Bigelow Middle

Summary:

Bigelow Middle is a public middle school located in Newton, Massachusetts, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 435 students. The school is part of the highly-ranked Newton school district, which is ranked 35th out of 351 districts in the state and has a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Bigelow Middle consistently ranks among the top middle schools in Massachusetts, often placing between 9th and 60th out of over 500 schools. The school's proficiency rates in MCAS Next Generation English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science are significantly higher than the state averages, often exceeding the Newton district averages as well. Bigelow Middle's performance is particularly strong in English Language Arts, with 67.85% of students proficient or better, compared to 39.17% statewide.

In addition to its overall academic excellence, Bigelow Middle excels in supporting various student subgroups, with high rankings for female students, Hispanic students, and students with disabilities. The school also has a diverse student population, with 56.32% White, 17.01% Asian, 11.72% Hispanic, and 6.44% African American students. While Bigelow Middle stands out, nearby schools like Oak Hill Middle and Charles E. Brown Middle also demonstrate strong academic performance, indicating the overall excellence of the Newton school district.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 42 Vernon St
       Newton, MA  02458


(617) 559-6800

District: Newton

SchoolDigger Rank:
60th of 493 Massachusetts Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $23,272 Help


Students who attend Bigelow Middle usually attend:

High:    Newton North High

Feeder schools for Bigelow Middle:

Elementary:    John Ward
    Lincoln-Eliot
    Underwood

Student/teacher ratio:  9.7 Help
Number of students:  435

Racial breakdown:

White:
56.3%
Asian:
17.0%
Hispanic:
11.7%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  16.9% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Bigelow Middle ranks better than 87.8% of middle schools in Massachusetts. It also ranks last among 4 ranked middle schools in the Newton School District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 88.37. (See more...)
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Bigelow Middle has the smallest middle school student body size in the Newton School District. Racial makeup is: White (56.3%), Asian (17%), Hispanic (11.7%). (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Bigelow Middle is 9.7, which is the lowest among 4 middle schools in the Newton School District! (See more...)
Help
Compare Bigelow Middle employs 44.5 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Bigelow Middle is $23,272, which is the 2nd highest among 4 middle schools in the Newton School District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Bigelow Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks Bigelow Middle 60th of 493 Massachusetts public middle schools. (See Bigelow 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:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Newton:

SchoolDigger ranks Newton 35th of 351 Massachusetts school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Bigelow Middle

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Bigelow Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 88.51 36th 339 89.4%
2004 88.98 33rd 344 90.4%
2005 84.82 57th 356 84.0%
2006 83.76 65th 399 83.7%
2007 82.28 67th 399 83.2%
2008 85.53 47th 407 88.5%
2009 82.85 60th 409 85.3%
2010 87.77 34th 434 92.2%
2011 84.97 51st 449 88.6%
2012 87.46 32nd 455 93.0%
2013 83.01 67th 455 85.3%
2014 85.98 45th 455 90.1%
2015 91.95 9th 441 98.0%
2016 89.79 22nd 482 95.4%
2017 85.50 57th 487 88.3%
2018 80.31 86th 484 82.2%
2019 87.57 53rd 498 89.4%
2021 89.10 48th 501 90.4%
2022 88.63 57th 497 88.5%
2023 90.58 50th 501 90.0%
2024 88.37 60th 493 87.8%
See the entire list of Massachusetts Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Bigelow Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 65.99 31st 84 63.1%
2019 88.99 8th 87 90.8%
2021 93.57 4th 92 95.7%
2022 78.32 24th 102 76.5%
2023 75.34 29th 110 73.6%
2024 57.60 41st 98 58.2%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Bigelow Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 66.83 21st 138 84.8%
2024 43.35 70th 180 61.1%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Bigelow Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 64.02 119th 467 74.5%
2019 78.00 56th 484 88.4%
2021 79.27 56th 489 88.5%
2022 82.38 45th 503 91.1%
2023 87.11 31st 444 93.0%
2024 87.40 32nd 441 92.7%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Bigelow Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 52.85 201st 438 54.1%
2019 62.96 134th 452 70.4%
2021 71.19 89th 462 80.7%
2022 83.17 47th 489 90.4%
2023 79.51 62nd 481 87.1%
2024 54.51 183rd 469 61.0%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Bigelow Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 76.52 110th 463 76.2%
2019 81.85 82nd 478 82.8%
2021 87.46 51st 483 89.4%
2022 87.68 54th 494 89.1%
2023 90.59 43rd 489 91.2%
2024 89.60 47th 481 90.2%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Bigelow Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 72.57 67th 417 83.9%
2019 90.46 25th 424 94.1%
2021 75.70 59th 431 86.3%
2022 87.59 35th 445 92.1%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Bigelow Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 79.96 86th 466 81.5%
2019 90.21 35th 478 92.7%
2021 88.76 48th 485 90.1%
2022 86.82 59th 497 88.1%
2023 87.19 61st 489 87.5%
2024 83.44 75th 483 84.5%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Tested In Person students at Bigelow Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 88.47 47th 491 90.4%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Middle Schools for Tested In Person Students!

Rank History for Tested Remotely students at Bigelow Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 88.28 34th 339 90.0%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Middle Schools for Tested Remotely Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Bigelow Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 55.52 67th 119 43.7%
2019 61.89 58th 128 54.7%
2021 64.90 52nd 123 57.7%
2022 57.64 65th 135 51.9%
2023 57.32 68th 134 49.3%
2024 65.21 51st 120 57.5%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Middle Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Bigelow Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 92.76 5th 209 97.6%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Bigelow Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 66.53 77th 309 75.1%
2019 88.37 22nd 322 93.2%
2021 72.45 61st 335 81.8%
2022 72.18 70th 368 81.0%
2023 86.23 36th 364 90.1%
2024 90.33 24th 378 93.7%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Bigelow Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 75.92 73rd 395 81.5%
2019 84.79 48th 396 87.9%
2021 86.36 41st 401 89.8%
2022 86.67 42nd 404 89.6%
2023 89.44 30th 403 92.6%
2024 84.81 50th 392 87.2%
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.

Bigelow 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 Bigelow Middle

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1994 440 48 34 12 0 n/a n/a 0 534
1995 478 63 37 10 2 n/a n/a 0 590
1996 478 63 37 10 2 n/a n/a 0 590
1997 496 43 59 12 2 n/a n/a 0 612
1998 412 37 63 9 1 n/a n/a 0 522
1999 373 30 54 17 0 n/a n/a 0 474
2000 350 20 61 15 0 n/a n/a 0 446
2001 357 29 61 18 0 n/a n/a 0 465
2002 401 34 55 22 1 n/a n/a 0 513
2003 401 34 55 22 1 n/a n/a 0 513
2004 416 26 55 22 0 n/a n/a 0 519
2005 399 32 55 22 3 n/a n/a 0 511
2006 336 32 43 61 0 n/a n/a 26 498
2007 334 46 42 41 0 n/a n/a 32 495
2008 346 38 20 32 2 n/a n/a 48 486
2009 363 31 32 24 3 0 50 0 503
2010 368 34 43 32 2 0 47 0 526
2011 349 40 54 40 1 0 39 0 523
2012 343 37 71 42 0 0 40 0 533
2013 344 34 80 43 0 0 30 0 531
2014 336 41 89 37 0 1 21 0 525
2015 313 46 74 44 1 0 25 0 503
2016 320 41 77 36 3 1 30 0 508
2017 325 31 79 51 4 1 34 0 525
2018 330 29 79 48 2 0 33 0 521
2019 306 25 74 60 1 0 35 0 501
2020 310 24 79 46 1 0 32 2 494
2021 312 30 76 55 0 0 33 0 506
2022 286 23 77 47 0 0 31 1 465
2023 245 28 74 51 0 0 34 3 435

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 Bigelow Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1994 534 n/a n/a n/a
1995 590 n/a 0.0 n/a
1996 590 n/a 0.0 n/a
1997 612 n/a 0.0 n/a
1998 522 n/a 0.0 n/a
1999 474 n/a 0.0 0
2000 446 n/a 0.0 14.3
2001 465 n/a 0.0 14.2
2002 513 n/a n/a 11.3
2003 513 n/a n/a 11.3
2004 519 47.4 10.9 14.3
2005 511 48.6 10.5 11.9
2006 498 45.4 11.0 14.2
2007 495 45.0 11.0 13.4
2008 486 42.2 11.5 16.2
2009 503 42.8 11.8 9.9
2010 526 43.7 12.0 15.6
2011 523 45.4 11.5 15.5
2012 533 44.1 12.0 15.4
2013 531 47.4 11.1 16.4
2014 525 49.2 10.6 16.4
2015 503 52.0 9.6 16.9
2016 508 52.0 9.7 n/a
2017 525 50.2 10.4 n/a
2018 521 52.0 10.0 n/a
2019 501 48.7 10.2 n/a
2020 494 50.4 9.7 n/a
2021 506 49.1 10.3 n/a
2022 465 49.3 9.4 n/a
2023 435 44.5 9.7 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 Bigelow Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1994 534 n/a n/a n/a
1995 590 n/a 0.0 n/a
1996 590 n/a 0.0 n/a
1997 612 n/a 0.0 n/a
1998 522 n/a 0.0 n/a
1999 474 n/a 0.0 0
2000 446 n/a 0.0 14.3
2001 465 n/a 0.0 14.2
2002 513 n/a n/a 11.3
2003 513 n/a n/a 11.3
2004 519 47.4 10.9 14.3
2005 511 48.6 10.5 11.9
2006 498 45.4 11.0 14.2
2007 495 45.0 11.0 13.4
2008 486 42.2 11.5 16.2
2009 503 42.8 11.8 9.9
2010 526 43.7 12.0 15.6
2011 523 45.4 11.5 15.5
2012 533 44.1 12.0 15.4
2013 531 47.4 11.1 16.4
2014 525 49.2 10.6 16.4
2015 503 52.0 9.6 16.9
2016 508 52.0 9.7 n/a
2017 525 50.2 10.4 n/a
2018 521 52.0 10.0 n/a
2019 501 48.7 10.2 n/a
2020 494 50.4 9.7 n/a
2021 506 49.1 10.3 n/a
2022 465 49.3 9.4 n/a
2023 435 44.5 9.7 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 Bigelow Middle

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $544 (2.6%) $20,763 (97.4%) $21,307
2020 $524 (2.5%) $20,758 (97.5%) $21,283
2021 $1,442 (6.2%) $21,830 (93.8%) $23,272

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Bigelow 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 53rd of 498 Middle schoolsRanks 50th of 501 Middle schools
 0.7%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (Bigelow Middle)7368.9
 4.2%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Newton)7367.7
 5.3%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Massachusetts)5442.3
 11.7%
6th Grade Mathematics (Bigelow Middle)8069.7
 10.3%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Newton)7768.5
 8.5%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Massachusetts)5141
 10%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Bigelow Middle)6964.7
 4.3%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Newton)6963.7
 5.3%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Massachusetts)4840.5
 7.5%
7th Grade Mathematics (Bigelow Middle)6360
 3%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Newton)7367.9
 5.1%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Massachusetts)4838.1
 9.9%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Bigelow Middle)7073.9
 3.9%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Newton)7673
 3%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Massachusetts)5143.7
 7.3%
8th Grade Mathematics (Bigelow Middle)7363
 10%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Newton)7973.8
 5.2%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Massachusetts)4737.7
 9.3%
8th Grade Science (Bigelow Middle)7258.9
 13.1%
   8th Grade Science (Newton)6965.2
 3.8%
   8th Grade Science (Massachusetts)4640.9
 5.1%
All Grades English Language Arts (Bigelow Middle)7069.5
 0.6%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Newton)7366
 7%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Massachusetts)5242.3
 9.7%
All Grades Mathematics (Bigelow Middle)7264
 8%
   All Grades Mathematics (Newton)7367.8
 5.2%
   All Grades Mathematics (Massachusetts)4940.6
 8.4%
All Grades Science (Bigelow Middle)7258.9
 13.1%
   All Grades Science (Newton)6664.2
 1.8%
   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 Students501435
 13.2%
African American2528
 12%
American Indian10
 100%
Asian7474
Hispanic6051
 15%
Pacific Islander00
White306245
 19.9%
Two or More Races3534
 2.9%


Schools Near Bigelow Middle









Frequently Asked Questions about Bigelow Middle

Students who attend Bigelow Middle usually go on to attend Newton North High

Bigelow Middle ranks 60th of 493 Massachusetts middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Students at Bigelow Middle are 56% White, 17% Asian, 12% Hispanic, 8% Two or more races, 6% African American.

In the 2022-23 school year, 435 students attended Bigelow Middle.


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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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