Summary:
ZIP code 02144 in Somerville, Massachusetts contains three elementary schools — John F Kennedy (PK–8, 439 students), West Somerville Neighborhood (PK–8, 397 students), and Benjamin G Brown (K–5, 219 students) — all part of the Somerville district, which itself ranks 198 of 351 districts statewide (44th percentile, 2 stars).
All three schools outperform their district. Benjamin G Brown is the clear standout, ranking 6 of 899 schools statewide in 2025–2026 (99th percentile, 5 stars), up from 113 of 916 three years earlier. Its all-grade proficiency scores are ELA 79.8, Math 78.79, and Science 85.19 — roughly 40 points above the district in each subject, and its 3rd Grade ELA and Math scores are both 87.1. John F Kennedy is larger and consistently strong, ranking 134 of 899 (85th percentile, 4 stars) with all-grade ELA 64.53, Math 66.11, and Science 64.04, and it is especially strong in middle grades. West Somerville Neighborhood ranks 383 of 899 (57th percentile, 3 stars) with all-grade ELA 45.38, Math 45.57, and Science 47.3, above district and state but uneven: 4th Grade ELA is 28.21, below district (31.42) and state (37.43), while its 3rd grade is a bright spot.
All three schools improved their statewide rank in 2025–2026. Resource metrics do not simply explain results: Brown has the smallest enrollment, the lowest per-student spending ($18,254), and the highest student-teacher ratio (14.5), yet the strongest outcomes. Note that spending figures are from 2020–2021, free/reduced-lunch percentages are unavailable for all three schools, and Brown’s K–5 all-grade scores cover only tested grades 3–5, so comparisons are not perfectly equivalent.
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