River Valley Charter School

Summary:

River Valley Charter School is a public charter elementary school serving 288 students in grades K-8 in Newburyport, MA, a community known for its strong educational ecosystem with several high-performing schools in the area.

River Valley Charter School consistently outperforms the state average on MCAS Next Generation assessments, with proficiency rates of 46.32% in English Language Arts and 40.74% in Mathematics, compared to the state averages of 39.17% and 40.91%, respectively. The school's performance is particularly strong in 8th grade, where 64.52% of students were proficient or better in ELA and 63.33% in Mathematics. Additionally, the school's performance across different student subgroups, including special education students, is noteworthy, with the school ranking 145 out of 703 MA elementary schools for its special education student performance in 2022-2023.

While River Valley Charter School's statewide ranking has fluctuated over the years, it has consistently been in the top half of Massachusetts elementary schools, ranking 482 out of 916 in 2023-2024 with a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger. This strong performance is further highlighted by the school's proximity to other high-performing elementary schools in the Newburyport area, such as Francis T. Bresnahan Elementary and Newbury Elementary, suggesting the region offers families multiple options for high-quality elementary education.


Detail:

Public, Charter K-8

 2 Perry Way
       Newburyport, MA  01950


(978) 465-0065

District: River Valley Charter (District)

SchoolDigger Rank:
482nd of 916 Massachusetts Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $18,542 Help


Student/teacher ratio:  11.4 Help
Number of students:  288

Racial breakdown:

White:
86.5%
Hispanic:
6.9%
Two or more races:
4.9%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  2.1% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details River Valley Charter School ranks worse than 52.6% of elementary schools in Massachusetts. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 48.94. (See more...)
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Compare Details River Valley Charter School ranks better than 75.7% of middle schools in Massachusetts. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 72.37. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (86.5%), Hispanic (6.9%), two or more races (4.9%). (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at River Valley Charter School is 11.4. (See more...)
Help
Compare River Valley Charter School employs 25.1 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at River Valley Charter School is $18,542.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

River Valley Charter School:

SchoolDigger ranks River Valley Charter School 482nd of 916 Massachusetts public elementary schools. (See River Valley Charter School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Female students:
Male students:
White students:

SchoolDigger ranks River Valley Charter School 120th of 493 Massachusetts public middle schools. (See River Valley Charter School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Female students:
Male students:
White students:


River Valley Charter (District):

SchoolDigger ranks River Valley Charter (District) 145th of 351 Massachusetts school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for River Valley Charter School

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Rank History for all elementary school students at River Valley Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 61.62 377th 884 57.4%
2004 62.13 362nd 882 59.0%
2005 50.78 464th 887 47.7%
2006 61.37 367th 911 59.7%
2007 65.05 338th 911 62.9%
2008 69.63 285th 908 68.6%
2009 62.18 372nd 909 59.1%
2010 57.86 412th 920 55.2%
2011 56.76 439th 924 52.5%
2012 55.92 462nd 930 50.3%
2013 60.76 400th 928 56.9%
2014 58.50 425th 926 54.1%
2015 61.64 364th 914 60.2%
2016 44.94 555th 932 40.5%
2017 46.86 531st 938 43.4%
2018 48.02 518th 934 44.5%
2019 40.03 600th 942 36.3%
2021 68.59 290th 936 69.0%
2022 63.27 350th 932 62.4%
2023 59.19 388th 928 58.2%
2024 48.94 482nd 916 47.4%
See the entire list of Massachusetts Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for elementary school Special Education students at River Valley Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 21.23 795th 886 10.3%
2019 29.85 698th 896 22.1%
2021 46.54 460th 894 48.5%
2022 52.39 398th 905 56.0%
2023 71.37 145th 703 79.4%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for elementary school Female students at River Valley Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 45.55 518th 893 42.0%
2019 40.06 585th 902 35.1%
2021 61.09 348th 898 61.2%
2022 54.55 429th 901 52.4%
2023 57.37 395th 887 55.5%
2024 36.89 560th 886 36.8%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for elementary school Disabled students at River Valley Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 46.49 314th 665 52.8%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for elementary school Male students at River Valley Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 53.72 435th 898 51.6%
2019 36.31 607th 907 33.1%
2021 74.28 233rd 904 74.2%
2022 71.47 242nd 908 73.3%
2023 58.90 370th 896 58.7%
2024 57.36 379th 891 57.5%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for elementary school Tested In Person students at River Valley Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 68.74 288th 925 68.9%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Elementary Schools for Tested In Person Students!

Rank History for elementary school White students at River Valley Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 34.57 557th 772 27.8%
2019 28.64 619th 780 20.6%
2021 53.77 344th 765 55.0%
2022 49.38 410th 764 46.3%
2023 44.85 437th 762 42.7%
2024 33.57 546th 753 27.5%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Rank History for River Valley Charter School

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Rank History for all middle school students at River Valley Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 77.78 79th 339 76.7%
2004 68.53 114th 344 66.9%
2005 60.97 145th 356 59.3%
2006 75.62 95th 399 76.2%
2007 68.96 126th 399 68.4%
2008 72.49 111th 407 72.7%
2009 72.26 122nd 409 70.2%
2010 87.33 38th 434 91.2%
2011 79.20 85th 449 81.1%
2012 86.24 45th 455 90.1%
2013 80.25 79th 455 82.6%
2014 73.37 123rd 455 73.0%
2015 76.76 99th 441 77.6%
2016 75.49 103rd 482 78.6%
2017 83.89 64th 487 86.9%
2018 80.19 89th 484 81.6%
2019 78.04 108th 498 78.3%
2021 80.15 83rd 501 83.4%
2022 79.23 94th 497 81.1%
2023 87.02 65th 501 87.0%
2024 72.37 120th 493 75.7%
See the entire list of Massachusetts Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school Special Education students at River Valley Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 65.09 111th 489 77.3%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for middle school Female students at River Valley Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 84.24 62nd 463 86.6%
2019 73.25 125th 478 73.8%
2021 70.70 126th 483 73.9%
2022 69.42 131st 494 73.5%
2023 80.13 87th 489 82.2%
2024 76.18 104th 481 78.4%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for middle school Male students at River Valley Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 81.58 86th 478 82.0%
2021 82.09 74th 485 84.7%
2022 84.89 68th 497 86.3%
2023 83.99 72nd 489 85.3%
2024 45.59 241st 483 50.1%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for middle school Tested In Person students at River Valley Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 81.54 75th 491 84.7%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Elementary Schools for Tested In Person Students!

Rank History for middle school White students at River Valley Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 74.77 77th 395 80.5%
2019 74.45 90th 396 77.3%
2021 66.90 108th 401 73.1%
2022 72.76 88th 404 78.2%
2023 77.34 73rd 403 81.9%
2024 57.41 148th 392 62.2%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

River Valley Charter School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 









Data source: Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)
0%

0%

0%

0%

100%

  

Reviews:
by a parent on FaceBook
Monday, August 18, 2014

Open Quote My experience at RVCS was 'eye-opening'. I had a child enter at the kinderhaus level (wonderful experience-truly Montessorian!) and a child enter at the end of E2 (6th grade). I went with the expectation that there is absolutely no bullying at this school ,repectful and supportive students, with small intimate classrooms, low teacher/ child ratio, supportive and open thinking, etc. Instead we experienced bullying from the first week (being an outsider moving into a classroom with children of 2/3 years together). We found ourselves moving into an 'opening' made by several other students who had left before us due to the unaddressed bullying in the classroom. By the last month of school, I removed my child when the harassment was unavoidable and both the teach and administration refused to acknowledge the situation. As well my child has an IEP that even though the special education department tried to comply, the teacher refused to impliment in the classroom (did not work with how they saw the classroom functioning) and when the administration was brought in, they chose to back the teachers decision to not comply.

Finally,after speaking with many other parents who had almost identical experiences, I came to realize that children who are bullied at this charter simply choose to leave and go into the public school because it is easier than the fight! We all agree that the 3 year program contribute to creating a 'heirarche' or 'pecking order' for the children. Each classroom is it's own island and each class handles 'Montessori theory' as they see fit. This makes moving children around very difficult (if there is a harassment problem).It's easier to ignore it than move children into different classrooms (at least for the teachers and administration).

This story can go on and on, but my final decision was to remove my children and fight this school via the state. The process continues but the State has found the school to be in violation of State and Federal Bullying Laws and Regulation. It is now on the school to show a change. I have my doubts. As well, I continue to fight for change concerning special education at the school but as I was forced to remove my daughter for her safety regarding the bullying, the State felt calling them in much earlier for her IEP violations would have been helpful. I would just like other parents considering entering this school to be aware of the shortcomings I was not made aware of when I was making the decision to attend River Valley. Now I know.
This school is not anywhere close to 'safe' from bullying issues, nor is it a good school for children with special education needs. Please be aware!!! Close Quote



Enrollment information for River Valley Charter School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2000 156 1 1 1 0 n/a n/a 0 159
2001 186 2 1 1 0 n/a n/a 0 190
2002 247 0 7 2 0 n/a n/a 0 256
2003 247 0 7 2 0 n/a n/a 0 256
2004 276 1 7 3 0 n/a n/a 0 287
2005 270 2 12 3 0 n/a n/a 0 287
2006 252 3 12 9 0 n/a n/a 12 288
2007 250 2 12 10 0 n/a n/a 12 286
2008 253 2 11 12 0 n/a n/a 10 288
2009 258 2 12 8 0 0 9 0 289
2010 258 2 9 8 0 0 10 0 287
2011 256 2 7 11 0 0 12 0 288
2012 254 1 8 10 0 0 15 0 288
2013 252 1 9 10 0 0 16 0 288
2014 254 0 10 10 1 0 13 0 288
2015 256 0 11 10 1 0 9 0 287
2016 260 1 11 7 1 0 8 0 288
2017 257 1 11 8 1 0 10 0 288
2018 258 2 8 7 1 0 12 0 288
2019 254 2 9 11 1 0 11 0 288
2020 251 2 8 14 1 0 11 1 288
2021 254 1 4 15 1 0 13 0 288
2022 249 3 3 19 1 0 13 0 288
2023 247 3 3 19 0 0 16 0 288
2024 249 3 1 20 0 0 14 1 288

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at River Valley Charter School

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2000 159 n/a 0.0 0
2001 190 n/a 0.0 0
2002 256 n/a n/a 0.8
2003 256 n/a n/a 0.8
2004 287 15.1 19.0 1
2005 287 17.3 16.6 1.7
2006 288 18.6 15.5 1.1
2007 286 19.0 15.1 n/a
2008 288 19.4 14.8 0
2009 289 19.6 14.7 0
2010 287 21.0 13.6 0
2011 288 17.1 16.8 0
2012 288 16.4 17.4 0
2013 288 17.4 16.5 1
2014 288 18.4 15.6 1
2015 287 18.0 15.9 2.1
2016 288 20.0 14.4 n/a
2017 288 18.4 15.6 n/a
2018 288 20.7 13.8 n/a
2019 288 20.7 13.8 n/a
2020 288 21.8 13.1 n/a
2021 288 24.7 11.6 n/a
2022 288 22.3 12.9 n/a
2023 288 23.4 12.3 n/a
2024 288 25.1 11.4 n/a

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio River Valley Charter School

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2000 159 n/a 0.0 0
2001 190 n/a 0.0 0
2002 256 n/a n/a 0.8
2003 256 n/a n/a 0.8
2004 287 15.1 19.0 1
2005 287 17.3 16.6 1.7
2006 288 18.6 15.5 1.1
2007 286 19.0 15.1 n/a
2008 288 19.4 14.8 0
2009 289 19.6 14.7 0
2010 287 21.0 13.6 0
2011 288 17.1 16.8 0
2012 288 16.4 17.4 0
2013 288 17.4 16.5 1
2014 288 18.4 15.6 1
2015 287 18.0 15.9 2.1
2016 288 20.0 14.4 n/a
2017 288 18.4 15.6 n/a
2018 288 20.7 13.8 n/a
2019 288 20.7 13.8 n/a
2020 288 21.8 13.1 n/a
2021 288 24.7 11.6 n/a
2022 288 22.3 12.9 n/a
2023 288 23.4 12.3 n/a
2024 288 25.1 11.4 n/a

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for River Valley Charter School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2020 $241 (1.5%) $15,557 (98.5%) $15,798
2021 $747 (4.0%) $17,795 (96.0%) $18,542

Data source: Massachusetts Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on River Valley Charter School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 600th of 942 Elementary schoolsRanks 388th of 928 Elementary schools
 21.9%
Ranks 108th of 498 Middle schoolsRanks 65th of 501 Middle schools
 8.7%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (River Valley Charter School)6041.2
 18.8%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (River Valley Charter (District))6041.2
 18.8%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Massachusetts)5643.9
 12.1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (River Valley Charter School)3135.3
 4.3%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (River Valley Charter (District))3135.3
 4.3%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Massachusetts)4941
 8%
4th Grade English Language Arts (River Valley Charter School)4754.6
 7.5%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (River Valley Charter (District))4754.6
 7.5%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Massachusetts)5239.7
 12.3%
4th Grade Mathematics (River Valley Charter School)4742.4
 4.6%
   4th Grade Mathematics (River Valley Charter (District))4742.4
 4.6%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Massachusetts)4945
 4%
5th Grade English Language Arts (River Valley Charter School)4253.1
 11.1%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (River Valley Charter (District))4253.1
 11.1%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Massachusetts)5243.8
 8.2%
5th Grade Mathematics (River Valley Charter School)3025.8
 4.2%
   5th Grade Mathematics (River Valley Charter (District))3025.8
 4.2%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Massachusetts)4940.9
 8.2%
5th Grade Science (River Valley Charter School)5658.1
 2.1%
   5th Grade Science (River Valley Charter (District))5458.1
 4.1%
   5th Grade Science (Massachusetts)4841.6
 6.4%
6th Grade English Language Arts (River Valley Charter School)5569
 14%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (River Valley Charter (District))5569
 14%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Massachusetts)5442.3
 11.7%
6th Grade Mathematics (River Valley Charter School)4548.3
 3.3%
   6th Grade Mathematics (River Valley Charter (District))4548.3
 3.3%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Massachusetts)5141
 10%
7th Grade English Language Arts (River Valley Charter School)6569
 4%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (River Valley Charter (District))6569
 4%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Massachusetts)4840.5
 7.5%
7th Grade Mathematics (River Valley Charter School)7565.5
 9.5%
   7th Grade Mathematics (River Valley Charter (District))7565.5
 9.5%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Massachusetts)4838.1
 9.9%
8th Grade English Language Arts (River Valley Charter School)8558.8
 26.2%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (River Valley Charter (District))8558.8
 26.2%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Massachusetts)5143.7
 7.3%
8th Grade Mathematics (River Valley Charter School)7564.7
 10.3%
   8th Grade Mathematics (River Valley Charter (District))7564.7
 10.3%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Massachusetts)4737.7
 9.3%
8th Grade Science (River Valley Charter School)7563.6
 11.4%
   8th Grade Science (River Valley Charter (District))7563.6
 11.4%
   8th Grade Science (Massachusetts)4640.9
 5.1%
All Grades English Language Arts (River Valley Charter School)5857.1
 0.9%
   All Grades English Language Arts (River Valley Charter (District))5857.1
 0.9%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Massachusetts)5242.3
 9.7%
All Grades Mathematics (River Valley Charter School)5046.8
 3.2%
   All Grades Mathematics (River Valley Charter (District))5046.8
 3.2%
   All Grades Mathematics (Massachusetts)4940.6
 8.4%
All Grades Science (River Valley Charter School)6560.9
 4.1%
   All Grades Science (River Valley Charter (District))6460.9
 3.1%
   All Grades Science (Massachusetts)4741.2
 5.8%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students288288
African American23
 50%
American Indian10
 100%
Asian93
 66.7%
Hispanic1119
 72.7%
Pacific Islander00
White254247
 2.8%
Two or More Races1116
 45.5%


Schools Near River Valley Charter School









Frequently Asked Questions about River Valley Charter School

River Valley Charter School ranks 482nd of 916 Massachusetts elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Students at River Valley Charter School are 86% White, 7% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races, 1% African American.

In the 2023-24 school year, 288 students attended River Valley Charter School.


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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.





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