Is Essex Elementary a good school?

Essex Elementary ranks 293 rd of 916 Massachusetts elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Essex Elementary?

In the 2022-23 school year, 231 students attended Essex Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Essex Elementary?

Students at Essex Elementary are 94% White, 3% Hispanic, 2% African American.

What schools do graduates of Essex Elementary attend?

Students who attend Essex Elementary usually go on to attend: Middle : Manchester Essex Regional Middle School High : Manchester Essex Regional High School

Essex Elementary

Summary:

Essex Elementary is a public elementary school in Essex, Massachusetts, serving students from kindergarten to 5th grade. The school is part of the Manchester Essex Regional District, which is ranked 65 out of 351 districts in the state and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Essex Elementary has a unique student population, with a significantly higher percentage of white students (93.94%) compared to the state average of around 60%. The school's MCAS performance has been mixed, with proficiency rates in English Language Arts (50%) and Mathematics (57.52%) lower than the district and state averages, but its 3rd-grade proficiency rates were higher. The school has a relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 8.3 to 10.3 over the past three years, and its spending per student has been higher than the state average.

While Essex Elementary has a history of strong academic performance, it has faced some challenges in recent years. The school's statewide ranking has declined, from 199 out of 932 elementary schools in 2021-2022 to 293 out of 916 in 2023-2024, and its SchoolDigger rating has dropped from 4 stars to 3 stars. The school's performance also varies across different student subgroups, and when compared to nearby schools, such as Paul F Doyon Memorial and Beeman Memorial, it lags behind higher-performing schools like Manchester Memorial Elementary and Bessie Buker Elementary.

Detail:

Public K-5

12 Story Street
Essex, MA 01929

(978) 768-7324

District: Manchester Essex Regional

SchoolDigger Rank:
293^rd of 916 Massachusetts Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $24,199

Students who attend Essex Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Manchester Essex Regional Middle School
High:	Manchester Essex Regional High School

Student/teacher ratio: 10.3

Number of students: 231

Racial breakdown:

White:

93.9%

Hispanic:

3.5%

African American:

1.7%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 10%

See top rated Massachusetts elementary schools

Compare Essex Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Essex Elementary ranks better than 68% of elementary schools in Massachusetts. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 68.49. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (93.9%), Hispanic (3.5%), African American (1.7%). (See more...)

Compare Details

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Essex Elementary is 10.3. (See more...)

Compare Essex Elementary employs 22.2 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Essex Elementary is $24,199.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Essex Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Essex Elementary 293^rd of 916 Massachusetts public elementary schools. (See Essex Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

Manchester Essex Regional:

SchoolDigger ranks Manchester Essex Regional 65^th of 351 Massachusetts school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Essex Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Essex Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MA State Percentile
2003	73.85	240^th	884	72.9%
2004	82.03	151^st	882	82.9%
2005	73.35	257^th	887	71.0%
2006	67.73	290^th	911	68.2%
2007	70.50	276^th	911	69.7%
2008	84.87	104^th	908	88.5%
2009	81.12	154^th	909	83.1%
2010	76.90	214^th	920	76.7%
2011	79.07	189^th	924	79.5%
2012	77.51	205^th	930	78.0%
2013	77.77	196^th	928	78.9%
2014	74.44	232^nd	926	74.9%
2015	74.37	224^th	914	75.5%
2016	69.04	279^th	932	70.1%
2017	78.57	183^rd	938	80.5%
2018	79.51	176^th	934	81.2%
2019	72.39	262^nd	942	72.2%
2021	75.31	229^th	936	75.5%
2022	78.14	199^th	932	78.6%
2023	49.42	478^th	928	48.5%
2024	68.49	293^rd	916	68.0%

See the entire list of Massachusetts Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Essex Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MA State Percentile
2019	54.23	377^th	896	57.9%
2021	71.96	168^th	894	81.2%
2023	35.46	432^nd	703	38.5%

See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Female students at Essex Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MA State Percentile
2018	76.15	190^th	893	78.7%
2019	68.42	270^th	902	70.1%
2021	72.78	233^rd	898	74.1%
2022	77.96	182^nd	901	79.8%
2023	49.78	460^th	887	48.1%
2024	65.64	304^th	886	65.7%

See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Essex Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	60.38	206^th	665	69.0%

See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Essex Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MA State Percentile
2018	77.90	187^th	898	79.2%
2019	72.87	244^th	907	73.1%
2021	72.22	247^th	904	72.7%
2022	74.30	214^th	908	76.4%
2023	48.07	464^th	896	48.2%
2024	70.08	268^th	891	69.9%

See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Tested In Person students at Essex Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	74.75	231^st	925	75.0%

See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Elementary Schools for Tested In Person Students!

Rank History for White students at Essex Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MA State Percentile
2018	72.40	185^th	772	76.0%
2019	60.47	302^nd	780	61.3%
2021	66.47	235^th	765	69.3%
2022	70.29	193^rd	764	74.7%
2023	33.21	552^nd	762	27.6%
2024	55.97	334^th	753	55.6%

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.

Data source: Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

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Enrollment information for Essex Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2001	362	1	1	0	n/a	n/a	364
2002	353	3	3	0	n/a	n/a	359
2003	353	3	3	0	n/a	n/a	359
2004	335	3	2	0	n/a	n/a	340
2005	279	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	280
2006	278	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	279
2007	282	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	282
2008	295	1	0	1	n/a	n/a	297
2009	308	1	0	0	0	0	309
2010	265	1	0	0	0	0	266
2011	277	1	0	1	0	0	279
2012	285	1	0	0	0	0	286
2013	269	1	2	0	0	0	272
2014	263	3	3	0	0	0	269
2015	264	3	3	0	0	0	270
2016	243	0	1	1	0	4	249
2017	215	0	1	3	0	6	225
2018	219	2	0	2	0	5	228
2019	212	2	0	4	0	4	222
2020	209	1	0	9	0	0	219
2021	182	1	0	6	0	0	189
2022	208	2	0	8	0	1	219
2023	217	4	0	8	0	2	231

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 Essex Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2001	364	n/a	0.0	4.9
2002	359	n/a	n/a	3.9
2003	359	n/a	n/a	3.9
2004	340	34.2	9.9	8.2
2005	280	25.0	11.2	7.5
2006	279	25.8	10.8	7.2
2007	282	26.0	10.8	8.5
2008	297	22.9	13.0	6.1
2009	309	22.7	13.6	3.9
2010	266	20.9	12.7	6
2011	279	22.8	12.1	8.2
2012	286	23.7	12.0	10.1
2013	272	22.4	12.1	11
2014	269	22.4	12.0	7.4
2015	270	21.0	12.8	10
2016	249	20.0	12.4	n/a
2017	225	20.3	11.0	n/a
2018	228	15.7	14.5	n/a
2019	222	17.6	12.6	n/a
2020	219	22.4	9.7	n/a
2021	189	22.6	8.3	n/a
2022	219	22.3	9.8	n/a
2023	231	22.2	10.3	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 Essex Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2001	364	n/a	0.0	4.9
2002	359	n/a	n/a	3.9
2003	359	n/a	n/a	3.9
2004	340	34.2	9.9	8.2
2005	280	25.0	11.2	7.5
2006	279	25.8	10.8	7.2
2007	282	26.0	10.8	8.5
2008	297	22.9	13.0	6.1
2009	309	22.7	13.6	3.9
2010	266	20.9	12.7	6
2011	279	22.8	12.1	8.2
2012	286	23.7	12.0	10.1
2013	272	22.4	12.1	11
2014	269	22.4	12.0	7.4
2015	270	21.0	12.8	10
2016	249	20.0	12.4	n/a
2017	225	20.3	11.0	n/a
2018	228	15.7	14.5	n/a
2019	222	17.6	12.6	n/a
2020	219	22.4	9.7	n/a
2021	189	22.6	8.3	n/a
2022	219	22.3	9.8	n/a
2023	231	22.2	10.3	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 Essex Elementary

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$876 (4.3%)	$19,458 (95.7%)	$20,334
2020	$785 (3.7%)	$20,338 (96.3%)	$21,123
2021	$1,498 (6.2%)	$22,700 (93.8%)	$24,199

Data source: Massachusetts Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Essex Elementary

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 262^nd of 942 Elementary schools	Ranks 478^th of 928 Elementary schools	23.7%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Essex Elementary)	62	48.8	13.2%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Manchester Essex Regional)	71	56	15.1%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Massachusetts)	56	43.9	12.1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Essex Elementary)	56	34.2	21.9%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Manchester Essex Regional)	62	41.7	20.3%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Massachusetts)	49	41	8%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Essex Elementary)	77	55.9	21.1%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Manchester Essex Regional)	79	58.8	20.3%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Massachusetts)	52	39.7	12.3%
4th Grade Mathematics (Essex Elementary)	82	58.8	23.2%
4th Grade Mathematics (Manchester Essex Regional)	79	71.3	7.8%
4th Grade Mathematics (Massachusetts)	49	45	4%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Essex Elementary)	60	46.3	13.7%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Manchester Essex Regional)	69	51.6	17.4%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Massachusetts)	52	43.8	8.2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Essex Elementary)	60	24.4	35.6%
5th Grade Mathematics (Manchester Essex Regional)	60	47.3	12.7%
5th Grade Mathematics (Massachusetts)	49	40.9	8.2%
5th Grade Science (Essex Elementary)	55	29.3	25.7%
5th Grade Science (Manchester Essex Regional)	68	49.5	18.5%
5th Grade Science (Massachusetts)	48	41.6	6.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (Essex Elementary)	65	50	15%
All Grades English Language Arts (Manchester Essex Regional)	69	60	9%
All Grades English Language Arts (Massachusetts)	52	42.3	9.7%
All Grades Mathematics (Essex Elementary)	65	37.9	27.1%
All Grades Mathematics (Manchester Essex Regional)	63	56.1	6.9%
All Grades Mathematics (Massachusetts)	49	40.6	8.4%
All Grades Science (Essex Elementary)	55	29.3	25.7%
All Grades Science (Manchester Essex Regional)	63	60.1	2.9%
All Grades Science (Massachusetts)	47	41.2	5.8%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	222	231	4.1%
African American	2	4	100%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	4	8	100%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	212	217	2.4%
Two or More Races	4	2	50%

Schools Near Essex Elementary

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				MCAS Next Generation English Language Arts (2024)				MCAS Next Generation Mathematics (2024)				MCAS Next Generation Science (2024)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2021)
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 (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	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	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Essex Elementary	Public	K-5	12 Story Street	Essex	01929	Essex County	Manchester Essex Regional	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 768-7324	231	22	10.3		217 (93.9%)	4 (1.7%)	8 (3.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.9%)	68.5	293^rd of 916 public elementary schools	68.0%		49.4	478^th of 928 public elementary schools	48.5%	185	65.8	50.0	32.4	50.0	47.4	71.4	51.5	57.5	45.5	45.5	$24,199	$1,498	$22,701
Manchester Memorial Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	43 Lincoln Street	Manchester	01944	Essex County	Manchester Essex Regional	No	No	No	No	(978) 526-1908	291	32	8.9		271 (93.1%)	3 (1.0%)	7 (2.4%)	4 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.1%)	84.5	130^th of 916 public elementary schools	85.8%		85.1	134^th of 928 public elementary schools	85.6%	4	63.0	46.8	67.4	59.0	54.4	72.3	65.2	64.0	82.6	82.6	$22,893	$1,185	$21,708
West Parish	Public	K-5	10 Concord Street	Gloucester	01930	Essex County	Gloucester	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 281-9835	374	29	12.8		324 (86.6%)	4 (1.1%)	23 (6.1%)	4 (1.1%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	17 (4.5%)	48.2	493^rd of 916 public elementary schools	46.2%		44.2	526^th of 928 public elementary schools	43.3%	33	28.3	32.3	50.9	36.7	23.3	39.1	53.7	38.2	63.0	63.0	$19,664	$1,807	$17,857
Winthrop School	Public	PK, KG-5	325 Bay Rd	South Hamilton	01982	Essex County	Hamilton-Wenham	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 468-5340	313	26	11.8		270 (86.3%)	3 (1.0%)	15 (4.8%)	17 (5.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (2.6%)	70	278^th of 916 public elementary schools	69.7%		85.6	130^th of 928 public elementary schools	86.0%	148	50.9	62.5	58.1	56.8	38.6	45.8	60.5	47.3	65.1	65.1	$19,962	$700	$19,262
Winthrop	Public	PK, KG-5	65 Central Street	Ipswich	01938	Essex County	Ipswich	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 356-2976	373	39	9.5		300 (80.4%)	4 (1.1%)	44 (11.8%)	8 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (4.6%)	82.1	155^th of 916 public elementary schools	83.1%		64.2	334^th of 928 public elementary schools	64.0%	179	58.3	54.6	58.8	57.1	75.0	55.4	56.9	61.9	70.6	70.6	$20,853	$1,096	$19,757
Cutler School	Public	K-5	237 Asbury Street	South Hamilton	01982	Essex County	Hamilton-Wenham	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 468-5330	254	22	11.7		231 (90.9%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (5.9%)	3 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (2.0%)	37.8	576^th of 916 public elementary schools	37.1%		60.1	377^th of 928 public elementary schools	59.4%	199	55.9	25.0	34.0	37.6	29.4	44.4	21.3	30.8	36.2	36.2	$18,204	$687	$17,517
Centerville Elementary	Public	K-4	17 Hull Street	Beverly	01915	Essex County	Beverly	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 921-6120	317	29	10.9		228 (71.9%)	15 (4.7%)	47 (14.8%)	6 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (6.6%)	77.9	208^th of 916 public elementary schools	77.3%		65.1	325^th of 928 public elementary schools	65.0%	117	53.0	49.2		51.2	60.6	70.8		65.7			$16,028	$918	$15,111
Bessie Buker Elementary	Public	K-5	1 School Street	Wenham	01984	Essex County	Hamilton-Wenham	No	No	No	No	(978) 468-5324	265	19	14.1		214 (80.8%)	2 (0.8%)	29 (10.9%)	16 (6.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.5%)	89.5	81^st of 916 public elementary schools	91.2%		83.6	150^th of 928 public elementary schools	83.8%	69	64.1	54.3	66.7	62.1	64.1	68.6	78.6	70.7	83.3	83.3	$17,531	$956	$16,575
North Beverly Elementary	Public	K-4	48 Putnam Street	Beverly	01915	Essex County	Beverly	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 921-6130	345	31	11.3		273 (79.1%)	9 (2.6%)	44 (12.8%)	6 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (3.8%)	84	133^rd of 916 public elementary schools	85.5%		82.7	157^th of 928 public elementary schools	83.1%	24	57.1	52.3		54.9	67.5	76.9		71.8			$14,652	$878	$13,775
Paul F Doyon Memorial	Public	PK, KG-5	216 Linebrook Rd	Ipswich	01938	Essex County	Ipswich	No	No	No	No	(978) 356-5506	366	36	10.1		316 (86.3%)	1 (0.3%)	31 (8.5%)	2 (0.5%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (3.8%)	76.9	221^st of 916 public elementary schools	75.9%		65.9	312^th of 928 public elementary schools	66.4%	91	65.4	65.4	42.9	57.5	71.2	71.2	45.0	61.6	51.7	51.7	$20,522	$828	$19,694

Essex Elementary

Essex Elementary:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Manchester Essex Regional:

What do you think?

Rank History for Essex Elementary

Rank History for all students at Essex Elementary

Rank History for Special Education students at Essex Elementary

Rank History for Female students at Essex Elementary

Rank History for Disabled students at Essex Elementary

Rank History for Male students at Essex Elementary

Rank History for Tested In Person students at Essex Elementary

Rank History for White students at Essex Elementary

Enrollment information for Essex Elementary

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Essex Elementary

Student/Teacher Ratio Essex Elementary

Per Pupil Expenditures for Essex Elementary

Impact of COVID-19 on Essex Elementary

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Essex Elementary

Frequently Asked Questions about Essex Elementary

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