McCarthy in?

Peabody

What is the racial makeup of John E. McCarthy?

Students at John E. McCarthy are 44% White, 26% Hispanic, 21% African American, 5% Asian, 4% Two or more races.

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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.