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

Helen R Donaghue School

Q: Is Helen R Donaghue School a good school?

Helen R Donaghue School ranks 374 th of 906 Massachusetts elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 3-6

374^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 906 Massachusetts Elementary Schools

Better than 59% of Massachusetts elementary schools

Summary

Helen R Donaghue School is an elementary school located in Merrimac, Massachusetts, serving grades 3-6 with a total enrollment of 245 students. The school is part of the Pentucket District, which is ranked 105 out of 348 districts in Massachusetts and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Helen R Donaghue School has shown mixed academic performance in recent years, with its statewide ranking fluctuating between 374 and 530 out of around 900 Massachusetts elementary schools. In the 2024-2025 school year, the school's proficiency rates in MCAS Next Generation English Language Arts and Mathematics were 44.36% and 47.47%, respectively, which are slightly below the Pentucket District average but above the state average. Compared to nearby schools, the school's performance is generally in the middle range, with Dr. John C. Page School having higher proficiency rates and schools like Pentucket Lake Elementary and Tilton having lower proficiency rates.

The school has shown relatively strong performance for its special education and low socioeconomic status (SES) student subgroups, ranking in the top 25-30% of Massachusetts elementary schools in these categories. However, the school's rankings for female, male, and white student subgroups are in the middle to lower range compared to other Massachusetts elementary schools. The school's per-student spending and student-teacher ratio have also fluctuated in recent years, suggesting the school may be adjusting its resource allocation strategies.

262

Students ?

11.2

Student/teacher ratio ?

$19,030

Per pupil spending ?

18.4%

Free/discounted lunch ?

24 Union Street Ext.
Merrimac, MA 01860-2244

(978) 346-8921

District: Pentucket

Students who attend Helen R Donaghue School usually attend:

Middle:	Pentucket Regional Middle
High:	Pentucket Regional Senior High

Racial breakdown:

White:

87.8%

Hispanic:

9.2%

Two or more races:

2.3%

See top rated Massachusetts elementary schools

Compare Helen R Donaghue School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 44th percentile in 2015 → 59th in 2025

Strengths

✓Ranking is trending up — up 15 percentile points since 2015

✓Above the Massachusetts median (59th percentile)

✓Small classes — about 11 students per teacher

Worth a look

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

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school46%

District avg49%

Massachusetts avg41%

374^th of 906

Massachusetts public elementary schools ?

Top 41%▲ up 15 pts since 2015

From bottom 44% (2015) to top 41% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Massachusetts Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

3^rd of 3Elementary Schools in the Pentucket

105^th of 348Pentucket 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	58.1	374 of 906	58.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	48.0	494 of 916	46.1%	★★☆☆☆
2023	52.3	455 of 928	51.0%	★★★☆☆
2022	51.2	468 of 932	49.8%	★★☆☆☆
2021	56.3	425 of 936	54.6%	★★★☆☆
2019	46.7	530 of 942	43.7%	★★☆☆☆
2018	31.1	680 of 934	27.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	29.9	696 of 938	25.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	38.6	615 of 932	34.0%	★★☆☆☆
2015	48.8	513 of 914	43.9%	★★☆☆☆
2014	58.4	428 of 926	53.8%	★★★☆☆
2013	56.2	458 of 928	50.6%	★★★☆☆
2012	55.8	463 of 930	50.2%	★★★☆☆
2011	58.0	426 of 924	53.9%	★★★☆☆
2010	60.0	384 of 920	58.3%	★★★☆☆
2009	60.3	386 of 909	57.5%	★★★☆☆
2008	58.8	395 of 908	56.5%	★★★☆☆
2007	66.6	316 of 911	65.3%	★★★☆☆
2006	69.5	273 of 911	70.0%	★★★★☆
2005	78.4	198 of 887	77.7%	★★★★☆
2004	79.2	177 of 882	79.9%	★★★★☆
2003	76.0	217 of 884	75.5%	★★★★☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2022	45.4	325 of 672	51.6%	★★★☆☆
2021	61.4	184 of 632	70.9%	★★★★☆
2019	52.6	255 of 665	61.7%	★★★☆☆
2018	48.0	283 of 656	56.9%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2025	62.5	325 of 869	62.6%	★★★☆☆
2024	51.3	436 of 886	50.8%	★★★☆☆
2023	57.9	393 of 887	55.7%	★★★☆☆
2022	57.8	385 of 901	57.3%	★★★☆☆
2021	60.7	357 of 898	60.2%	★★★☆☆
2019	56.3	403 of 902	55.3%	★★★☆☆
2018	37.5	600 of 893	32.8%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2025	73.2	118 of 736	84.0%	★★★★☆
2024	44.1	422 of 760	44.5%	★★☆☆☆
2023	70.7	144 of 757	81.0%	★★★★☆
2022	58.3	282 of 772	63.5%	★★★☆☆
2021	59.0	241 of 705	65.8%	★★★☆☆
2019	39.9	438 of 700	37.4%	★★☆☆☆
2018	25.7	582 of 685	15.0%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2025	51.7	420 of 884	52.5%	★★★☆☆
2024	43.8	513 of 891	42.4%	★★☆☆☆
2023	46.4	480 of 896	46.4%	★★☆☆☆
2022	43.6	512 of 908	43.6%	★★☆☆☆
2021	50.1	460 of 904	49.1%	★★☆☆☆
2019	37.3	590 of 907	35.0%	★★☆☆☆
2018	25.5	707 of 898	21.3%	★☆☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2025	60.3	210 of 717	70.7%	★★★★☆
2024	47.0	327 of 731	55.3%	★★★☆☆
2023	41.0	380 of 703	45.9%	★★☆☆☆
2022	41.6	533 of 905	41.1%	★★☆☆☆
2021	47.6	448 of 894	49.9%	★★★☆☆
2019	39.3	582 of 896	35.0%	★★☆☆☆
2018	30.6	693 of 886	21.8%	★☆☆☆☆

Tested In Person

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2021	58.7	406 of 925	56.1%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2025	45.1	423 of 737	42.6%	★★☆☆☆
2024	35.8	527 of 753	30.0%	★★☆☆☆
2023	39.1	498 of 762	34.6%	★★☆☆☆
2022	38.7	505 of 764	33.9%	★★☆☆☆
2021	41.6	479 of 765	37.4%	★★☆☆☆
2019	35.8	551 of 780	29.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	21.6	663 of 772	14.1%	★☆☆☆☆

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)

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)84th percentile+25 vs school

Special Education (2025)71st percentile+12 vs school

Female (2025)63rd percentile+4 vs school

Tested In Person (2021)56th percentile~ school

Male (2025)52nd percentile-6 vs school

Disabled (2022)52nd percentile~ school

White (2025)43rd percentile-16 vs school

By subject vs Massachusetts (2024-2025) ?

Mathematics47%+7 vs state

Science45%+3 vs state

English Language Arts44%+3 vs state

★

No ratings yet

Be the first to rate Helen R Donaghue School and help other families decide.

Rate Helen R Donaghue 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 Helen R Donaghue School

Load more schools when map is moved

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 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
Helen R Donaghue School	Public	3-6	24 Union Street Ext.	Merrimac	01860	Essex County	Pentucket	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 346-8921	262	23	11.2		230 (87.8%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (9.2%)	2 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.3%)	58.1	374^th of 906 public elementary schools	58.7%		48	494^th of 916 public elementary schools	46.1%	120	48.6	38.2	35.0	53.6	44.4	45.1	45.5	50.0	50.0	47.5	45.0	45.0	$19,030
Dr Frederick N Sweetsir	Public	PK, KG-2	104 Church Street	Merrimac	01860	Essex County	Pentucket	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 346-8319	217	17	12.4		185 (85.3%)	2 (0.9%)	15 (6.9%)	1 (0.5%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (6.0%)								(n/a)													$20,247
Dr John C Page School	Public	PK, KG-6	694 Main Street	West Newbury	01985	Essex County	Pentucket	No	No	No	No	(978) 363-2671	327	28	11.7		299 (91.4%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (5.8%)	2 (0.6%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.8%)	83.4	140^th of 906 public elementary schools	84.5%		75.8	238^th of 916 public elementary schools	74.0%	98	56.8	72.4	56.4	57.5	59.5	56.8	72.4	63.6	68.3	64.5	65.5	65.5	$19,852
Charles C Cashman Elementary	Public	3-5	193 Lions Mouth Road	Amesbury	01913	Essex County	Amesbury	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 388-4407	413	34	12.3		334 (80.9%)	5 (1.2%)	61 (14.8%)	4 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.2%)	38.2	569^th of 906 public elementary schools	37.2%		46.2	511^th of 916 public elementary schools	44.2%	58	45.6	36.9	35.9		39.3	32.0	38.6	25.6		32.2	34.4	34.4	$21,551
Shay Elementary	Public	PK, KG-2	193R Lions Mouth Road	Amesbury	01913	Essex County	Amesbury	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 388-3659	485	41	11.9		389 (80.2%)	15 (3.1%)	62 (12.8%)	4 (0.8%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (2.7%)								(n/a)													$21,626
Pentucket Lake Elementary	Public	K-5	252 Concord Street	Haverhill	01830	Essex County	Haverhill	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 374-2421	527	48	10.9		192 (36.4%)	44 (8.3%)	272 (51.6%)	5 (0.9%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (2.3%)	21.3	718^th of 906 public elementary schools	20.8%		19.9	742^nd of 916 public elementary schools	19.0%	24	30.4	23.7	10.5		23.6	37.7	24.5	18.9		27.4	27.0	27.0	$19,780
Golden Hill	Public	K-4	140 Boardman Street	Haverhill	01830	Essex County	Haverhill	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 374-5794	502	42	11.9		215 (42.8%)	31 (6.2%)	236 (47.0%)	7 (1.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (2.4%)	31.9	618^th of 906 public elementary schools	31.8%		29.5	643^rd of 916 public elementary schools	29.8%	25	32.3	29.8			31.0	25.8	43.6			34.8			$19,784
Walnut Square	Public	K-3	645 Main Street	Haverhill	01830	Essex County	Haverhill	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 374-3471	161	13	12.0		85 (52.8%)	15 (9.3%)	55 (34.2%)	3 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.9%)								(n/a)	31.4				31.4	28.6				28.6			$19,746
Francis T Bresnahan Elementary	Public	PK, KG-3	333 High Street	Newburyport	01950	Essex County	Newburyport	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 465-4431	584	61	9.5		514 (88.0%)	4 (0.7%)	42 (7.2%)	7 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (2.9%)								(n/a)	43.4				43.4	43.4				43.4			$22,768
Tilton	Public	K-4	70 Grove Street	Haverhill	01832	Essex County	Haverhill	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 374-3475	471	41	11.4		122 (25.9%)	26 (5.5%)	308 (65.4%)	3 (0.6%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	10 (2.1%)	30.9	626^th of 906 public elementary schools	30.9%		41	553^rd of 916 public elementary schools	39.6%	73	33.7	24.7			29.6	36.0	35.6			35.8			$20,075

Frequently Asked Questions about Helen R Donaghue School

Is Helen R Donaghue School a good school?

Helen R Donaghue School ranks 374^th of 906 Massachusetts elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What district is Helen R Donaghue School in?

Pentucket

What schools do graduates of Helen R Donaghue School attend?

Students who attend Helen R Donaghue School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Pentucket Regional Middle
High : Pentucket Regional Senior High

How many students attend Helen R Donaghue School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 262 students attended Helen R Donaghue School.

What is the racial makeup of Helen R Donaghue School?

Students at Helen R Donaghue School are 88% White, 9% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races.

Rate Helen R Donaghue School!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

MAMassachusetts Elementary School Rankings

MAMassachusetts District Rankings

Schools in Merrimac, MA

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Helen R Donaghue 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.