Elementary Schools in Southern Berkshire

The Southern Berkshire region of Massachusetts is home to two elementary schools, Undermountain and New Marlborough Central, which serve students from kindergarten through 6th grade. While both schools are part of the Southern Berkshire district, they exhibit notable differences in their academic performance and school characteristics.

New Marlborough Central appears to be a standout school in the region, with significantly higher proficiency rates on the MCAS Next Generation English Language Arts and Mathematics assessments compared to the district and state averages. The school has maintained a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger, placing it in the top half of Massachusetts elementary schools. In contrast, Undermountain's test scores and ratings are closer to the district and state averages, though it outperforms the region in mathematics.

The stark contrast in academic performance between the two schools is noteworthy, suggesting that factors beyond just district-level resources and policies can have a significant impact on a school's outcomes. The small size of New Marlborough Central, with just 66 students, may be a contributing factor to its strong academic results, while Undermountain's higher per-student spending does not appear to be translating into commensurate academic gains. These findings highlight the importance of examining individual school-level factors to understand the drivers of academic success in the Southern Berkshire region.