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James Fitzgerald Elementary School

Q: Is James Fitzgerald Elementary School a good school?

James Fitzgerald Elementary School ranks 307 th of 899 Massachusetts elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades K-5

307^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 899 Massachusetts Elementary Schools

Better than 66% of Massachusetts elementary schools

Summary

James Fitzgerald Elementary School is a K–5 school in Waltham, MA, a city just west of Boston, serving roughly 350 students as part of the Waltham district. In 2025–2026 it ranked 307 of 899 schools statewide — the 66th percentile, with 3 stars — while its district ranks 231 of 351 overall. That contrast is the headline: this school is performing well above its district's overall standing.

In 2025–2026 MCAS results, Fitzgerald scored 46.37% in English language arts, 54.19% in math, and 45.45% in science — above both the district and the state in all three subjects. Math is the clear strength, at 13.9 points above the district and 13.1 points above the state, with 4th grade math (59.38) and 5th grade math (52.73) especially strong. Among nearby Waltham schools, Fitzgerald leads Northeast Elementary School, Thomas R Plympton Elementary School, Dual Language School, and Henry Whittemore Elementary School in all three subjects, and it is the only one with a 3-star, above-state profile. Compared with schools in neighboring Watertown, Newton, and Belmont, it is competitive in ELA and math, but science is the relative gap: Cunniff, James Russell Lowell, Franklin, and Horace Mann score around 60% in science, versus Fitzgerald's 45.45%. (Daniel Butler in Belmont is K–3 only, so it is not fully comparable.)

Fitzgerald's recent trajectory is positive: it improved from 494th of 928 (47th percentile) in 2022–2023 to 307th of 899 (66th percentile) in 2025–2026, its strongest showing in the displayed history. In 2025–2026, effectiveness rankings for Hispanic students, White students, and special education students were all in the 72nd–76th percentile with 4 stars, while low-income students rebounded to the 62nd percentile after a 14th-percentile year — a volatile trend worth watching. Resources look supportive, with a 9.9 student-teacher ratio and $23,432 per-student spending in 2020–2021. Bottom line: a bright spot in Waltham, strongest in math, with science its main gap versus higher-ranked neighbors.

350

Students ?

9.9

Student/teacher ratio ?

$25,923

Per pupil spending ?

31.4%

Directly certified for free meals (2024-25) ?

All students in Massachusetts receive free school meals.

98%

Kindergartners with all required immunizations (2025-26)

Exemptions: 2% (any vaccine)

138 Beal Road
Waltham, MA 02453

(781) 314-5685

District: Waltham

Students who attend James Fitzgerald Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	John W. McDevitt Middle School
High:	Waltham Senior High

Racial breakdown:

White:

50.6%

Hispanic:

34.6%

Asian:

5.7%

See top rated Massachusetts elementary schools

Compare James Fitzgerald Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 51st percentile in 2016 → 66th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Massachusetts average (50% vs 41% meeting standards)

✓Ranking is trending up — up 15 percentile points since 2016

✓Among the top-ranked schools in Waltham

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school50%

District avg38%

Massachusetts avg41%

307^th of 899

Massachusetts public elementary schools ?

Top 34%▲ up 14 pts since 2016

From top 49% (2016) to top 34% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Massachusetts Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

1^st of 7Elementary Schools in the Waltham

231^st of 351Waltham 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	65.5	307 of 899	65.9%	★★★☆☆
2025	53.7	417 of 906	54.0%	★★★☆☆
2024	56.7	405 of 916	55.8%	★★★☆☆
2023	47.4	494 of 928	46.8%	★★☆☆☆
2022	59.5	394 of 932	57.7%	★★★☆☆
2021	51.6	466 of 936	50.2%	★★★☆☆
2019	63.4	343 of 942	63.6%	★★★☆☆
2018	52.5	480 of 934	48.6%	★★☆☆☆
2017	48.6	503 of 938	46.4%	★★☆☆☆
2016	55.1	453 of 932	51.4%	★★★☆☆
2015	60.8	376 of 914	58.9%	★★★☆☆
2014	73.6	241 of 926	74.0%	★★★★☆
2013	70.6	292 of 928	68.5%	★★★☆☆
2012	57.8	441 of 930	52.6%	★★★☆☆
2011	59.6	410 of 924	55.6%	★★★☆☆
2010	48.7	540 of 920	41.3%	★★☆☆☆
2009	38.8	613 of 909	32.6%	★★☆☆☆
2008	58.3	403 of 908	55.6%	★★★☆☆
2007	59.5	411 of 911	54.9%	★★★☆☆
2006	48.5	507 of 911	44.3%	★★☆☆☆
2005	53.4	438 of 887	50.6%	★★★☆☆
2004	67.8	310 of 882	64.9%	★★★☆☆
2003	56.2	431 of 884	51.2%	★★★☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2022	44.8	327 of 672	51.3%	★★★☆☆
2018	30.2	477 of 656	27.3%	★☆☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2024	41.2	151 of 282	46.5%	★★☆☆☆
2023	22.7	254 of 264	3.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	24.8	248 of 267	7.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	35.4	162 of 240	32.5%	★★☆☆☆
2019	57.7	63 of 258	75.6%	★★★★☆
2018	32.8	164 of 244	32.8%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2026	65.8	288 of 869	66.9%	★★★☆☆
2025	51.4	423 of 869	51.3%	★★★☆☆
2024	58.6	375 of 886	57.7%	★★★☆☆
2023	35.2	577 of 887	34.9%	★★☆☆☆
2022	48.4	487 of 901	45.9%	★★☆☆☆
2021	45.7	503 of 898	44.0%	★★☆☆☆
2019	69.5	259 of 902	71.3%	★★★★☆
2018	63.9	344 of 893	61.5%	★★★☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2026	64.1	116 of 475	75.6%	★★★★☆
2025	41.9	255 of 458	44.3%	★★☆☆☆
2024	52.0	167 of 446	62.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	46.4	197 of 420	53.1%	★★★☆☆
2022	42.7	203 of 401	49.4%	★★☆☆☆
2021	36.7	225 of 379	40.6%	★★☆☆☆
2019	58.1	134 of 398	66.3%	★★★☆☆
2018	57.8	123 of 379	67.5%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2026	55.4	285 of 742	61.6%	★★★☆☆
2025	23.5	635 of 736	13.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	53.8	315 of 760	58.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	36.4	511 of 757	32.5%	★★☆☆☆
2022	45.6	415 of 772	46.2%	★★☆☆☆
2021	41.1	424 of 705	39.9%	★★☆☆☆
2019	37.8	467 of 700	33.3%	★★☆☆☆
2018	44.5	391 of 685	42.9%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2026	60.1	340 of 879	61.3%	★★★☆☆
2025	54.4	393 of 884	55.5%	★★★☆☆
2024	52.0	432 of 891	51.5%	★★★☆☆
2023	56.1	389 of 896	56.6%	★★★☆☆
2022	67.7	289 of 908	68.2%	★★★☆☆
2021	55.5	418 of 904	53.8%	★★★☆☆
2019	53.3	436 of 907	51.9%	★★★☆☆
2018	37.1	592 of 898	34.1%	★★☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2026	66.8	171 of 709	75.9%	★★★★☆
2025	42.3	362 of 717	49.5%	★★☆☆☆
2024	36.7	447 of 731	38.9%	★★☆☆☆
2023	42.9	361 of 703	48.6%	★★☆☆☆
2022	43.5	509 of 905	43.8%	★★☆☆☆
2021	31.8	644 of 894	28.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	39.3	581 of 896	35.2%	★★☆☆☆
2018	32.0	675 of 886	23.8%	★☆☆☆☆

Tested In Person

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2021	55.0	438 of 925	52.6%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2026	68.4	203 of 734	72.3%	★★★★☆
2025	67.5	218 of 737	70.4%	★★★★☆
2024	58.0	311 of 753	58.7%	★★★☆☆
2023	54.0	350 of 762	54.1%	★★★☆☆
2022	67.9	221 of 764	71.1%	★★★★☆
2021	59.2	299 of 765	60.9%	★★★☆☆
2019	73.0	176 of 780	77.4%	★★★★☆
2018	61.7	296 of 772	61.7%	★★★☆☆

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)

Special Education (2026)76th percentile+10 vs school

Hispanic (2026)76th percentile+10 vs school

White (2026)72nd percentile+6 vs school

Female (2026)67th percentile~ school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)62nd percentile-4 vs school

Male (2026)61st percentile-5 vs school

Tested In Person (2021)53rd percentile~ school

Disabled (2022)51st percentile-6 vs school

English Language Learner (2024)46th percentile-9 vs school

By subject vs Massachusetts (2025-2026) ?

Mathematics54%+13 vs state

English Language Arts46%+6 vs state

Science45%+4 vs state

1.0

1 rating · 1 written review

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What people are saying

by a parent
Wednesday, February 15, 2017

it feels very discriminatory with some school members Close Quote

Schools Near James Fitzgerald Elementary School

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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 Vaccination 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)		Vaccination (2025-26)		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	Vaccination: Kindergartners with all required immunizations	Vaccination: Exemption rate	Total
James Fitzgerald Elementary School	Public	K-5	138 Beal Road	Waltham	02453	Middlesex County	Waltham	No	No	No	No	(781) 314-5685	350	35	9.9	31.4%	177 (50.6%)	11 (3.1%)	121 (34.6%)	20 (5.7%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (5.7%)	65.5	307^th of 899 public elementary schools	65.9%		53.7	417^th of 906 public elementary schools	54.0%	110	46.7	43.8	49.1	46.4	50.0	59.4	52.7	54.2	45.5	45.5	98%	2%	$25,923
Cunniff	Public	PK, KG-5	246 Warren Street	Watertown	02472	Middlesex County	Watertown	No	No	No	Yes	(617) 926-7726	320	40	8.0	28.1%	181 (56.6%)	8 (2.5%)	76 (23.8%)	21 (6.6%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (10.3%)	63.7	324^th of 899 public elementary schools	64.0%		65.2	327^th of 906 public elementary schools	63.9%	3	43.9	32.0	52.1	42.5	43.9	56.0	54.2	51.8	60.4	60.4	99%	1%	$28,636
Daniel Butler	Public	K-3	90 White Street	Belmont	02478	Middlesex County	Belmont	No	No	No	Yes	(617) 993-5550	261	22	11.9	17.2%	112 (42.9%)	7 (2.7%)	29 (11.1%)	81 (31.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (11.9%)								(n/a)	76.5			76.5	72.1			72.1			97%	3%	$20,030
James Russell Lowell	Public	PK, KG-5	123 Lowell Ave.	Watertown	02472	Middlesex County	Watertown	No	No	No	Yes	(617) 926-7770	422	43	9.7	26.3%	230 (54.5%)	11 (2.6%)	92 (21.8%)	54 (12.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (8.3%)	71.5	251^st of 899 public elementary schools	72.1%		78.1	201^st of 906 public elementary schools	77.8%	50	47.8	40.6	58.0	47.9	45.7	62.3	56.9	56.0	64.7	64.7	99%	1%	$28,031
Horace Mann	Public	K-5	191 Pearl Street	Newton	02458	Middlesex County	Newton	No	No	No	No	(617) 559-9510	351	33	10.5	15.4%	187 (53.3%)	18 (5.1%)	39 (11.1%)	64 (18.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	42 (12.0%)	79.3	178^th of 899 public elementary schools	80.2%		78.1	203^rd of 906 public elementary schools	77.6%	25	58.5	50.9	58.5	55.9	69.2	57.6	52.3	59.1	60.0	60.0	100%	0%	$23,213
Dual Language School	Public	K-5	617 Lexington St	Waltham	02452	Middlesex County	Waltham	No	No	No	Yes	(781) 314-5402	222	17	13.1	48.6%	41 (18.5%)	5 (2.3%)	161 (72.5%)	3 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (5.4%)	32.6	609^th of 899 public elementary schools	32.3%		41.4	536^th of 906 public elementary schools	40.8%	73	29.7	31.4	36.4	32.4	27.0	28.6	33.3	29.5	39.4	39.4	100%	0%	$23,410
Henry Whittemore Elementary School	Public	K-5	30 Parmenter Road	Waltham	02453	Middlesex County	Waltham	No	No	No	Yes	(781) 314-5785	372	41	9.0	71.8%	40 (10.8%)	18 (4.8%)	287 (77.2%)	14 (3.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (3.5%)	25.6	670^th of 899 public elementary schools	25.5%		27.2	658^th of 906 public elementary schools	27.4%	12	14.6	21.2	32.7	22.4	25.5	42.3	30.6	32.7	24.5	24.5	100%	0%	$25,757
Lincoln-Eliot	Public	K-5	150 Jackson Street	Newton	02458	Middlesex County	Newton	No	No	No	Yes	(617) 559-9540	336	36	9.3	30.1%	129 (38.4%)	24 (7.1%)	71 (21.1%)	74 (22.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (11.3%)	79.7	172^nd of 899 public elementary schools	80.9%		70.8	274^th of 906 public elementary schools	69.8%	102	60.3	42.6	55.2	53.3	64.1	59.3	65.7	63.2	61.2	61.2	96%	4%	$26,479
Northeast Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	70 Putney Lane	Waltham	02452	Middlesex County	Waltham	No	No	No	Yes	(781) 314-5740	527	49	10.7	53.9%	186 (35.3%)	62 (11.8%)	226 (42.9%)	32 (6.1%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (3.8%)	34.4	589^th of 899 public elementary schools	34.5%		31.1	623^rd of 906 public elementary schools	31.2%	34	26.0	32.8	31.8	30.0	39.7	43.1	31.8	38.1	27.7	27.7	98%	2%	$26,896
Thomas R Plympton Elementary School	Public	K-5	20 Farnsworth Street	Waltham	02451	Middlesex County	Waltham	No	No	No	Yes	(781) 314-5760	357	35	10.1	43.7%	139 (38.9%)	48 (13.4%)	136 (38.1%)	15 (4.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (5.3%)	38.2	557^th of 899 public elementary schools	38.0%		38.3	567^th of 906 public elementary schools	37.4%	10	29.5	34.6	22.5	29.1	41.0	56.4	31.3	43.3	29.2	29.2	100%	0%	$25,849

Frequently Asked Questions about James Fitzgerald Elementary School

What is the racial makeup of James Fitzgerald Elementary School?

Students at James Fitzgerald Elementary School are 51% White, 35% Hispanic, 6% Asian, 6% Two or more races, 3% African American.

Is James Fitzgerald Elementary School a good school?

James Fitzgerald Elementary School ranks 307^th of 899 Massachusetts elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What schools do graduates of James Fitzgerald Elementary School attend?

Students who attend James Fitzgerald Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : John W. McDevitt Middle School
High : Waltham Senior High

How many students attend James Fitzgerald Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 350 students attended James Fitzgerald Elementary School.

What district is James Fitzgerald Elementary School in?

Waltham

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Latest Massachusetts data All new data »

2013–14 through 2025–26 immunization rates (updated)NewOct 20, 2026

2024–25 dropout rates & graduation ratesMar 5, 2026

2024–25 MCAS Next Generation test scoresSep 29, 2025

2023–24 school spending dataMay 8, 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.