Is Lura A. White Elementary School a good school?

Lura A. White Elementary School ranks 422 nd of 916 Massachusetts elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Lura A. White Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 356 students attended Lura A. White Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Lura A. White Elementary School?

Students at Lura A. White Elementary School are 76% White, 11% Hispanic, 6% African American, 4% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

What schools do graduates of Lura A. White Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Lura A. White Elementary School usually go on to attend: Middle : Ayer Shirley Regional Middle School High : Ayer Shirley Regional High School

Lura A. White Elementary School

Summary:

Lura A. White Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Shirley, MA, serving grades K-5 with a total enrollment of 343 students. The school is part of the Ayer Shirley School District, which is ranked 156 out of 351 districts in Massachusetts and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Lura A. White Elementary School's academic performance, as measured by MCAS Next Generation assessments, is mixed compared to the state and district averages. In 2023-2024, the school had 41.42% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts, which is slightly higher than the state average of 39.17% but lower than the Ayer Shirley School District average of 40.44%. In Mathematics, the school had 46.15% of students proficient or better, which is higher than both the state (40.91%) and district (37.89%) averages. The school has been consistently ranked in the middle range of Massachusetts elementary schools, ranking between 420 and 590 out of around 900-940 schools over the past 10 years, and has maintained a 2-3 star rating from SchoolDigger during this time.

When compared to nearby schools, Lura A. White Elementary School's performance is generally in the middle range. For example, Page Hilltop Elementary School in the same district has higher academic performance, while schools in the Leominster district (such as Northwest and Frances Drake) have lower performance on average.

Detail:

Public K-5

34 Lancaster Road
Shirley, MA 01464

(978) 772-8600

District: Ayer Shirley School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
422^nd of 916 Massachusetts Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $19,027

Students who attend Lura A. White Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Ayer Shirley Regional Middle School
High:	Ayer Shirley Regional High School

Student/teacher ratio: 11.8

Number of students: 356

Racial breakdown:

White:

75.8%

Hispanic:

11.2%

African American:

5.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 31.5%

See top rated Massachusetts elementary schools

Compare Lura A. White Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Lura A. White Elementary School ranks better than 53.9% of elementary schools in Massachusetts. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 54.45. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (75.8%), Hispanic (11.2%), African American (5.9%). (See more...)

Compare Details

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Lura A. White Elementary School is 11.8. (See more...)

Compare Lura A. White Elementary School employs 30 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Lura A. White Elementary School is $19,027.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Lura A. White Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Lura A. White Elementary School 422^nd of 916 Massachusetts public elementary schools. (See Lura A. White Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

Ayer Shirley School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Ayer Shirley School District 156^th of 351 Massachusetts school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Rating:

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Rank History for Lura A. White Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at Lura A. White Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MA State Percentile
2014	58.67	420^th	926	54.6%
2015	40.57	590^th	914	35.4%
2016	64.79	327^th	932	64.9%
2017	50.31	484^th	938	48.4%
2018	41.01	581^st	934	37.8%
2019	49.10	499^th	942	47.0%
2021	43.46	540^th	936	42.3%
2022	43.90	524^th	932	43.8%
2023	49.69	476^th	928	48.7%
2024	54.45	422^nd	916	53.9%

See the entire list of Massachusetts Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Lura A. White Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MA State Percentile
2018	37.43	601^st	886	32.2%
2019	47.96	463^rd	896	48.3%
2021	35.60	595^th	894	33.4%
2022	26.19	724^th	905	20.0%
2023	53.30	269^th	703	61.7%
2024	55.04	267^th	731	63.5%

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

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Lura A. White Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MA State Percentile
2018	53.23	294^th	685	57.1%
2019	58.60	252^nd	700	64.0%
2021	43.50	396^th	705	43.8%
2022	29.02	597^th	772	22.7%
2023	63.53	208^th	757	72.5%
2024	50.00	351^st	760	53.8%

See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Lura A. White Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MA State Percentile
2018	42.46	549^th	893	38.5%
2019	46.77	519^th	902	42.5%
2021	48.93	464^th	898	48.3%
2022	40.24	552^nd	901	38.7%
2023	42.16	529^th	887	40.4%
2024	38.96	545^th	886	38.5%

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

Rank History for Disabled students at Lura A. White Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MA State Percentile
2018	46.72	300^th	656	54.3%
2019	70.81	143^rd	665	78.5%
2021	45.12	305^th	632	51.7%
2022	47.08	311^th	672	53.7%

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

Rank History for Male students at Lura A. White Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MA State Percentile
2018	40.87	560^th	898	37.6%
2019	49.81	474^th	907	47.7%
2021	38.16	562^nd	904	37.8%
2022	46.43	486^th	908	46.5%
2023	55.76	393^rd	896	56.1%
2024	66.02	295^th	891	66.9%

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

Rank History for Tested In Person students at Lura A. White Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	42.74	541^st	925	41.5%

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

Rank History for White students at Lura A. White Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MA State Percentile
2018	26.87	622^nd	772	19.4%
2019	35.48	555^th	780	28.8%
2021	30.34	593^rd	765	22.5%
2022	33.60	553^rd	764	27.6%
2023	32.70	557^th	762	26.9%
2024	39.56	489^th	753	35.1%

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

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)

100%

Reviews:

by a citizen
Tuesday, November 10, 2015

There has been several complaints about racial discrimination and abuse against some of the teachers. Specifically parents of colored students often complained to the state authorities on these abuses. Some of these charges include isolating the colored kids during the play time and study hours, making fun of them for their color, smell and habits. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Lura A. White Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2012	313	18	16	30	2	0	5	384
2013	310	18	12	35	1	1	12	389
2014	301	13	8	32	1	0	15	370
2015	288	12	7	31	1	1	12	352
2016	321	11	8	37	0	2	13	392
2017	316	8	10	38	0	1	16	389
2018	334	7	7	36	0	1	15	400
2019	317	7	4	33	0	1	15	377
2020	286	5	4	27	1	1	19	343
2021	272	6	5	24	1	1	22	331
2022	265	4	5	26	3	1	20	324
2023	257	13	11	40	4	0	18	343
2024	270	21	8	40	3	0	14	356

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 Lura A. White Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2012	384	31.1	12.3	24
2013	389	24.2	16.0	28
2014	370	28.0	13.1	27.8
2015	352	30.0	11.7	31.5
2016	392	26.0	15.0	n/a
2017	389	29.6	13.1	n/a
2018	400	29.7	13.4	n/a
2019	377	29.5	12.7	n/a
2020	343	28.2	12.1	n/a
2021	331	28.9	11.4	n/a
2022	324	29.9	10.8	n/a
2023	343	31.0	11.0	n/a
2024	356	30.0	11.8	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 Lura A. White Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2012	384	31.1	12.3	24
2013	389	24.2	16.0	28
2014	370	28.0	13.1	27.8
2015	352	30.0	11.7	31.5
2016	392	26.0	15.0	n/a
2017	389	29.6	13.1	n/a
2018	400	29.7	13.4	n/a
2019	377	29.5	12.7	n/a
2020	343	28.2	12.1	n/a
2021	331	28.9	11.4	n/a
2022	324	29.9	10.8	n/a
2023	343	31.0	11.0	n/a
2024	356	30.0	11.8	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 Lura A. White Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$657 (4.5%)	$14,091 (95.5%)	$14,748
2020	$2,529 (9.3%)	$24,736 (90.7%)	$27,264
2021	$1,810 (9.5%)	$17,217 (90.5%)	$19,027

Data source: Massachusetts Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Lura A. White Elementary 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 499^th of 942 Elementary schools	Ranks 476^th of 928 Elementary schools	1.7%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Lura A. White Elementary School)	56	35.9	20.2%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Ayer Shirley School District)	63	41.7	21.3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Massachusetts)	56	43.9	12.1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Lura A. White Elementary School)	54	37.7	16.3%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Ayer Shirley School District)	49	38.6	10.4%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Massachusetts)	49	41	8%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Lura A. White Elementary School)	45	47.7	2.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Ayer Shirley School District)	45	54.1	9.1%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Massachusetts)	52	39.7	12.3%
4th Grade Mathematics (Lura A. White Elementary School)	46	43.2	2.8%
4th Grade Mathematics (Ayer Shirley School District)	45	52.5	7.5%
4th Grade Mathematics (Massachusetts)	49	45	4%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Lura A. White Elementary School)	42	42.6	0.6%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Ayer Shirley School District)	49	51.9	2.8%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Massachusetts)	52	43.8	8.2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Lura A. White Elementary School)	62	38.9	23.1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Ayer Shirley School District)	52	40.7	11.3%
5th Grade Mathematics (Massachusetts)	49	40.9	8.2%
5th Grade Science (Lura A. White Elementary School)	54	50	4%
5th Grade Science (Ayer Shirley School District)	55	44.4	10.6%
5th Grade Science (Massachusetts)	48	41.6	6.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (Lura A. White Elementary School)	47	41.7	5.3%
All Grades English Language Arts (Ayer Shirley School District)	50	46.2	3.8%
All Grades English Language Arts (Massachusetts)	52	42.3	9.7%
All Grades Mathematics (Lura A. White Elementary School)	53	39.7	13.3%
All Grades Mathematics (Ayer Shirley School District)	47	40.9	6.1%
All Grades Mathematics (Massachusetts)	49	40.6	8.4%
All Grades Science (Lura A. White Elementary School)	54	50	4%
All Grades Science (Ayer Shirley School District)	57	47.5	9.5%
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	377	343	9%
African American	7	13	85.7%
American Indian	0	4
Asian	4	11	175%
Hispanic	33	40	21.2%
Pacific Islander	1	0	100%
White	317	257	18.9%
Two or More Races	15	18	20%

Schools Near Lura A. White Elementary School

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
Lura A. White Elementary School	Public	K-5	34 Lancaster Road	Shirley	01464	Middlesex County	Ayer Shirley School District	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 772-8600	356	30	11.8		270 (75.8%)	21 (5.9%)	40 (11.2%)	8 (2.2%)	3 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (3.9%)	54.5	422^nd of 916 public elementary schools	53.9%		49.7	476^th of 928 public elementary schools	48.7%	54	52.5	25.4	46.9	41.4	50.8	37.3	51.0	46.2	46.9	46.9	$19,027	$1,810	$17,217
Page Hilltop Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	115 Washington Street	Ayer	01432	Middlesex County	Ayer Shirley School District	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 772-8600	540	41	13.2		357 (66.1%)	35 (6.5%)	68 (12.6%)	33 (6.1%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	45 (8.3%)	56.4	406^th of 916 public elementary schools	55.7%		61.8	369^th of 928 public elementary schools	60.2%	37	59.3	38.5	40.0	44.4	48.2	32.1	44.0	40.6	57.3	57.3	$16,740	$1,696	$15,044
Johnny Appleseed	Public	K-5	845 Main Street	Leominster	01453	Worcester County	Leominster	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 534-7765	655	49	13.4		296 (45.2%)	71 (10.8%)	236 (36.0%)	21 (3.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (4.7%)	54.7	418^th of 916 public elementary schools	54.4%		56.8	414^th of 928 public elementary schools	55.4%	4	51.5	38.9	35.0	41.5	56.3	48.2	35.9	46.3	44.4	44.4	$14,156	$855	$13,301
Frances Drake School	Public	K-5	95 Viscoloid Ave	Leominster	01453	Worcester County	Leominster	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 534-7751	485	39	12.2		172 (35.5%)	48 (9.9%)	226 (46.6%)	18 (3.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (4.3%)	25.4	686^th of 916 public elementary schools	25.1%		35.6	611^th of 928 public elementary schools	34.2%	75	30.2	23.3	23.8	25.3	33.3	27.8	18.8	26.2	38.8	38.8	$16,788	$869	$15,919
Lunenburg Primary School	Public	PK, KG-2	1401 Massachusetts Avenue	Lunenburg	01462	Worcester County	Lunenburg	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 582-4122	391	26	14.7		296 (75.7%)	18 (4.6%)	56 (14.3%)	3 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.5%)	16 (4.1%)								(n/a)											$15,289	$1,022	$14,267
Hildreth Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	27 Massachusetts Avenue	Harvard	01451	Worcester County	Harvard	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 456-4145	442	34	13.1		302 (68.3%)	12 (2.7%)	23 (5.2%)	67 (15.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	37 (8.4%)	85.7	118^th of 916 public elementary schools	87.1%		92.9	49^th of 928 public elementary schools	94.7%	69	61.4	59.4	70.3	64.0	47.4	71.0	67.6	63.0	73.0	73.0	$19,599	$700	$18,899
Priest Street	Public	K	115 Priest Street	Leominster	01453	Worcester County	Leominster	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 534-7761	139	11	12.1		43 (30.9%)	23 (16.5%)	56 (40.3%)	7 (5.0%)	1 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (6.5%)								(n/a)											$20,270	$898	$19,372
Mary Rowlandson Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	103 Hollywood Drive	Lancaster	01523	Worcester County	Nashoba	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 368-8482	461	39	11.8		358 (77.7%)	8 (1.7%)	68 (14.8%)	12 (2.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (3.3%)	71.9	269^th of 916 public elementary schools	70.6%		71	278^th of 928 public elementary schools	70.0%	9	46.4	63.8	43.6	51.5	54.9	76.8	51.6	61.4	46.8	46.8	$20,053	$953	$19,100
Turkey Hill Elementary School	Public	3-5	129 Northfield Road	Lunenburg	01462	Worcester County	Lunenburg	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 582-4110	370	22	16.9		311 (84.1%)	16 (4.3%)	32 (8.6%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	8 (2.2%)	52.7	443^rd of 916 public elementary schools	51.6%		47.2	498^th of 928 public elementary schools	46.3%	55	44.6	33.3	34.5	37.3	49.1	45.7	40.1	44.5	53.5	53.5	$14,554	$892	$13,662
Northwest	Public	1-5	45 Stearns Avenue	Leominster	01453	Worcester County	Leominster	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 534-7756	669	51	13.0		226 (33.8%)	61 (9.1%)	332 (49.6%)	24 (3.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (3.9%)	27.1	667^th of 916 public elementary schools	27.2%		28.7	661^st of 928 public elementary schools	28.8%	6	26.9	23.6	29.0	26.6	30.8	29.3	23.7	27.9	38.9	38.9	$13,164	$872	$12,293

Lura A. White Elementary School

Lura A. White Elementary School:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Ayer Shirley School District:

Average Rating:

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Rank History for Lura A. White Elementary School

Rank History for all students at Lura A. White Elementary School

Rank History for Special Education students at Lura A. White Elementary School

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Lura A. White Elementary School

Rank History for Female students at Lura A. White Elementary School

Rank History for Disabled students at Lura A. White Elementary School

Rank History for Male students at Lura A. White Elementary School

Rank History for Tested In Person students at Lura A. White Elementary School

Rank History for White students at Lura A. White Elementary School

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Enrollment information for Lura A. White Elementary School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Lura A. White Elementary School

Student/Teacher Ratio Lura A. White Elementary School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Lura A. White Elementary School

Impact of COVID-19 on Lura A. White Elementary School

Rankings

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Student Body

Schools Near Lura A. White Elementary School

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