Is Merriam School a good school?

Merriam School ranks 212 th of 916 Massachusetts elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Merriam School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 431 students attended Merriam School.

What is the racial makeup of Merriam School?

Students at Merriam School are 65% White, 17% Asian, 8% Two or more races, 7% Hispanic, 3% African American.

What schools do graduates of Merriam School attend?

Students who attend Merriam School usually go on to attend: Middle : Raymond J Grey Junior High High : Acton-Boxborough Regional High

Merriam School

Summary:

Merriam School is an elementary school located in Acton, Massachusetts, serving 431 students in grades K-6. It is part of the highly-ranked Acton-Boxborough school district, which is ranked 34th out of 351 districts in the state.

Merriam School consistently performs in the top 25% of Massachusetts elementary schools, earning a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school's MCAS proficiency rates in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science are generally higher than the state averages, though slightly lower than the Acton-Boxborough district averages. Merriam School's academic performance is on par with or slightly below the other schools in the Acton-Boxborough district, such as Blanchard Memorial, Luther Conant, and McCarthy-Towne. However, it lags behind the top-performing schools in the nearby Sudbury and Concord districts, such as Josiah Haynes and Thoreau.

Merriam School's spending per student has fluctuated over the years, ranging from $14,984 in 2018-2019 to $32,045 in 2019-2020, which is generally in line with the Acton-Boxborough district's spending. The school's ability to support its special education and low socioeconomic status students could be an area for improvement, as these subgroups tend to perform below the state averages. Overall, Merriam School is a strong-performing elementary school, but may benefit from further analysis and targeted interventions to address any performance gaps and maintain its competitive standing among the top schools in the region.

Detail:

Public K-6

11 Charter Road
Acton, MA 01720

(978) 264-3371

District: Acton-Boxborough

SchoolDigger Rank:
212^th of 916 Massachusetts Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $16,998

Students who attend Merriam School usually attend:

Middle:	Raymond J Grey Junior High
High:	Acton-Boxborough Regional High

Student/teacher ratio: 13.2

Number of students: 431

Racial breakdown:

White:

65.4%

Asian:

16.7%

Two or more races:

7.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 5.2%

See top rated Massachusetts elementary schools

Compare Merriam School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Merriam School ranks better than 76.9% of elementary schools in Massachusetts. It also ranks 4^th among 6 ranked elementary schools in the Acton-Boxborough School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 77.55. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (65.4%), Asian (16.7%), two or more races (7.9%). (See more...)

Compare Details

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Merriam School is 13.2. 3 elementary schools in the Acton-Boxborough School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Merriam School employs 32.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Merriam School is $16,998, which is the 2^nd highest among 6 elementary schools in the Acton-Boxborough School District.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Merriam School:

SchoolDigger ranks Merriam School 212^th of 916 Massachusetts public elementary schools. (See Merriam School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Special Education students:

Female students:

Male students:

Asian students:

White students:

Acton-Boxborough:

SchoolDigger ranks Acton-Boxborough 34^th of 351 Massachusetts school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Your rating for Merriam School?

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Rank History for Merriam School

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Rank History for all students at Merriam School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MA State Percentile
2017	79.67	174^th	938	81.4%
2018	76.50	211^th	934	77.4%
2019	79.68	180^th	942	80.9%
2021	78.32	200^th	936	78.6%
2022	77.49	205^th	932	78.0%
2023	81.35	169^th	928	81.8%
2024	77.55	212^th	916	76.9%

See the entire list of Massachusetts Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Merriam School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MA State Percentile
2018	63.68	251^st	886	71.7%
2019	65.15	235^th	896	73.8%
2021	67.76	201^st	894	77.5%
2022	69.97	202^nd	905	77.7%
2023	45.11	342^nd	703	51.4%
2024	59.72	222^nd	731	69.6%

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

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Merriam School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	79.08	90^th	772	88.3%
2023	58.88	271^st	757	64.2%

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

Rank History for Female students at Merriam School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MA State Percentile
2018	75.54	197^th	893	77.9%
2019	82.30	127^th	902	85.9%
2021	71.84	240^th	898	73.3%
2022	69.32	265^th	901	70.6%
2023	77.96	190^th	887	78.6%
2024	76.00	208^th	886	76.5%

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

Rank History for Disabled students at Merriam School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MA State Percentile
2018	65.41	171^st	656	73.9%
2019	67.68	159^th	665	76.1%
2021	65.02	163^rd	632	74.2%
2022	65.12	174^th	672	74.1%

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

Rank History for Male students at Merriam School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MA State Percentile
2018	74.72	211^th	898	76.5%
2019	74.16	224^th	907	75.3%
2021	80.49	167^th	904	81.5%
2022	79.36	159^th	908	82.5%
2023	80.82	156^th	896	82.6%
2024	76.45	201^st	891	77.4%

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

Rank History for Tested In Person students at Merriam School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	73.57	244^th	925	73.6%

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

Rank History for Tested Remotely students at Merriam School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	85.83	59^th	399	85.2%

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

Rank History for Asian students at Merriam School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MA State Percentile
2018	66.10	59^th	154	61.7%
2019	67.19	49^th	155	68.4%
2021	60.16	71^st	141	49.6%
2022	52.97	85^th	143	40.6%
2023	47.40	92^nd	145	36.6%
2024	48.67	91^st	152	40.1%

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

Rank History for White students at Merriam School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MA State Percentile
2018	63.66	282^nd	772	63.5%
2019	63.61	275^th	780	64.7%
2021	67.61	225^th	765	70.6%
2022	63.71	255^th	764	66.6%
2023	74.90	158^th	762	79.3%
2024	64.58	254^th	753	66.3%

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 Merriam School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2015	400	8	146	23	1	20	0	598
2016	386	10	157	23	1	14	0	591
2017	352	13	106	28	1	17	0	517
2018	341	11	98	31	1	16	0	498
2019	327	10	103	32	1	19	0	492
2020	312	10	98	28	1	26	0	475
2021	291	11	69	29	0	33	0	433
2022	302	15	69	26	0	40	1	453
2023	282	12	72	29	0	34	2	431

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 Merriam School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2015	598	n/a	n/a	5.2
2016	591	37.0	15.9	n/a
2017	517	32.4	15.9	n/a
2018	498	31.6	15.7	n/a
2019	492	31.6	15.5	n/a
2020	475	32.0	14.8	n/a
2021	433	28.0	15.4	n/a
2022	453	34.0	13.3	n/a
2023	431	32.5	13.2	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 Merriam School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2015	598	n/a	n/a	5.2
2016	591	37.0	15.9	n/a
2017	517	32.4	15.9	n/a
2018	498	31.6	15.7	n/a
2019	492	31.6	15.5	n/a
2020	475	32.0	14.8	n/a
2021	433	28.0	15.4	n/a
2022	453	34.0	13.3	n/a
2023	431	32.5	13.2	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 Merriam School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$511 (3.4%)	$14,472 (96.6%)	$14,984
2020	$1,105 (3.4%)	$30,940 (96.6%)	$32,045
2021	$1,101 (6.5%)	$15,897 (93.5%)	$16,998

Data source: Massachusetts Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Merriam 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 180^th of 942 Elementary schools	Ranks 169^th of 928 Elementary schools	0.9%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Merriam School)	76	71	5%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Acton-Boxborough)	79	64.4	14.6%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Massachusetts)	56	43.9	12.1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Merriam School)	52	49.2	2.8%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Acton-Boxborough)	64	53.7	10.3%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Massachusetts)	49	41	8%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Merriam School)	68	52.2	15.8%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Acton-Boxborough)	70	60.6	9.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Massachusetts)	52	39.7	12.3%
4th Grade Mathematics (Merriam School)	77	53.6	23.4%
4th Grade Mathematics (Acton-Boxborough)	66	63.4	2.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Massachusetts)	49	45	4%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Merriam School)	68	58	10%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Acton-Boxborough)	67	67.7	0.7%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Massachusetts)	52	43.8	8.2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Merriam School)	68	59.4	8.6%
5th Grade Mathematics (Acton-Boxborough)	64	63.2	0.8%
5th Grade Mathematics (Massachusetts)	49	40.9	8.2%
5th Grade Science (Merriam School)	66	60.9	5.1%
5th Grade Science (Acton-Boxborough)	65	69.1	4.1%
5th Grade Science (Massachusetts)	48	41.6	6.4%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Merriam School)	61	77.1	16.1%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Acton-Boxborough)	73	67.9	5.1%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Massachusetts)	54	42.3	11.7%
6th Grade Mathematics (Merriam School)	80	77.5	2.5%
6th Grade Mathematics (Acton-Boxborough)	76	73.7	2.3%
6th Grade Mathematics (Massachusetts)	51	41	10%
All Grades English Language Arts (Merriam School)	68	64.4	3.6%
All Grades English Language Arts (Acton-Boxborough)	74	67.1	6.9%
All Grades English Language Arts (Massachusetts)	52	42.3	9.7%
All Grades Mathematics (Merriam School)	70	60.4	9.6%
All Grades Mathematics (Acton-Boxborough)	72	68.7	3.3%
All Grades Mathematics (Massachusetts)	49	40.6	8.4%
All Grades Science (Merriam School)	66	60.9	5.1%
All Grades Science (Acton-Boxborough)	72	70.9	1.1%
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	492	431	12.4%
African American	10	12	20%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	103	72	30.1%
Hispanic	32	29	9.4%
Pacific Islander	1	0	100%
White	327	282	13.8%
Two or More Races	19	34	78.9%

Schools Near Merriam 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 6th 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 6th 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
McCarthy-Towne School	Public	K-6	11 Charter Road	Acton	01720	Middlesex County	Acton-Boxborough	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 264-3377	446	35	12.9		313 (70.2%)	13 (2.9%)	48 (10.8%)	44 (9.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (6.1%)	74.2	254^th of 916 public elementary schools	72.3%		72.4	262^nd of 928 public elementary schools	71.8%	8	52.6	45.2	55.2	61.7	54.3	48.2	61.9	44.8	62.5	54.9	54.6	54.6	$16,289	$996	$15,293
Merriam School	Public	K-6	11 Charter Road	Acton	01720	Middlesex County	Acton-Boxborough	No	No	No	No	(978) 264-3371	431	33	13.2		282 (65.4%)	12 (2.8%)	29 (6.7%)	72 (16.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (7.9%)	77.6	212^th of 916 public elementary schools	76.9%		81.3	169^th of 928 public elementary schools	81.8%	43	53.6	57.1	45.6	62.3	54.7	50.9	56.5	59.1	66.7	58.7	59.7	59.7	$16,998	$1,101	$15,897
Luther Conant School	Public	K-6	80 Taylor Road	Acton	01720	Middlesex County	Acton-Boxborough	No	No	No	No	(978) 266-2550	408	30	13.6		106 (26.0%)	12 (2.9%)	32 (7.8%)	237 (58.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (5.1%)	91.8	54^th of 916 public elementary schools	94.1%		94.7	25^th of 928 public elementary schools	97.3%	29	66.7	52.2	78.1	83.8	70.9	71.8	60.3	80.6	89.7	76.1	79.2	79.2	$16,777	$944	$15,833
C.T. Douglas Elementary School	Public	K-6	73 Spruce Street	Acton	01720	Middlesex County	Acton-Boxborough	No	No	No	No	(978) 266-2560	377	29	13.0		240 (63.7%)	8 (2.1%)	39 (10.3%)	60 (15.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (8.0%)	76.8	224^th of 916 public elementary schools	75.5%		74	245^th of 928 public elementary schools	73.6%	21	53.6	52.3	57.1	67.4	56.9	46.4	58.5	44.9	87.0	58.3	65.3	65.3	$16,802	$982	$15,821
Paul P Gates Elementary School	Public	K-6	75 Spruce Street	Acton	01720	Middlesex County	Acton-Boxborough	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 266-2570	350	28	12.3		98 (28.0%)	4 (1.1%)	24 (6.9%)	197 (56.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (7.7%)	94.7	22^nd of 916 public elementary schools	97.6%		95.3	21^st of 928 public elementary schools	97.7%	1	95.0	52.4	77.1	84.8	77.3	92.5	64.3	81.3	88.9	81.7	87.5	87.5	$16,703	$936	$15,767
Blanchard Memorial School	Public	K-6	493 Massachusetts Avenue	Boxborough	01719	Middlesex County	Acton-Boxborough	No	No	No	No	(978) 263-4569	506	37	13.6		270 (53.4%)	16 (3.2%)	48 (9.5%)	140 (27.7%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (5.9%)	89.1	85^th of 916 public elementary schools	90.7%		86.4	117^th of 928 public elementary schools	87.4%	32	65.3	54.1	62.8	71.7	64.3	65.8	70.5	58.1	75.0	67.3	75.6	75.6	$17,925	$1,027	$16,898
Thoreau	Public	PK, KG-5	29 Prairie Street	Concord	01742	Middlesex County	Concord	No	No	No	No	(978) 318-1300	433	42	10.2		312 (72.1%)	9 (2.1%)	32 (7.4%)	41 (9.5%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (8.8%)	93.9	31^st of 916 public elementary schools	96.6%		93.1	45^th of 928 public elementary schools	95.2%	14	72.2	65.2	73.3		70.4	69.4	75.0	82.7		75.8	80.0	80.0	$22,631	$315	$22,316
Green Meadow	Public	PK, KG-3	5 Tiger Drive	Maynard	01754	Middlesex County	Maynard	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 897-8246	419	40	10.6		316 (75.4%)	13 (3.1%)	56 (13.4%)	13 (3.1%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (4.8%)								(n/a)	45.8				45.8	34.5				34.5			$19,944	$1,333	$18,610
Shaker Lane Elementary	Public	PK, KG-2	35 Shaker Lane	Littleton	01460	Middlesex County	Littleton	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 486-3959	436	33	13.1		329 (75.5%)	4 (0.9%)	14 (3.2%)	77 (17.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	11 (2.5%)								(n/a)													$17,638	$745	$16,893
Center School	Public	PK, KG-5	403 Great Rd	Stow	01775	Middlesex County	Nashoba	No	No	No	No	(978) 897-0290	498	43	11.5		391 (78.5%)	3 (0.6%)	40 (8.0%)	30 (6.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (6.8%)	82.7	149^th of 916 public elementary schools	83.7%		87.1	111^th of 928 public elementary schools	88.0%	38	55.9	54.9	58.9		56.8	54.4	67.1	65.6		62.7	69.3	69.3	$19,183	$707	$18,476

Merriam School

Merriam School:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Acton-Boxborough:

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Rank History for Merriam School

Rank History for all students at Merriam School

Rank History for Special Education students at Merriam School

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Merriam School

Rank History for Female students at Merriam School

Rank History for Disabled students at Merriam School

Rank History for Male students at Merriam School

Rank History for Tested In Person students at Merriam School

Rank History for Tested Remotely students at Merriam School

Rank History for Asian students at Merriam School

Rank History for White students at Merriam School

Enrollment information for Merriam School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Merriam School

Student/Teacher Ratio Merriam School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Merriam School

Impact of COVID-19 on Merriam School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Merriam School

Frequently Asked Questions about Merriam School

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