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Thomas R Plympton Elementary School

Q: Is Thomas R Plympton Elementary School a good school?

Thomas R Plympton Elementary School ranks 567 th of 906 Massachusetts elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades K-5

567^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 906 Massachusetts Elementary Schools

Better than 37% of Massachusetts elementary schools

Summary

Thomas R Plympton Elementary School is a public elementary school in Waltham, MA, serving 352 students in grades K-5. The school is part of the Waltham school district, which is ranked 240 out of 348 districts in Massachusetts and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Thomas R Plympton Elementary School has consistently ranked in the bottom half of Massachusetts elementary schools, typically in the 500-700 range out of around 900 schools. The school's performance on MCAS Next Generation assessments is generally below the Waltham district and Massachusetts state averages across English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science. The school's performance is particularly low for certain student subgroups, such as Hispanic students and students with disabilities, who rank in the bottom 25% of Massachusetts elementary schools in those categories.

In contrast, the nearby Douglas MacArthur Elementary and James Fitzgerald Elementary schools in the Waltham district generally outperform Thomas R Plympton Elementary on academic measures, ranking in the top half of Massachusetts elementary schools. Schools in the neighboring Newton district, such as Franklin and C.C. Burr, significantly outperform Thomas R Plympton Elementary, with proficiency rates often 20-30 percentage points higher.

357

Students ?

10.1

Student/teacher ratio ?

$25,849

Per pupil spending ?

52.1%

Free/discounted lunch ?

20 Farnsworth Street
Waltham, MA 02451

(781) 314-5760

District: Waltham

Students who attend Thomas R Plympton Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	John F Kennedy Middle
High:	Waltham Senior High

Racial breakdown:

White:

38.9%

Hispanic:

38.1%

African American:

13.4%

See top rated Massachusetts elementary schools

Compare Thomas R Plympton Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 28th percentile in 2015 → 37th in 2025

Strengths

✓Ranking is trending up — up 9 percentile points since 2015

✓Small classes — about 10 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Massachusetts average (35% vs 41% meeting standards)

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

!Science scores 12 pts below the Massachusetts average

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school35%

District avg39%

Massachusetts avg41%

567^th of 906

Massachusetts public elementary schools ?

Bottom 37%▲ up 9 pts since 2015

From bottom 28% (2015) to bottom 37% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Massachusetts Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

4^th of 7Elementary Schools in the Waltham

240^th of 348Waltham 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	38.3	567 of 906	37.4%	★★☆☆☆
2024	25.9	678 of 916	26.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	41.8	548 of 928	40.9%	★★☆☆☆
2022	32.9	629 of 932	32.5%	★★☆☆☆
2021	41.3	559 of 936	40.3%	★★☆☆☆
2019	43.7	560 of 942	40.6%	★★☆☆☆
2018	42.7	573 of 934	38.7%	★★☆☆☆
2017	42.1	587 of 938	37.4%	★★☆☆☆
2016	40.0	600 of 932	35.6%	★★☆☆☆
2015	33.9	654 of 914	28.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	33.9	662 of 926	28.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	41.1	596 of 928	35.8%	★★☆☆☆
2012	45.5	559 of 930	39.9%	★★☆☆☆
2011	62.9	373 of 924	59.6%	★★★☆☆
2010	48.6	543 of 920	41.0%	★★☆☆☆
2009	57.8	416 of 909	54.2%	★★★☆☆
2008	48.3	518 of 908	43.0%	★★☆☆☆
2007	51.3	491 of 911	46.1%	★★☆☆☆
2006	47.4	517 of 911	43.2%	★★☆☆☆
2005	39.6	567 of 887	36.1%	★★☆☆☆
2004	36.7	599 of 882	32.1%	★★☆☆☆
2003	29.6	649 of 884	26.6%	★☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2025	52.5	74 of 169	56.2%	★★★☆☆
2024	37.8	109 of 167	34.7%	★★☆☆☆
2018	12.0	170 of 174	2.3%	☆☆☆☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2022	19.1	609 of 672	9.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	38.8	364 of 632	42.4%	★★☆☆☆
2019	94.0	18 of 665	97.3%	★★★★★
2018	29.5	490 of 656	25.3%	★☆☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2025	51.1	94 of 281	66.5%	★★★☆☆
2024	31.5	212 of 282	24.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	41.0	137 of 264	48.1%	★★☆☆☆
2022	30.0	218 of 267	18.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	30.3	206 of 240	14.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	45.5	114 of 258	55.8%	★★★☆☆
2018	41.7	123 of 244	49.6%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2025	30.3	613 of 869	29.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	23.6	692 of 886	21.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	43.3	521 of 887	41.3%	★★☆☆☆
2022	31.4	622 of 901	31.0%	★★☆☆☆
2021	48.6	470 of 898	47.7%	★★☆☆☆
2019	37.3	608 of 902	32.6%	★★☆☆☆
2018	41.1	569 of 893	36.3%	★★☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2025	17.9	425 of 458	7.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	15.7	430 of 446	3.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	41.1	240 of 420	42.9%	★★☆☆☆
2022	36.4	247 of 401	38.4%	★★☆☆☆
2021	56.2	119 of 379	68.6%	★★★☆☆
2019	46.8	209 of 398	47.5%	★★☆☆☆
2018	38.0	252 of 379	33.5%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2025	21.8	649 of 736	11.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	14.0	724 of 760	4.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	30.6	580 of 757	23.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	27.7	604 of 772	21.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	48.5	345 of 705	51.1%	★★★☆☆
2019	45.3	390 of 700	44.3%	★★☆☆☆
2018	38.5	467 of 685	31.8%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2025	45.2	483 of 884	45.4%	★★☆☆☆
2024	30.2	635 of 891	28.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	40.7	549 of 896	38.7%	★★☆☆☆
2022	35.0	603 of 908	33.6%	★★☆☆☆
2021	35.4	593 of 904	34.4%	★★☆☆☆
2019	50.9	460 of 907	49.3%	★★☆☆☆
2018	46.2	506 of 898	43.7%	★★☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2025	28.2	536 of 717	25.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	33.6	478 of 731	34.6%	★★☆☆☆
2023	47.6	325 of 703	53.8%	★★★☆☆
2022	26.2	722 of 905	20.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	39.4	557 of 894	37.7%	★★☆☆☆
2019	46.8	484 of 896	46.0%	★★☆☆☆
2018	36.8	611 of 886	31.0%	★★☆☆☆

Tested In Person

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2021	38.5	583 of 925	37.0%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2025	62.0	274 of 737	62.8%	★★★☆☆
2024	48.7	400 of 753	46.9%	★★☆☆☆
2023	63.1	269 of 762	64.7%	★★★☆☆
2022	39.5	496 of 764	35.1%	★★☆☆☆
2021	53.8	345 of 765	54.9%	★★★☆☆
2019	67.4	234 of 780	70.0%	★★★★☆
2018	77.2	135 of 772	82.5%	★★★★☆

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)

English Language Learner (2025)67th percentile+29 vs school

White (2025)63rd percentile+25 vs school

African American (2025)56th percentile+19 vs school

Male (2025)45th percentile+8 vs school

Tested In Person (2021)37th percentile-3 vs school

Female (2025)29th percentile-8 vs school

Special Education (2025)25th percentile-12 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)12th percentile-26 vs school

Disabled (2022)9th percentile-23 vs school

Hispanic (2025)7th percentile-30 vs school

By subject vs Massachusetts (2024-2025) ?

English Language Arts37%-5 vs state

Mathematics36%-4 vs state

Science29%-12 vs state

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Schools Near Thomas R Plympton Elementary School

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 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
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		139 (38.9%)	48 (13.4%)	136 (38.1%)	15 (4.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (5.3%)	38.3	567^th of 906 public elementary schools	37.4%		25.9	678^th of 916 public elementary schools	26.0%	111	50.0	27.3	31.8	36.7	48.2	40.9	22.6	36.3	29.0	29.0	$25,849
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		41 (18.5%)	5 (2.3%)	161 (72.5%)	3 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (5.4%)	41.4	536^th of 906 public elementary schools	40.8%		44.1	526^th of 916 public elementary schools	42.6%	10	31.6	23.5	50.0	34.9	26.3	44.1	44.1	37.7	44.1	44.1	$23,410
William F. Stanley Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	250 South Street	Waltham	02453	Middlesex County	Waltham	No	No	No	Yes	(781) 314-5620	381	45	8.4		101 (26.5%)	47 (12.3%)	189 (49.6%)	30 (7.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (3.7%)	35.4	591^st of 906 public elementary schools	34.8%		41.2	552^nd of 916 public elementary schools	39.7%	39	26.2	25.5	40.0	31.1	28.6	34.0	32.7	32.0	47.3	47.3	$32,435
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		40 (10.8%)	18 (4.8%)	287 (77.2%)	14 (3.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (3.5%)	27.2	658^th of 906 public elementary schools	27.4%		22.7	711^th of 916 public elementary schools	22.4%	53	22.2	34.7	25.7	27.2	29.6	49.0	25.7	33.5	18.6	18.6	$25,757
Douglas MacArthur Elementary School	Public	K-5	494 Lincoln Street	Waltham	02451	Middlesex County	Waltham	No	No	No	No	(781) 314-5721	475	41	11.4		271 (57.1%)	35 (7.4%)	106 (22.3%)	36 (7.6%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	23 (4.8%)	55.3	403^rd of 906 public elementary schools	55.5%		51	462^nd of 916 public elementary schools	49.6%	59	42.5	48.3	47.5	46.0	43.7	44.9	53.3	46.6	35.0	35.0	$23,980
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		177 (50.6%)	11 (3.1%)	121 (34.6%)	20 (5.7%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (5.7%)	53.7	417^th of 906 public elementary schools	54.0%		56.7	405^th of 916 public elementary schools	55.8%	12	44.1	47.3	33.3	42.3	52.9	56.4	37.8	50.0	28.9	28.9	$25,923
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		186 (35.3%)	62 (11.8%)	226 (42.9%)	32 (6.1%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (3.8%)	31.1	623^rd of 906 public elementary schools	31.2%		27	669^th of 916 public elementary schools	27.0%	46	33.3	32.4	20.0	28.0	35.7	50.0	28.0	37.7	21.3	21.3	$26,896
Franklin	Public	K-5	125 Derby Street	West Newton	02465	Middlesex County	Newton	No	No	No	No	(617) 559-9500	320	32	9.8		190 (59.4%)	12 (3.8%)	41 (12.8%)	48 (15.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (8.8%)	74.9	230^th of 906 public elementary schools	74.6%		79	195^th of 916 public elementary schools	78.7%	35	42.0	56.2	71.0	57.3	40.8	52.1	67.7	54.4	74.2	74.2	$24,300
C C Burr	Public	K-5	171 Pine Street	Auburndale	02466	Middlesex County	Newton	No	No	No	Yes	(617) 559-9360	350	31	11.1		169 (48.3%)	16 (4.6%)	49 (14.0%)	82 (23.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (8.3%)	93.6	42^nd of 906 public elementary schools	95.4%		84.3	131^st of 916 public elementary schools	85.7%	89	71.2	68.5	67.2	69.0	78.0	75.9	77.1	77.0	77.1	77.1	$24,527
Cunniff	Public	PK, KG-5	246 Warren Street	Watertown	02472	Middlesex County	Watertown	No	No	No	Yes	(617) 926-7726	320	40	8.0		181 (56.6%)	8 (2.5%)	76 (23.8%)	21 (6.6%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (10.3%)	65.2	327^th of 906 public elementary schools	63.9%		60.9	357^th of 916 public elementary schools	61.0%	30	51.0	45.7	42.0	46.3	54.9	54.4	52.0	53.7	52.0	52.0	$28,636

Frequently Asked Questions about Thomas R Plympton Elementary School

Is Thomas R Plympton Elementary School a good school?

Thomas R Plympton Elementary School ranks 567^th of 906 Massachusetts elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Thomas R Plympton Elementary School?

Students at Thomas R Plympton Elementary School are 39% White, 38% Hispanic, 13% African American, 5% Two or more races, 4% Asian.

What district is Thomas R Plympton Elementary School in?

Waltham

How many students attend Thomas R Plympton Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 357 students attended Thomas R Plympton Elementary School.

What schools do graduates of Thomas R Plympton Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Thomas R Plympton Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : John F Kennedy Middle
High : Waltham Senior High

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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.