Spark Academy

Summary:

Spark Academy is a public middle school located in Lawrence, MA, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 437 students. The school's performance is generally better than the Lawrence district average, but still significantly behind the state and neighboring high-performing districts like Andover and North Andover.

Spark Academy's MCAS proficiency rates in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science are higher than the Lawrence district averages, but lower than the state averages. The school's performance has been improving over the years, with its ranking among Massachusetts middle schools increasing from 462 out of 501 in 2020-2021 to 327 out of 493 in 2023-2024. Interestingly, Spark Academy's Hispanic and English Language Learner (ELL) students perform significantly better than the school's overall student population, ranking in the top 25-35% of Massachusetts middle schools in these subgroups.

However, Spark Academy's Special Education and Disabled student subgroups perform poorly, ranking in the bottom 25-30% of Massachusetts middle schools. The school spends approximately $15,746 per student, which is higher than the state average, and has a relatively low student-teacher ratio of 10.9, suggesting a focus on smaller class sizes. While Spark Academy's performance is better than the other middle schools in the Lawrence district, it is still significantly behind the high-performing middle schools in the neighboring Andover and North Andover districts.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 165 Crawford Street
       Lawrence, MA  01843


(978) 975-5993

District: Lawrence

SchoolDigger Rank:
327th of 493 Massachusetts Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $15,746 Help


Students who attend Spark Academy usually attend:

High:    Lawrence High School

Feeder schools for Spark Academy:

Elementary:    South Lawrence East Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio:  10.9 Help
Number of students:  437

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
94.7%
White:
3.7%
Asian:
1.1%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  92.6% Help


 See top rated Massachusetts middle schools

 Compare Spark Academy to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Spark Academy ranks worse than 66.3% of middle schools in Massachusetts. It also ranks first among 8 ranked middle schools in the Lawrence School District! (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 30.81. (See more...)
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (94.7%), White (3.7%), Asian (1.1%). (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Spark Academy is 10.9, which is the 3rd best among 8 middle schools in the Lawrence School District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Spark Academy employs 39.9 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Spark Academy is $15,746. 5 middle schools in the Lawrence School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Spark Academy:

SchoolDigger ranks Spark Academy 327th of 493 Massachusetts public middle schools. (See Spark Academy in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:


Lawrence:

SchoolDigger ranks Lawrence 340th of 351 Massachusetts school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Spark Academy

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Spark Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2015 13.76 386th 441 12.5%
2016 38.28 303rd 482 37.1%
2017 30.74 340th 487 30.2%
2018 21.19 387th 484 20.0%
2019 25.20 375th 498 24.7%
2021 10.10 462nd 501 7.8%
2022 23.60 384th 497 22.7%
2023 34.03 315th 501 37.1%
2024 30.81 327th 493 33.7%
See the entire list of Massachusetts Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Spark Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 33.74 97th 127 23.6%
2019 40.75 65th 138 52.9%
2021 32.12 124th 135 8.1%
2022 52.49 29th 154 81.2%
2023 49.73 42nd 155 72.9%
2024 53.94 34th 180 81.1%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Spark Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 43.70 262nd 467 43.9%
2019 50.62 211th 484 56.4%
2021 18.24 439th 489 10.2%
2022 42.12 276th 503 45.1%
2023 22.10 393rd 444 11.5%
2024 25.50 348th 441 21.1%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Spark Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 40.60 282nd 438 35.6%
2019 46.25 244th 452 46.0%
2021 17.25 414th 462 10.4%
2022 40.63 282nd 489 42.3%
2023 57.77 180th 481 62.6%
2024 53.28 189th 469 59.7%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Spark Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 22.61 367th 463 20.7%
2019 28.29 359th 478 24.9%
2021 11.55 442nd 483 8.5%
2022 26.16 372nd 494 24.7%
2023 40.98 271st 489 44.6%
2024 32.76 308th 481 36.0%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Spark Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 30.29 292nd 417 30.0%
2019 31.02 281st 424 33.7%
2021 17.74 418th 431 3.0%
2022 19.22 419th 445 5.8%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Spark Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 19.20 386th 466 17.2%
2019 21.20 385th 478 19.5%
2021 10.16 453rd 485 6.6%
2022 22.30 393rd 497 20.9%
2023 28.71 337th 489 31.1%
2024 28.80 331st 483 31.5%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Tested In Person students at Spark Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 10.22 451st 491 8.1%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Middle Schools for Tested In Person Students!

Rank History for Tested Remotely students at Spark Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 14.61 318th 339 6.2%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Middle Schools for Tested Remotely Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Spark Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 43.41 170th 309 45.0%
2019 50.04 149th 322 53.7%
2021 22.07 288th 335 14.0%
2022 42.50 195th 368 47.0%
2023 61.03 110th 364 69.8%
2024 56.33 124th 378 67.2%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Middle Schools for Hispanic 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.

Spark Academy 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 Spark Academy

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2013 1 1 5 98 0 0 2 0 107
2014 10 2 11 231 0 0 2 0 256
2015 19 5 15 392 0 0 4 0 435
2016 19 4 12 394 0 0 1 0 430
2017 17 6 11 422 0 0 2 0 458
2018 12 7 10 430 0 0 1 0 460
2019 13 6 9 426 0 0 3 1 458
2020 14 7 8 441 0 0 4 0 474
2021 17 3 5 448 0 0 3 0 476
2022 17 4 3 412 0 0 0 0 436
2023 16 2 5 414 0 0 0 0 437

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 Spark Academy

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2013 107 9.0 11.8 79.4
2014 256 21.0 12.1 93.4
2015 435 29.0 15.0 92.6
2016 430 34.0 12.6 n/a
2017 458 33.2 13.7 n/a
2018 460 41.0 11.1 n/a
2019 458 31.4 14.5 n/a
2020 474 35.0 13.5 n/a
2021 476 33.5 14.2 n/a
2022 436 42.0 10.3 n/a
2023 437 39.9 10.9 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 Spark Academy

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2013 107 9.0 11.8 79.4
2014 256 21.0 12.1 93.4
2015 435 29.0 15.0 92.6
2016 430 34.0 12.6 n/a
2017 458 33.2 13.7 n/a
2018 460 41.0 11.1 n/a
2019 458 31.4 14.5 n/a
2020 474 35.0 13.5 n/a
2021 476 33.5 14.2 n/a
2022 436 42.0 10.3 n/a
2023 437 39.9 10.9 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 Spark Academy

Help

YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $970 (6.4%) $14,089 (93.6%) $15,059
2020 $757 (5.1%) $14,231 (94.9%) $14,988
2021 $1,552 (9.9%) $14,193 (90.1%) $15,746

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Spark Academy

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 375th of 498 Middle schoolsRanks 315th of 501 Middle schools
 12.4%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (Spark Academy)1928.5
 9.5%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Lawrence)3417.9
 16.1%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Massachusetts)5442.3
 11.7%
6th Grade Mathematics (Spark Academy)3826.8
 11.2%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Lawrence)3414.4
 19.6%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Massachusetts)5141
 10%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Spark Academy)2638.5
 12.5%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Lawrence)2918.9
 10.1%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Massachusetts)4840.5
 7.5%
7th Grade Mathematics (Spark Academy)3629.2
 6.8%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Lawrence)3618.6
 17.4%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Massachusetts)4838.1
 9.9%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Spark Academy)3129.2
 1.8%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Lawrence)2724.2
 2.8%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Massachusetts)5143.7
 7.3%
8th Grade Mathematics (Spark Academy)3825.6
 12.4%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Lawrence)3318.2
 14.8%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Massachusetts)4737.7
 9.3%
8th Grade Science (Spark Academy)3427.1
 6.9%
   8th Grade Science (Lawrence)2317
 6%
   8th Grade Science (Massachusetts)4640.9
 5.1%
All Grades English Language Arts (Spark Academy)2632
 6%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Lawrence)3018.3
 11.7%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Massachusetts)5242.3
 9.7%
All Grades Mathematics (Spark Academy)3727.2
 9.8%
   All Grades Mathematics (Lawrence)3117.3
 13.7%
   All Grades Mathematics (Massachusetts)4940.6
 8.4%
All Grades Science (Spark Academy)3427.1
 6.9%
   All Grades Science (Lawrence)2516.5
 8.5%
   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 Students458437
 4.6%
African American62
 66.7%
American Indian00
Asian95
 44.4%
Hispanic426414
 2.8%
Pacific Islander00
White1316
 23.1%
Two or More Races30
 100%


Schools Near Spark Academy









Frequently Asked Questions about Spark Academy

Students who attend Spark Academy usually go on to attend Lawrence High School

Spark Academy ranks 327th of 493 Massachusetts middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Students at Spark Academy are 95% Hispanic, 4% White, 1% Asian.

In the 2022-23 school year, 437 students attended Spark Academy.


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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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