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Walter S Parker Middle

Q: Is Walter S Parker Middle a good school?

Walter S Parker Middle ranks 73 rd of 478 Massachusetts middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 6-8

73^rd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 478 Massachusetts Middle Schools

Better than 85% of Massachusetts middle schools

Summary

Walter S Parker Middle is a public middle school serving grades 6–8 at 45 Temple Street in Reading, MA, enrolling 467 students as one of two middle schools in the Reading district.

On the 2025–26 MCAS Next Generation tests, Walter S Parker Middle posted proficiency rates of 58.32 in ELA, 58.19 in math, 58.28 in science, and 63.58 in civics. Each of those is roughly 17–24 percentage points above the Massachusetts average, but all four trail the Reading district figure — by about 3 points in ELA and 6–7 points in math and science. Among nine nearby middle schools in the comparison set, Parker ranks fourth, ahead of Melrose Middle, Wilmington Middle School, and Stoneham Central Middle School. The closest comparison is Arthur W Coolidge Middle, just over a mile away in the same town and district, which outscored Parker in every subject: about 7 points in ELA and 12 points in both math and science, with the widest gap in grade 7 math and the narrowest in grade 8.

Parker runs lean: per-pupil spending of $16,447 (2020–21) is the third-lowest of the group, and its student-teacher ratio of 9.4 is the second-lowest. Grade 8 results are noticeably stronger than grade 6. The clearest change this year was in ELA, which fell from 65.29 to 58.32, and the drop was concentrated among low-income students (from the 88th to the 68th percentile) and special-education students (89th to 76th) — one-year shifts worth watching rather than established trends. Overall, the school's 4-star, 85th-percentile standing remains intact.

467

Students ?

9.4

Student/teacher ratio ?

$20,725

Per pupil spending ?

12%

Free/discounted lunch ?

45 Temple Street
Reading, MA 01867

(781) 944-1236

District: Reading

Students who attend Walter S Parker Middle usually attend:

High:

Reading Memorial High

Feeder schools for Walter S Parker Middle:

Elementary:	Alice M Barrows
	Joshua Eaton

Racial breakdown:

White:

80.3%

Asian:

6.0%

Hispanic:

5.4%

See top rated Massachusetts middle schools

Compare Walter S Parker Middle to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Rebounding — 73rd percentile in 2023 → 85th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Massachusetts average (59% vs 41% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 15% of Massachusetts middle schools

✓Ranking is rebounding — up to 85th (2026) from a 73rd-percentile low (2023)

Worth a look

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

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school59%

District avg64%

Massachusetts avg41%

73^rd of 478

Massachusetts public middle schools ?

Top 15%▼ down 6 pts since 2016

From top 10% (2016) to top 15% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Massachusetts Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

2^nd of 2Middle 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	83.3	73 of 478	84.7%	★★★★☆
2025	87.2	66 of 484	86.4%	★★★★☆
2024	87.8	63 of 493	87.2%	★★★★☆
2023	70.5	134 of 501	73.3%	★★★★☆
2022	81.7	79 of 497	84.1%	★★★★☆
2021	77.5	98 of 501	80.4%	★★★★☆
2019	75.9	123 of 498	75.3%	★★★★☆
2018	81.7	76 of 484	84.3%	★★★★☆
2017	80.2	84 of 487	82.8%	★★★★☆
2016	84.6	47 of 482	90.2%	★★★★★
2015	85.6	46 of 441	89.6%	★★★★☆
2014	78.8	93 of 455	79.6%	★★★★☆
2013	76.3	106 of 455	76.7%	★★★★☆
2012	82.7	70 of 455	84.6%	★★★★☆
2011	83.9	60 of 449	86.6%	★★★★☆
2010	84.3	57 of 434	86.9%	★★★★☆
2009	88.0	34 of 409	91.7%	★★★★★
2008	85.5	48 of 407	88.2%	★★★★☆
2007	89.1	24 of 399	94.0%	★★★★★
2006	88.7	33 of 399	91.7%	★★★★★
2005	83.2	62 of 356	82.6%	★★★★☆
2004	86.7	43 of 344	87.5%	★★★★☆
2003	90.9	24 of 339	92.9%	★★★★★

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2025	74.6	33 of 206	84.0%	★★★★☆

Asian

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2026	68.4	48 of 131	63.4%	★★★☆☆
2022	57.0	66 of 135	51.1%	★★★☆☆
2019	57.1	68 of 128	46.9%	★★☆☆☆
2018	58.9	60 of 119	49.6%	★★★☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2022	65.9	88 of 445	80.2%	★★★★☆
2021	69.5	75 of 431	82.6%	★★★★☆
2019	67.0	98 of 424	76.9%	★★★★☆
2018	57.8	125 of 417	70.0%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2026	82.4	79 of 468	83.1%	★★★★☆
2025	84.2	73 of 473	84.6%	★★★★☆
2024	85.8	64 of 481	86.7%	★★★★☆
2023	65.6	146 of 489	70.1%	★★★★☆
2022	77.5	94 of 494	81.0%	★★★★☆
2021	69.2	134 of 483	72.3%	★★★★☆
2019	71.2	135 of 478	71.8%	★★★★☆
2018	81.3	76 of 463	83.6%	★★★★☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2026	76.1	68 of 383	82.2%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2026	59.7	146 of 461	68.3%	★★★☆☆
2025	80.8	55 of 464	88.1%	★★★★☆
2024	76.0	63 of 469	86.6%	★★★★☆
2023	37.8	297 of 481	38.3%	★★☆☆☆
2022	54.9	181 of 489	63.0%	★★★☆☆
2021	47.2	216 of 462	53.2%	★★★☆☆
2019	53.1	196 of 452	56.6%	★★★☆☆
2018	72.2	87 of 438	80.1%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2026	81.4	81 of 470	82.8%	★★★★☆
2025	86.4	64 of 473	86.5%	★★★★☆
2024	87.7	55 of 483	88.6%	★★★★☆
2023	72.8	120 of 489	75.5%	★★★★☆
2022	82.4	75 of 497	84.9%	★★★★☆
2021	82.0	75 of 485	84.5%	★★★★☆
2019	78.1	102 of 478	78.7%	★★★★☆
2018	79.5	90 of 466	80.7%	★★★★☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2024	73.1	28 of 98	71.4%	★★★★☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2026	61.5	104 of 436	76.1%	★★★★☆
2025	80.6	50 of 435	88.5%	★★★★☆
2024	79.4	49 of 441	88.9%	★★★★☆
2023	59.8	116 of 444	73.9%	★★★★☆
2022	46.4	241 of 503	52.1%	★★★☆☆
2021	50.7	202 of 489	58.7%	★★★☆☆
2019	49.3	223 of 484	53.9%	★★★☆☆
2018	56.0	170 of 467	63.6%	★★★☆☆

Tested In Person

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2021	77.2	97 of 491	80.2%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2026	75.6	79 of 393	79.9%	★★★★☆
2025	81.1	67 of 386	82.6%	★★★★☆
2024	81.1	63 of 392	83.9%	★★★★☆
2023	60.3	142 of 403	64.8%	★★★☆☆
2022	73.2	87 of 404	78.5%	★★★★☆
2021	67.7	103 of 401	74.3%	★★★★☆
2019	66.3	118 of 396	70.2%	★★★★☆
2018	74.0	78 of 395	80.3%	★★★★☆

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)

African American (2025)84th percentile~ school

Female (2026)83rd percentile~ school

Male (2026)83rd percentile~ school

Hispanic (2026)82nd percentile~ school

Tested In Person (2021)80th percentile~ school

Disabled (2022)80th percentile-4 vs school

White (2026)80th percentile-5 vs school

Special Education (2026)76th percentile-9 vs school

Multi-racial (2024)71st percentile-16 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)68th percentile-16 vs school

Asian (2026)63rd percentile-21 vs school

By subject vs Massachusetts (2025-2026) ?

Civics64%+24 vs state

English Language Arts58%+18 vs state

Science58%+17 vs state

Mathematics58%+17 vs state

★

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Schools Near Walter S Parker Middle

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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 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 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
Walter S Parker Middle	Public	6-8	45 Temple Street	Reading	01867	Middlesex County	Reading	No	No	No	Yes	(781) 944-1236	467	49	9.4	12.0%	375 (80.3%)	24 (5.1%)	25 (5.4%)	28 (6.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (3.0%)	83.3	73^rd of 478 public middle schools	84.7%		87.2	66^th of 484 public middle schools	86.4%	7		50.3	59.8	66.3	58.3		56.6	53.6	64.8	58.2		58.3	58.3	63.6	$20,725
Arthur W Coolidge Middle	Public	6-8	89 Birch Meadow Dr	Reading	01867	Middlesex County	Reading	No	No	No	No	(781) 942-9158	405	37	10.8	6.1%	337 (83.2%)	15 (3.7%)	17 (4.2%)	26 (6.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (2.5%)	92.5	38^th of 478 public middle schools	92.1%		92.1	45^th of 484 public middle schools	90.7%	7		58.7	67.4	71.4	65.5		69.5	72.5	69.6	70.5		71.0	71.0	74.4	$20,325
John F Kennedy Middle School	Public	6-8	33 Middle Street	Woburn	01801	Middlesex County	Woburn	No	No	No	No	(781) 937-8230	521	51	10.2	26.8%	325 (62.4%)	44 (8.4%)	89 (17.1%)	41 (7.9%)	6 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (3.1%)	38.1	270^th of 478 public middle schools	43.5%		46.5	231^st of 484 public middle schools	52.3%	39		27.4	34.0	36.0	32.5		17.2	26.5	36.7	26.9		35.8	35.8	36.7	$22,656
Galvin Middle School	Public	5-8	525 Main Street	Wakefield	01880	Middlesex County	Wakefield	No	No	No	Yes	(781) 246-6410	1,056	96	10.9	13.0%	809 (76.6%)	37 (3.5%)	113 (10.7%)	47 (4.5%)	1 (0.1%)	4 (0.4%)	44 (4.2%)	75.8	101^st of 478 public middle schools	78.9%		78.3	94^th of 484 public middle schools	80.6%	7	59.0	55.1	54.7	53.9	55.7	48.8	58.6	51.4	47.8	51.4	61.4	54.4	58.0	47.2	$19,997
Stoneham Central Middle School	Public	5-8	101 Central Street	Stoneham	02180	Middlesex County	Stoneham	No	No	No	Yes	(781) 279-3840	689	66	10.4	24.4%	508 (73.7%)	24 (3.5%)	91 (13.2%)	37 (5.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (4.2%)	61.9	160^th of 478 public middle schools	66.5%		67.2	140^th of 484 public middle schools	71.1%	20	36.0	25.0	42.0	55.4	39.1	46.9	38.7	44.2	47.3	44.2	54.3	58.5	56.2	54.7	$20,720
Lynnfield Middle School	Public	5-8	505 Main Street	Lynnfield	01940	Essex County	Lynnfield	No	No	No	No	(781) 334-5810	698	55	12.6	8.9%	534 (76.5%)	17 (2.4%)	52 (7.4%)	60 (8.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (4.7%)	87.3	63^rd of 478 public middle schools	86.8%		81.6	85^th of 484 public middle schools	82.4%	22	63.4	56.5	60.1	59.4	60.0	70.8	67.3	59.5	72.2	67.6	68.1	57.0	62.6	67.0	$19,034
Marshall Simonds Middle	Public	6-8	114 Winn Street	Burlington	01803	Middlesex County	Burlington	No	No	No	No	(781) 270-1781	848	73	11.6	12.4%	519 (61.2%)	63 (7.4%)	90 (10.6%)	132 (15.6%)	2 (0.2%)	2 (0.2%)	39 (4.6%)	74.1	105^th of 478 public middle schools	78.0%		76.3	101^st of 484 public middle schools	79.1%	4		48.9	49.6	58.1	52.2		47.7	50.2	57.3	51.7		43.9	43.9	60.8	$24,087
Wilmington Middle School	Public	6-8	25 Carter Lane	Wilmington	01887	Middlesex County	Wilmington	No	No	No	No	(978) 694-6080	782	82	9.5	14.3%	640 (81.8%)	13 (1.7%)	45 (5.8%)	57 (7.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (3.5%)	69.1	129^th of 478 public middle schools	73.0%		73	117^th of 484 public middle schools	75.8%	12		51.8	41.0	44.2	45.7		50.7	47.1	54.6	51.1		47.3	47.3	53.3	$24,168
North Reading Middle	Public	6-8	189 Park Street	North Reading	01864	Middlesex County	North Reading	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 664-7806	494	51	9.7	9.2%	426 (86.2%)	3 (0.6%)	18 (3.6%)	25 (5.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	21 (4.3%)	95.3	21^st of 478 public middle schools	95.6%		92.9	35^th of 484 public middle schools	92.8%	14		73.2	71.4	73.7	72.9		78.4	68.8	78.8	75.9		71.5	71.5	68.2	$20,617
Daniel L Joyce Middle School	Public	6-8	55 Locust Street	Woburn	01801	Middlesex County	Woburn	No	No	No	No	(781) 937-8233	455	55	8.3	28.4%	312 (68.6%)	40 (8.8%)	60 (13.2%)	14 (3.1%)	8 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (4.2%)	47.9	219^th of 478 public middle schools	54.2%		40.5	267^th of 484 public middle schools	44.8%	48		37.1	40.8	42.6	39.9		32.9	32.3	43.0	35.3		34.6	34.6	34.9	$26,187

Frequently Asked Questions about Walter S Parker Middle

What district is Walter S Parker Middle in?

Reading

What high school do graduates of Walter S Parker Middle attend?

Students who attend Walter S Parker Middle usually go on to attend Reading Memorial High

What is the racial makeup of Walter S Parker Middle?

Students at Walter S Parker Middle are 80% White, 6% Asian, 5% Hispanic, 5% African American, 3% Two or more races.

How many students attend Walter S Parker Middle?

In the 2024-25 school year, 467 students attended Walter S Parker Middle.

Is Walter S Parker Middle a good school?

Walter S Parker Middle ranks 73^rd of 478 Massachusetts middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Rate Walter S Parker Middle!

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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.