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Petersham Center

Q: Is Petersham Center a good school?

Petersham Center ranks 323 rd of 906 Massachusetts elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades K-6

323^rd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 906 Massachusetts Elementary Schools

Better than 64% of Massachusetts elementary schools

Summary

Petersham Center is a public elementary school serving 133 students in grades K-6 in Petersham, MA, which is part of the Petersham District. This school consistently outperforms the state average on MCAS Next Generation assessments, with particularly strong results in 5th grade ELA and science.

Petersham Center's academic performance is impressive, with 54.22% of students proficient or better in ELA and 45.12% in mathematics, compared to state averages of 41.53% and 40.74%, respectively. The school's 5th grade science proficiency rate of 76.19% is significantly higher than nearby schools like Hardwick Elementary (28.57%) and Templeton Elementary (no data available). However, some other nearby schools, such as Oakham Center and Hubbardston Center, also demonstrate strong academic performance.

While Petersham Center's overall performance is impressive, the school's trends over time have been somewhat inconsistent, with its state ranking fluctuating between the top 50% and bottom 50% of Massachusetts elementary schools and its rating ranging from 1 to 3 stars on the SchoolDigger scale. This suggests that the school may be facing some challenges in maintaining its strong academic performance, which could be an area for further investigation.

142

Students ?

11.3

Student/teacher ratio ?

$19,591

Per pupil spending ?

29.2%

Free/discounted lunch ?

31 Spring Street
Petersham, MA 01366

(978) 724-3363

District: Petersham

Students who attend Petersham Center usually attend:

High:

Ralph C Mahar Regional

Racial breakdown:

White:

86.6%

Hispanic:

7.7%

African American:

2.1%

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At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 34th percentile in 2015 → 64th in 2025

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Massachusetts average (53% vs 41% meeting standards)

✓Ranking is trending up — up 30 percentile points since 2015

✓Above the Massachusetts median (64th percentile)

Worth a look

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

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school53%

District avg53%

Massachusetts avg41%

323^rd of 906

Massachusetts public elementary schools ?

Top 36%▲ up 31 pts since 2015

From bottom 34% (2015) to top 36% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Massachusetts Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

138^th of 348Petersham 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	65.7	323 of 906	64.3%	★★★☆☆
2024	51.2	460 of 916	49.8%	★★★☆☆
2023	42.5	544 of 928	41.4%	★★☆☆☆
2022	33.4	624 of 932	33.0%	★★☆☆☆
2021	46.3	512 of 936	45.3%	★★☆☆☆
2019	52.2	468 of 942	50.3%	★★★☆☆
2018	25.4	728 of 934	22.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	33.0	676 of 938	27.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	38.1	621 of 932	33.4%	★★☆☆☆
2015	39.0	606 of 914	33.7%	★★☆☆☆
2014	46.9	550 of 926	40.6%	★★☆☆☆
2013	55.0	472 of 928	49.1%	★★☆☆☆
2012	65.1	361 of 930	61.2%	★★★☆☆
2011	56.1	449 of 924	51.4%	★★★☆☆
2010	56.2	432 of 920	53.0%	★★★☆☆
2009	64.6	340 of 909	62.6%	★★★☆☆
2008	87.4	67 of 908	92.6%	★★★★★
2007	80.9	158 of 911	82.7%	★★★★☆
2006	58.8	392 of 911	57.0%	★★★☆☆
2005	62.1	361 of 887	59.3%	★★★☆☆
2004	59.9	384 of 882	56.5%	★★★☆☆
2003	55.8	435 of 884	50.8%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2025	92.0	39 of 869	95.5%	★★★★★
2024	54.4	414 of 886	53.3%	★★★☆☆
2023	48.4	472 of 887	46.8%	★★☆☆☆
2022	35.6	588 of 901	34.7%	★★☆☆☆
2021	48.7	468 of 898	47.9%	★★☆☆☆
2019	61.9	348 of 902	61.4%	★★★☆☆
2018	13.7	812 of 893	9.1%	☆☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2025	36.8	561 of 884	36.5%	★★☆☆☆
2024	40.3	535 of 891	40.0%	★★☆☆☆
2022	31.1	633 of 908	30.3%	★★☆☆☆
2021	37.9	567 of 904	37.3%	★★☆☆☆
2019	44.2	532 of 907	41.3%	★★☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2021	48.5	434 of 894	51.5%	★★★☆☆

Tested In Person

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2021	45.3	519 of 925	43.9%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2025	55.6	341 of 737	53.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	40.2	484 of 753	35.7%	★★☆☆☆
2023	38.1	510 of 762	33.1%	★★☆☆☆
2022	25.3	615 of 764	19.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	35.1	541 of 765	29.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	37.6	535 of 780	31.4%	★★☆☆☆
2018	10.8	728 of 772	5.7%	☆☆☆☆☆

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)

Female (2025)96th percentile+31 vs school

White (2025)54th percentile-11 vs school

Special Education (2021)51st percentile+6 vs school

Tested In Person (2021)44th percentile~ school

Male (2025)37th percentile-28 vs school

By subject vs Massachusetts (2024-2025) ?

Science76%+35 vs state

English Language Arts54%+13 vs state

Mathematics45%+4 vs state

★

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Schools Near Petersham Center

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
Petersham Center	Public	K-6	31 Spring Street	Petersham	01366	Worcester County	Petersham	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 724-3363	142	13	11.3		123 (86.6%)	3 (2.1%)	11 (7.7%)	1 (0.7%)	1 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (2.1%)	65.7	323^rd of 906 public elementary schools	64.3%		51.2	460^th of 916 public elementary schools	49.8%	137	36.8	42.1	76.2	58.3	54.2	16.7	31.6	66.7	58.3	45.1	76.2	76.2	$19,591
Ruggles Lane	Public	PK, KG-5	105 Ruggles Lane	Barre	01005	Worcester County	Quabbin	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 355-2934	402	26	15.5		353 (87.8%)	9 (2.2%)	22 (5.5%)	3 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (3.7%)	37.2	576^th of 906 public elementary schools	36.4%		46.5	508^th of 916 public elementary schools	44.5%	68	43.1	30.8	33.9		36.3	29.2	32.7	32.3		31.3	43.6	43.6	$19,304
Athol Community Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	1064 Pleasant Street	Athol	01331	Worcester County	Athol-Royalston	No	No	No	Yes	(617) 645-9657	589	42	13.9		447 (75.9%)	15 (2.5%)	90 (15.3%)	11 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (4.4%)	14.2	795^th of 906 public elementary schools	12.3%		16.2	785^th of 916 public elementary schools	14.3%	10	17.4	20.4			18.8	22.6	24.5			23.5			$19,815
Templeton Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	17 South Rd.	Templeton	01468	Worcester County	Narragansett	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 939-8892	581	41	14.2		485 (83.5%)	8 (1.4%)	62 (10.7%)	4 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (3.6%)	30.7	628^th of 906 public elementary schools	30.7%		26.4	675^th of 916 public elementary schools	26.3%	47	32.6	32.0			32.3	39.0	26.3			32.5			$16,774
Swift River	Public	PK, KG-6	201 Wendell Rd	New Salem	01355	Franklin County	New Salem-Wendell	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 544-6926	134	15	9.1		116 (86.6%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (4.5%)	1 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (7.5%)	30.5	631^st of 906 public elementary schools	30.4%		33.5	607^th of 916 public elementary schools	33.7%	24	30.0	42.1	26.3	16.7	29.0	20.0	26.3	26.3	31.6	26.0	52.6	52.6	$27,551
Hubbardston Center	Public	PK, KG-5	8 Elm Street	Hubbardston	01452	Worcester County	Quabbin	No	No	No	No	(978) 928-4487	304	15	19.9		280 (92.1%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (4.9%)	5 (1.6%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.0%)	59.2	366^th of 906 public elementary schools	59.6%		59.3	376^th of 916 public elementary schools	59.0%	10	47.2	53.3	44.7		48.4	27.8	62.2	34.0		42.2	56.5	56.5	$16,992
Fisher Hill School	Public	PK, KG-6	59 Dexter Street	Orange	01364	Franklin County	Orange	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 544-0018	494	40	12.5		397 (80.4%)	5 (1.0%)	58 (11.7%)	7 (1.4%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	25 (5.1%)	13.7	801^st of 906 public elementary schools	11.6%		16.3	783^rd of 916 public elementary schools	14.5%	18	22.6	13.0	8.3	16.2	15.5	25.3	14.8	14.1	19.1	18.8	31.0	31.0	$21,808
Oakham Center	Public	K-5	1 Deacon Allen Drive	Oakham	01068	Worcester County	Quabbin	No	No	No	No	(508) 882-3392	152	10	14.6		135 (88.8%)	5 (3.3%)	9 (5.9%)	1 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.3%)	54.6	410^th of 906 public elementary schools	54.7%		58.8	383^rd of 916 public elementary schools	58.2%	27	50.0	44.1	38.1		44.0	50.0	38.2	38.1		41.3	57.1	57.1	$19,914
Hardwick Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	76 School House Dr.	Gilbertville	01031	Worcester County	Quabbin	No	No	No	Yes	(413) 477-6351	169	14	12.4		145 (85.8%)	5 (3.0%)	13 (7.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (3.6%)	38	571^st of 906 public elementary schools	37.0%		54.9	416^th of 916 public elementary schools	54.6%	155	40.6	47.4	37.1		40.7	43.8	15.8	28.6		31.4	28.6	28.6	$21,213
Shutesbury Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	23 West Pelham Rd	Shutesbury	01072	Franklin County	Shutesbury	No	No	No	Yes	(413) 259-1212	125	18	6.8		105 (84.0%)	1 (0.8%)	13 (10.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (4.8%)	78.6	195^th of 906 public elementary schools	78.5%		80.9	171^st of 916 public elementary schools	81.3%	24	52.9	63.6	50.0	64.7	57.4	76.5	27.3	68.8	52.9	59.0	75.0	75.0	$26,909

Frequently Asked Questions about Petersham Center

What schools do graduates of Petersham Center attend?

Students who attend Petersham Center usually go on to attend:

High : Ralph C Mahar Regional

What is the racial makeup of Petersham Center?

Students at Petersham Center are 87% White, 8% Hispanic, 2% African American, 2% Two or more races.

Is Petersham Center a good school?

Petersham Center ranks 323^rd of 906 Massachusetts elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What district is Petersham Center in?

Petersham

How many students attend Petersham Center?

In the 2024-25 school year, 142 students attended Petersham Center.

Rate Petersham Center!

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MAMassachusetts Elementary School Rankings

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Schools in Petersham, 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.