Summary
Mary A. Dryden Veterans Memorial School is a PK–5 elementary school in Springfield, MA, serving 304 students at 190 Surrey Rd, and it stands out as a relative bright spot within a very low-performing district.
Its district, Springfield, ranks 322nd of 351 in Massachusetts (8th percentile, 0 stars), but Mary A. Dryden Veterans Memorial School ranks 539th of 899 elementary schools (40th percentile, 2 stars) — about 32 percentile points above its own district. Over a decade, it climbed from the 11th percentile to the 40th. Science is its signature strength: 50% proficient, above the state's 40.98% and the best among nearby schools, including Frederick Harris (48.5%) and White Street (46.4%). Math is 33.3% proficient, nearly double the district's 17.37% and third among ten nearby schools. ELA is 33.9% proficient, above the district's 22.09% but below the state's 40.03%. A useful comparison is Elias Brookings: same enrollment of 304, same PK–5 span, same district, about a mile away, yet Brookings ranks 26th percentile with science at 33.3%, and it spends more per student ($19,898 vs. $18,648). Dryden achieves more with comparable resources.
For parents, the strongest differentiator is how well the school serves low-income students: 81st percentile statewide, 4 stars, up from 66th percentile in 2023–24 — well above the school's overall 40th percentile. Watch items include an overall rank that has plateaued since 2022–23 (peak 52nd percentile, 3 stars), ELA and Math scores that have softened by about 9–10 points from that peak, a pronounced gender gap in 2025–26 (male students 56th percentile, female students 25th percentile), and 3rd-grade ELA at 26.3%, slightly below the district's 27.3% and well below the state's 42.8%. The bottom line: Dryden is a middle-of-the-pack Massachusetts elementary school that behaves like an above-average one relative to its Springfield neighbors.
Thank you for your feedback!