Ottoson Middle

Summary:

Ottoson Middle is a highly-ranked public middle school located in Arlington, Massachusetts. It serves grades 7-8 and has an enrollment of 922 students. The school is part of the Arlington school district, which is ranked 27th out of 351 districts in the state and has a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Ottoson Middle consistently ranks among the top middle schools in Massachusetts, ranking 12th out of 493 schools in the 2023-2024 school year. Its students demonstrate exceptional academic achievement, with 71.86% proficient or better in MCAS English Language Arts and 74.37% proficient or better in MCAS Mathematics across all grades in 2023-2024. These scores significantly exceed the state averages of 39.17% and 40.91%, respectively. The school also excels in supporting the academic success of various student subgroups, ranking highly for female, male, Hispanic, and Special Education students.

While Ottoson Middle outperforms many nearby middle schools, such as Daniel L. Joyce Middle School in Woburn and Madeleine Dugger Andrews Middle School in Medford, the school may want to explore ways to further support the academic growth of its Asian and multi-racial student subgroups. Nevertheless, Ottoson Middle's consistent high performance, diverse student population, and commitment to equity make it an exceptional middle school that sets a strong example for others to follow.


Detail:

Public 7-8

 63 Acton Street
       Arlington, MA  02476


(781) 316-3745

District: Arlington

SchoolDigger Rank:
12th of 493 Massachusetts Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $17,089 Help


Students who attend Ottoson Middle usually attend:

High:    Arlington High

Feeder schools for Ottoson Middle:

Elementary:    Brackett
    Cyrus E Dallin
    Hardy
    John A Bishop
    More...

Student/teacher ratio:  11.1 Help
Number of students:  922

Racial breakdown:

White:
70.3%
Asian:
10.8%
Hispanic:
7.0%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  11.9% Help


 See top rated Massachusetts middle schools

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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Ottoson Middle ranks better than 97.6% of middle schools in Massachusetts. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 96.37. (See more...)
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (70.3%), Asian (10.8%), Hispanic (7%). (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Ottoson Middle is 11.1. (See more...)
Help
Compare Ottoson Middle employs 82.3 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Ottoson Middle is $17,089.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Ottoson Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks Ottoson Middle 12th of 493 Massachusetts public middle schools. (See Ottoson Middle in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
Asian students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Arlington:

SchoolDigger ranks Arlington 27th of 351 Massachusetts school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Ottoson Middle

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Ottoson Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 79.84 71st 339 79.1%
2004 76.86 84th 344 75.6%
2005 75.92 86th 356 75.8%
2006 80.52 76th 399 81.0%
2007 81.14 76th 399 81.0%
2008 84.91 54th 407 86.7%
2009 83.53 55th 409 86.6%
2010 84.92 54th 434 87.6%
2011 83.74 61st 449 86.4%
2012 84.39 58th 455 87.3%
2013 85.62 47th 455 89.7%
2014 85.48 50th 455 89.0%
2015 84.31 53rd 441 88.0%
2016 79.40 86th 482 82.2%
2017 88.30 41st 487 91.6%
2018 90.64 33rd 484 93.2%
2019 92.45 23rd 498 95.4%
2021 94.73 23rd 501 95.4%
2022 96.79 8th 497 98.4%
2023 95.99 10th 501 98.0%
2024 96.37 12th 493 97.6%
See the entire list of Massachusetts Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Ottoson Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 73.08 26th 84 69.0%
2019 79.57 19th 87 78.2%
2021 81.03 19th 92 79.3%
2022 86.56 18th 102 82.4%
2023 85.16 16th 110 85.5%
2024 79.72 21st 98 78.6%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Ottoson Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 71.81 13th 180 92.8%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Ottoson Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 77.98 47th 467 89.9%
2019 86.95 34th 484 93.0%
2021 83.10 41st 489 91.6%
2022 92.58 17th 503 96.6%
2023 98.89 4th 444 99.1%
2024 97.26 8th 441 98.2%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Ottoson Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 66.60 116th 438 73.5%
2019 83.87 41st 452 90.9%
2021 67.69 106th 462 77.1%
2022 82.63 49th 489 90.0%
2023 75.76 77th 481 84.0%
2024 80.89 46th 469 90.2%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Ottoson Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 90.36 25th 463 94.6%
2019 90.74 26th 478 94.6%
2021 94.53 20th 483 95.9%
2022 96.60 5th 494 99.0%
2023 95.88 10th 489 98.0%
2024 95.51 10th 481 97.9%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Ottoson Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 87.91 28th 417 93.3%
2019 95.94 10th 424 97.6%
2021 94.74 16th 431 96.3%
2022 98.25 6th 445 98.7%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Ottoson Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 88.42 41st 466 91.2%
2019 91.84 27th 478 94.4%
2021 93.92 26th 485 94.6%
2022 96.06 10th 497 98.0%
2023 94.80 19th 489 96.1%
2024 96.15 12th 483 97.5%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Tested In Person students at Ottoson Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 94.14 23rd 491 95.3%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Middle Schools for Tested In Person Students!

Rank History for Tested Remotely students at Ottoson Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 94.47 22nd 339 93.5%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Middle Schools for Tested Remotely Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Ottoson Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 50.63 74th 119 37.8%
2019 59.68 63rd 128 50.8%
2021 74.72 33rd 123 73.2%
2022 78.08 27th 135 80.0%
2023 72.49 42nd 134 68.7%
2024 75.41 31st 120 74.2%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Middle Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Ottoson Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 63.21 48th 172 72.1%
2019 45.04 104th 195 46.7%
2021 71.55 29th 193 85.0%
2022 70.64 36th 212 83.0%
2023 60.60 68th 209 67.5%
2024 80.82 19th 202 90.6%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Ottoson Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 88.48 25th 309 91.9%
2019 94.93 11th 322 96.6%
2021 94.97 16th 335 95.2%
2022 97.33 7th 368 98.1%
2023 95.59 10th 364 97.3%
2024 96.52 7th 378 98.1%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Ottoson Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 89.68 24th 395 93.9%
2019 91.88 19th 396 95.2%
2021 92.77 17th 401 95.8%
2022 96.31 6th 404 98.5%
2023 95.25 8th 403 98.0%
2024 94.58 11th 392 97.2%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Middle 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.

Ottoson Middle Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

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Enrollment information for Ottoson Middle

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 373 3 5 0 0 n/a n/a 0 381
1989 339 5 7 2 0 n/a n/a 0 353
1990 531 9 14 7 0 n/a n/a 0 561
1991 515 11 6 3 0 n/a n/a 0 535
1992 465 19 16 12 0 n/a n/a 0 512
1993 451 24 23 20 1 n/a n/a 0 519
1994 486 34 20 20 2 n/a n/a 0 562
1995 469 33 24 22 0 n/a n/a 0 548
1996 469 33 24 22 0 n/a n/a 0 548
1997 497 45 23 17 0 n/a n/a 0 582
1998 528 37 24 16 1 n/a n/a 0 606
1999 541 36 33 14 1 n/a n/a 0 625
2000 869 53 44 22 0 n/a n/a 0 988
2001 898 46 43 23 0 n/a n/a 0 1010
2002 896 50 44 22 0 n/a n/a 0 1012
2003 896 50 44 22 0 n/a n/a 0 1012
2004 847 47 57 25 0 n/a n/a 0 976
2005 830 46 54 39 3 n/a n/a 0 972
2006 798 50 66 39 4 n/a n/a 15 972
2007 838 41 65 38 4 n/a n/a 22 1008
2008 811 35 70 38 2 n/a n/a 28 984
2009 862 41 72 49 0 0 24 0 1048
2010 858 40 81 58 1 0 22 0 1060
2011 840 37 91 56 1 1 25 0 1051
2012 826 37 97 45 1 0 20 0 1026
2013 793 40 105 48 0 1 41 0 1028
2014 820 42 105 46 0 1 40 0 1054
2015 843 45 105 66 0 1 47 0 1107
2016 868 45 112 56 0 1 45 0 1127
2017 910 51 121 66 0 0 60 0 1208
2018 928 49 134 72 0 1 74 0 1258
2019 630 28 94 50 0 2 51 0 855
2020 648 27 104 63 1 2 52 2 899
2021 639 36 87 71 1 1 56 1 892
2022 640 41 87 73 2 1 58 4 906
2023 648 37 100 65 2 3 62 5 922

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 Ottoson Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 381 n/a n/a n/a
1989 353 n/a n/a n/a
1990 561 n/a n/a n/a
1991 535 n/a n/a n/a
1992 512 n/a n/a n/a
1993 519 n/a 0.0 n/a
1994 562 n/a n/a n/a
1995 548 n/a 0.0 n/a
1996 548 n/a 0.0 n/a
1997 582 n/a 0.0 n/a
1998 606 n/a 0.0 n/a
1999 625 n/a 0.0 20
2000 988 n/a 0.0 12.4
2001 1010 n/a 0.0 9.1
2002 1012 n/a n/a 9.4
2003 1012 n/a n/a 9.4
2004 976 73.1 13.4 11.9
2005 972 75.6 12.9 10.5
2006 972 75.4 12.9 12.1
2007 1008 74.0 13.6 12.4
2008 984 74.2 13.3 9.7
2009 1048 80.4 13.0 10.8
2010 1060 79.9 13.2 11.4
2011 1051 74.5 14.1 12.6
2012 1026 70.3 14.5 12.1
2013 1028 73.9 13.8 13.2
2014 1054 69.5 15.1 13.1
2015 1107 87.0 12.7 11.9
2016 1127 91.0 12.3 n/a
2017 1208 94.5 12.7 n/a
2018 1258 94.1 13.3 n/a
2019 855 64.1 13.3 n/a
2020 899 70.4 12.7 n/a
2021 892 76.6 11.6 n/a
2022 906 80.9 11.1 n/a
2023 922 82.3 11.1 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 Ottoson Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 381 n/a n/a n/a
1989 353 n/a n/a n/a
1990 561 n/a n/a n/a
1991 535 n/a n/a n/a
1992 512 n/a n/a n/a
1993 519 n/a 0.0 n/a
1994 562 n/a n/a n/a
1995 548 n/a 0.0 n/a
1996 548 n/a 0.0 n/a
1997 582 n/a 0.0 n/a
1998 606 n/a 0.0 n/a
1999 625 n/a 0.0 20
2000 988 n/a 0.0 12.4
2001 1010 n/a 0.0 9.1
2002 1012 n/a n/a 9.4
2003 1012 n/a n/a 9.4
2004 976 73.1 13.4 11.9
2005 972 75.6 12.9 10.5
2006 972 75.4 12.9 12.1
2007 1008 74.0 13.6 12.4
2008 984 74.2 13.3 9.7
2009 1048 80.4 13.0 10.8
2010 1060 79.9 13.2 11.4
2011 1051 74.5 14.1 12.6
2012 1026 70.3 14.5 12.1
2013 1028 73.9 13.8 13.2
2014 1054 69.5 15.1 13.1
2015 1107 87.0 12.7 11.9
2016 1127 91.0 12.3 n/a
2017 1208 94.5 12.7 n/a
2018 1258 94.1 13.3 n/a
2019 855 64.1 13.3 n/a
2020 899 70.4 12.7 n/a
2021 892 76.6 11.6 n/a
2022 906 80.9 11.1 n/a
2023 922 82.3 11.1 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 Ottoson Middle

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $180 (1.3%) $13,728 (98.7%) $13,909
2020 $176 (1.2%) $14,790 (98.8%) $14,966
2021 $661 (3.9%) $16,428 (96.1%) $17,089

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Ottoson Middle

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 23rd of 498 Middle schoolsRanks 10th of 501 Middle schools
 2.6%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
7th Grade English Language Arts (Ottoson Middle)7569.5
 5.5%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Arlington)7269.4
 2.6%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Massachusetts)4840.5
 7.5%
7th Grade Mathematics (Ottoson Middle)7671.8
 4.2%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Arlington)7471.4
 2.6%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Massachusetts)4838.1
 9.9%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Ottoson Middle)7877.8
 0.2%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Arlington)7577.2
 2.2%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Massachusetts)5143.7
 7.3%
8th Grade Mathematics (Ottoson Middle)7676.9
 0.9%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Arlington)7376.3
 3.3%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Massachusetts)4737.7
 9.3%
8th Grade Science (Ottoson Middle)7472.8
 1.2%
   8th Grade Science (Arlington)7272.2
 0.2%
   8th Grade Science (Massachusetts)4640.9
 5.1%
All Grades English Language Arts (Ottoson Middle)7673.7
 2.3%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Arlington)7168.7
 2.3%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Massachusetts)5242.3
 9.7%
All Grades Mathematics (Ottoson Middle)7574.4
 0.6%
   All Grades Mathematics (Arlington)6869.5
 1.5%
   All Grades Mathematics (Massachusetts)4940.6
 8.4%
All Grades Science (Ottoson Middle)7472.8
 1.2%
   All Grades Science (Arlington)6973.5
 4.5%
   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 Students855922
 7.8%
African American2837
 32.1%
American Indian02
Asian94100
 6.4%
Hispanic5065
 30%
Pacific Islander23
 50%
White630648
 2.9%
Two or More Races5162
 21.6%


Schools Near Ottoson Middle









Frequently Asked Questions about Ottoson Middle

Yes! Ottoson Middle is one of the best middle schools in the state. It ranks 12th of 493 Massachusetts middle schools.

In the 2022-23 school year, 922 students attended Ottoson Middle.

Students who attend Ottoson Middle usually go on to attend Arlington High

Students at Ottoson Middle are 70% White, 11% Asian, 7% Hispanic, 7% Two or more races, 4% African American.


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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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