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Alice M Barrows

Q: Is Alice M Barrows a good school?

Alice M Barrows ranks 120 th of 899 Massachusetts elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades K-5

120^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 899 Massachusetts Elementary Schools

Better than 87% of Massachusetts elementary schools

Summary

Alice M Barrows is a K–5 elementary school in Reading, MA, a suburban community north of Boston, serving 365 students as part of the Reading school district. That district ranks 43rd of 351 in Massachusetts, and in 2025–2026 the school placed 120th of 899 elementary schools statewide — the 87th percentile, with 4 stars. Its rank has stayed in the top tier across the years shown, never dropping below the 75th percentile.

MCAS Next Generation proficiency was 64.58% in ELA, 70.00% in math, and 72.58% in science — all above district averages (ELA 61.27%, math 64.46%, science 65.67%) and far above state averages, which sit near 40–41% in each subject. Among nearby schools, Alice M Barrows is the second-strongest in this local comparison group, behind Joshua Eaton (16th statewide, 98th percentile, 5 stars) and ahead of J Warren Killam, Wood End Elementary School, and Birch Meadow in ELA and science. Its math score trails Walton in Wakefield (79.01%) and Joshua Eaton (76.65%). It also outperforms nearby non-Reading schools, such as Linscott-Rumford in Woburn, by roughly 15 to 20 points in every subject.

Grade-level results show a very strong 5th grade — 85.48% in math and 72.58% in science — while 3rd grade ELA (46.27%) and math (58.46%) fall below district norms and are worth watching. The school is also notably effective with high-need groups: low-income students ranked 6th of 736 (99th percentile) in 2024–2025, and special education students ranked 36th of 731 (95th percentile) in 2023–2024. Per-pupil spending was $14,445 in 2020–2021, modest next to many nearby schools, and the student-teacher ratio improved to 12.8 in 2024–2025.

365

Students ?

12.8

Student/teacher ratio ?

$17,956

Per pupil spending ?

12.1%

Directly certified for free meals (2024-25) ?

All students in Massachusetts receive free school meals.

16 Edgemont Avenue
Reading, MA 01867

(781) 942-9166

District: Reading

Students who attend Alice M Barrows usually attend:

Middle:	Walter S Parker Middle
High:	Reading Memorial High

Racial breakdown:

White:

85.5%

Hispanic:

5.2%

Asian:

4.4%

See top rated Massachusetts elementary schools

Compare Alice M Barrows to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 75th percentile in 2016 → 87th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Massachusetts average (68% vs 41% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 13% of Massachusetts elementary schools

✓Ranking is trending up — up 12 percentile points since 2016

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school68%

District avg63%

Massachusetts avg41%

120^th of 899

Massachusetts public elementary schools ?

Top 13%▲ up 11 pts since 2016

From top 25% (2016) to top 13% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Massachusetts Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

2^nd of 5Elementary Schools in the Reading

43^rd of 351Reading 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	86.0	120 of 899	86.7%	★★★★☆
2025	85.2	123 of 906	86.4%	★★★★☆
2024	88.5	95 of 916	89.6%	★★★★☆
2023	81.4	167 of 928	82.0%	★★★★☆
2022	82.4	152 of 932	83.7%	★★★★☆
2021	89.6	86 of 936	90.8%	★★★★★
2019	84.1	124 of 942	86.8%	★★★★☆
2018	76.2	216 of 934	76.9%	★★★★☆
2017	82.7	146 of 938	84.4%	★★★★☆
2016	74.3	230 of 932	75.3%	★★★★☆
2015	75.5	212 of 914	76.8%	★★★★☆
2014	66.1	334 of 926	63.9%	★★★☆☆
2013	78.3	189 of 928	79.6%	★★★★☆
2012	83.6	124 of 930	86.7%	★★★★☆
2011	72.7	274 of 924	70.3%	★★★★☆
2010	75.2	236 of 920	74.3%	★★★★☆
2009	72.9	254 of 909	72.1%	★★★★☆
2008	80.8	155 of 908	82.9%	★★★★☆
2007	85.1	105 of 911	88.5%	★★★★☆
2006	81.9	149 of 911	83.6%	★★★★☆
2005	79.3	181 of 887	79.6%	★★★★☆
2004	87.2	84 of 882	90.5%	★★★★★
2003	85.6	104 of 884	88.2%	★★★★☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2022	65.0	176 of 672	73.8%	★★★★☆
2021	77.2	91 of 632	85.6%	★★★★☆
2019	76.6	105 of 665	84.2%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2026	85.6	109 of 869	87.5%	★★★★☆
2025	89.4	70 of 869	91.9%	★★★★★
2024	89.7	63 of 886	92.9%	★★★★★
2023	78.8	183 of 887	79.4%	★★★★☆
2022	79.5	168 of 901	81.4%	★★★★☆
2021	86.6	108 of 898	88.0%	★★★★☆
2019	78.5	167 of 902	81.5%	★★★★☆
2018	74.0	219 of 893	75.5%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2026	84.8	49 of 742	93.4%	★★★★★
2025	96.4	6 of 736	99.2%	★★★★★
2023	83.6	60 of 757	92.1%	★★★★★

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2026	84.0	124 of 879	85.9%	★★★★☆
2025	76.5	196 of 884	77.8%	★★★★☆
2024	84.1	122 of 891	86.3%	★★★★☆
2023	80.4	162 of 896	81.9%	★★★★☆
2022	81.9	144 of 908	84.1%	★★★★☆
2021	89.5	70 of 904	92.3%	★★★★★
2019	86.8	85 of 907	90.6%	★★★★★
2018	74.2	216 of 898	75.9%	★★★★☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2026	80.2	82 of 709	88.4%	★★★★☆
2025	75.6	113 of 717	84.2%	★★★★☆
2024	89.4	36 of 731	95.1%	★★★★★
2023	87.0	49 of 703	93.0%	★★★★★
2022	45.9	486 of 905	46.3%	★★☆☆☆
2021	65.4	223 of 894	75.1%	★★★★☆
2019	68.5	200 of 896	77.7%	★★★★☆
2018	51.8	402 of 886	54.6%	★★★☆☆

Tested In Person

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2021	89.0	78 of 925	91.6%	★★★★★

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2026	76.7	138 of 734	81.2%	★★★★☆
2025	77.6	134 of 737	81.8%	★★★★☆
2024	81.2	100 of 753	86.7%	★★★★☆
2023	74.6	162 of 762	78.7%	★★★★☆
2022	75.3	148 of 764	80.6%	★★★★☆
2021	87.3	59 of 765	92.3%	★★★★★
2019	78.2	127 of 780	83.7%	★★★★☆
2018	68.1	227 of 772	70.6%	★★★★☆

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 (2026)93rd percentile+7 vs school

Tested In Person (2021)92nd percentile~ school

Special Education (2026)88th percentile~ school

Female (2026)87th percentile~ school

Male (2026)86th percentile~ school

White (2026)81st percentile-5 vs school

Disabled (2022)74th percentile-10 vs school

By subject vs Massachusetts (2025-2026) ?

Science73%+32 vs state

Mathematics70%+29 vs state

English Language Arts65%+25 vs state

★

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Schools Near Alice M Barrows

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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)		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	Directly certified (2024-25)	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 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
Alice M Barrows	Public	K-5	16 Edgemont Avenue	Reading	01867	Middlesex County	Reading	No	No	No	No	(781) 942-9166	365	29	12.8	12.1%	312 (85.5%)	6 (1.6%)	19 (5.2%)	16 (4.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (3.3%)	86	120^th of 899 public elementary schools	86.7%		85.2	123^rd of 906 public elementary schools	86.4%	3	46.3	74.6	74.2	64.6	58.5	66.7	85.5	70.0	72.6	72.6	$17,956
Joshua Eaton	Public	K-5	365 Summer Avenue	Reading	01867	Middlesex County	Reading	No	No	No	Yes	(781) 942-9161	388	28	13.7	6.2%	318 (82.0%)	8 (2.1%)	30 (7.7%)	17 (4.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (3.9%)	95.9	16^th of 899 public elementary schools	98.2%		89	83^rd of 906 public elementary schools	90.8%	67	88.1	71.2	78.1	79.2	85.1	68.2	76.6	76.7	77.8	77.8	$17,102
Birch Meadow	Public	K-5	27 A B Lord Dr	Reading	01867	Middlesex County	Reading	No	No	No	No	(781) 944-2335	359	33	10.7	9.7%	295 (82.2%)	10 (2.8%)	16 (4.5%)	19 (5.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (5.3%)	73	239^th of 899 public elementary schools	73.4%		76.9	220^th of 906 public elementary schools	75.7%	19	51.6	56.7	52.5	53.6	46.8	58.3	55.7	53.6	55.7	55.7	$19,866
Mary D Altavesta	Public	K-5	980 1/2 Main Street	Woburn	01801	Middlesex County	Woburn	No	No	No	Yes	(781) 937-8235	248	24	10.2	53.2%	118 (47.6%)	36 (14.5%)	57 (23.0%)	21 (8.5%)	4 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (4.8%)	33.7	599^th of 899 public elementary schools	33.4%		16.7	773^rd of 906 public elementary schools	14.7%	174	47.1	46.2	20.6	38.3	42.9	15.4	20.6	25.9	21.2	21.2	$22,263
Robin Hood	Public	K-4	70 Oak Street	Stoneham	02180	Middlesex County	Stoneham	No	No	No	Yes	(781) 279-3870	380	30	12.6	18.7%	278 (73.2%)	13 (3.4%)	45 (11.8%)	20 (5.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (6.1%)	50.3	456^th of 899 public elementary schools	49.3%		55.3	404^th of 906 public elementary schools	55.4%	52	50.7	35.8		43.6	43.2	38.2		40.9			$19,415
Linscott-Rumford	Public	K-5	86 Elm Street	Woburn	01801	Middlesex County	Woburn	No	No	No	Yes	(781) 937-8239	209	14	14.8	35.9%	119 (56.9%)	19 (9.1%)	35 (16.7%)	28 (13.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	7 (3.3%)	65.2	311^th of 899 public elementary schools	65.4%		66.7	313^th of 906 public elementary schools	65.5%	2	54.8	36.1	52.8	48.3	53.7	50.0	44.4	49.6	52.8	52.8	$20,769
J Warren Killam	Public	K-5	333 Charles Street	Reading	01867	Middlesex County	Reading	No	No	No	No	(781) 944-7831	406	30	13.4	14.5%	321 (79.1%)	21 (5.2%)	26 (6.4%)	30 (7.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (1.7%)	82.2	150^th of 899 public elementary schools	83.3%		84.4	135^th of 906 public elementary schools	85.1%	15	55.9	60.0	54.4	57.1	61.0	57.3	66.7	61.3	68.4	68.4	$16,637
Walton	Public	K-4	18 Davidson Road	Wakefield	01880	Middlesex County	Wakefield	No	No	No	No	(781) 246-6494	218	16	13.5	11.0%	184 (84.4%)	4 (1.8%)	18 (8.3%)	3 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.9%)	7 (3.2%)	92.2	50^th of 899 public elementary schools	94.4%		71.8	263^rd of 906 public elementary schools	71.0%	213	62.2	65.1		63.8	81.1	77.3		79.0			$18,361
Wood End Elementary School	Public	K-5	85 Sunset Rock Lane	Reading	01867	Middlesex County	Reading	No	No	No	No	(781) 942-5420	236	18	13.3	7.2%	200 (84.7%)	2 (0.8%)	10 (4.2%)	16 (6.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (3.4%)	82	152^nd of 899 public elementary schools	83.1%		77.6	210^th of 906 public elementary schools	76.8%	58	79.4	37.8	54.8	55.5	85.3	57.8	80.7	72.7	71.0	71.0	$19,634
Hurld-Wyman Elementary School	Public	K-5	39 Wyman Street	Woburn	01801	Middlesex County	Woburn	No	No	No	No	(781) 937-8243	418	32	13.1	26.6%	292 (69.9%)	21 (5.0%)	60 (14.4%)	23 (5.5%)	4 (1.0%)	1 (0.2%)	17 (4.1%)	48.4	466^th of 899 public elementary schools	48.2%		53.1	424^th of 906 public elementary schools	53.2%	42	58.3	23.1	36.7	40.1	48.3	20.4	45.8	38.7	44.1	44.1	$19,798

Frequently Asked Questions about Alice M Barrows

How many students attend Alice M Barrows?

In the 2024-25 school year, 365 students attended Alice M Barrows.

Is Alice M Barrows a good school?

Alice M Barrows ranks 120^th of 899 Massachusetts elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Alice M Barrows?

Students at Alice M Barrows are 85% White, 5% Hispanic, 4% Asian, 3% Two or more races, 2% African American.

What schools do graduates of Alice M Barrows attend?

Students who attend Alice M Barrows usually go on to attend:

Middle : Walter S Parker Middle
High : Reading Memorial High

What district is Alice M Barrows in?

Reading

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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.