Varnum Brook

Summary:

Varnum Brook is an elementary school in Pepperell, Massachusetts, serving students from kindergarten to 4th grade as part of the North Middlesex school district. This high-performing school consistently outperforms the district and state averages on MCAS Next Generation assessments, particularly in Mathematics where 3rd-grade students achieve 59.4% proficiency, significantly higher than the district (54.3%) and state (44.19%) averages.

Varnum Brook's academic excellence extends beyond its overall performance, with the school's Hispanic, special education, and low-socioeconomic status (SES) students also ranking in the top quarter to third of Massachusetts elementary schools. The school's relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 11.7 to 13 students per teacher, may contribute to its ability to provide targeted support and personalized instruction for these diverse student populations.

While Varnum Brook maintains a consistent 3-star rating from SchoolDigger, the school's ranking for white students has declined in recent years, and its racial diversity has decreased. As the school and district continue to build on Varnum Brook's strengths, addressing these potential areas for improvement, such as supporting white students and promoting racial diversity, will be important considerations to ensure a well-rounded and inclusive learning environment for all students.


Detail:

Public K-4

 10 Hollis Street
       Pepperell, MA  01463


(978) 433-6722

District: North Middlesex

SchoolDigger Rank:
369th of 916 Massachusetts Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $16,078 Help


Students who attend Varnum Brook usually attend:

Middle:    Nissitissit Middle School
High:    North Middlesex Regional

Student/teacher ratio:  13.0 Help
Number of students:  633

Racial breakdown:

White:
79.9%
Hispanic:
9.6%
Two or more races:
4.4%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  22.6% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Varnum Brook ranks better than 59.7% of elementary schools in Massachusetts. It also ranks 2nd among 3 ranked elementary schools in the North Middlesex School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 59.87. (See more...)
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Varnum Brook has the largest elementary school student body size in the North Middlesex School District. Racial makeup is: White (79.9%), Hispanic (9.6%), two or more races (4.4%). (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Varnum Brook is 13. 2 elementary schools in the North Middlesex School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Varnum Brook employs 48.4 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Varnum Brook is $16,078, which is the lowest among 4 elementary schools in the North Middlesex School District!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Varnum Brook:

SchoolDigger ranks Varnum Brook 369th of 916 Massachusetts public elementary schools. (See Varnum Brook 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:


North Middlesex:

SchoolDigger ranks North Middlesex 192nd of 351 Massachusetts school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Varnum Brook

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Varnum Brook

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 65.02 349th 884 60.5%
2004 57.38 417th 882 52.7%
2005 58.03 394th 887 55.6%
2006 48.04 514th 911 43.6%
2007 54.45 456th 911 49.9%
2008 40.37 608th 908 33.0%
2009 54.71 452nd 909 50.3%
2010 52.49 487th 920 47.1%
2011 52.76 499th 924 46.0%
2012 70.59 292nd 930 68.6%
2013 65.29 351st 928 62.2%
2014 73.87 240th 926 74.1%
2015 67.94 303rd 914 66.8%
2016 58.26 421st 932 54.8%
2017 60.77 378th 938 59.7%
2018 60.24 393rd 934 57.9%
2019 69.09 291st 942 69.1%
2021 68.60 289th 936 69.1%
2022 65.79 321st 932 65.6%
2023 54.91 432nd 928 53.4%
2024 59.87 369th 916 59.7%
See the entire list of Massachusetts Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Varnum Brook

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 45.28 477th 886 46.2%
2019 49.78 442nd 896 50.7%
2021 51.21 399th 894 55.4%
2022 49.42 429th 905 52.6%
2023 55.36 252nd 703 64.2%
2024 66.41 179th 731 75.5%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Varnum Brook

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 72.77 115th 685 83.2%
2019 51.57 335th 700 52.1%
2021 61.35 220th 705 68.8%
2022 68.13 180th 772 76.7%
2023 61.02 247th 757 67.4%
2024 68.43 166th 760 78.2%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Varnum Brook

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 53.88 448th 893 49.8%
2019 63.37 334th 902 63.0%
2021 55.06 413th 898 54.0%
2022 66.36 294th 901 67.4%
2023 66.34 305th 887 65.6%
2024 67.96 281st 886 68.3%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Varnum Brook

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 49.11 271st 656 58.7%
2019 76.50 106th 665 84.1%
2021 50.17 266th 632 57.9%
2022 46.80 313th 672 53.4%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Varnum Brook

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 64.69 318th 898 64.6%
2019 72.24 252nd 907 72.2%
2021 78.43 183rd 904 79.8%
2022 62.61 336th 908 63.0%
2023 43.92 508th 896 43.3%
2024 50.95 445th 891 50.1%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Tested In Person students at Varnum Brook

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 72.13 259th 925 72.0%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Elementary Schools for Tested In Person Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Varnum Brook

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 73.78 66th 420 84.3%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Varnum Brook

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 46.93 454th 772 41.2%
2019 59.20 318th 780 59.2%
2021 56.59 318th 765 58.4%
2022 54.51 356th 764 53.4%
2023 41.64 472nd 762 38.1%
2024 48.93 396th 753 47.4%
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.

Varnum Brook Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)
100%

0%

0%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!


Enrollment information for Varnum Brook

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 708 11 7 3 0 n/a n/a 0 729
1989 724 5 6 3 0 n/a n/a 0 738
1990 697 5 9 5 0 n/a n/a 0 716
1991 709 2 2 1 0 n/a n/a 0 714
1992 751 3 2 1 0 n/a n/a 0 757
1993 768 3 3 1 1 n/a n/a 0 776
1994 793 5 2 0 2 n/a n/a 0 802
1995 867 8 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 875
1996 867 8 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 875
1997 893 6 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 899
1998 921 4 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 925
1999 934 3 1 3 0 n/a n/a 0 941
2000 908 5 7 13 1 n/a n/a 0 934
2001 918 3 5 12 0 n/a n/a 0 938
2002 544 0 7 2 0 n/a n/a 0 553
2003 544 0 7 2 0 n/a n/a 0 553
2004 502 0 6 4 1 n/a n/a 0 513
2005 495 1 5 4 1 n/a n/a 0 506
2006 481 4 3 10 1 n/a n/a 4 503
2007 483 1 5 8 0 n/a n/a 7 504
2008 468 0 3 6 0 n/a n/a 7 484
2009 482 3 1 4 0 1 8 0 499
2010 705 3 5 15 2 1 22 0 753
2011 645 0 9 18 2 0 24 0 698
2012 641 3 10 18 2 0 19 0 693
2013 608 7 11 26 1 0 19 0 672
2014 532 7 8 26 1 0 17 0 591
2015 520 5 11 26 0 0 17 0 579
2016 510 8 7 25 1 0 23 0 574
2017 494 12 4 25 1 0 27 0 563
2018 471 13 2 23 1 0 27 0 537
2019 471 12 7 26 1 0 19 0 536
2020 471 13 5 33 1 0 19 0 542
2021 419 17 9 35 0 0 15 0 495
2022 475 13 9 37 0 0 27 0 561
2023 506 16 21 61 0 1 28 0 633

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 Varnum Brook

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 729 n/a n/a n/a
1989 738 n/a n/a n/a
1990 716 n/a n/a n/a
1991 714 n/a n/a n/a
1992 757 n/a n/a n/a
1993 776 n/a 0.0 n/a
1994 802 n/a n/a n/a
1995 875 n/a 0.0 n/a
1996 875 n/a 0.0 n/a
1997 899 n/a 0.0 n/a
1998 925 n/a 0.0 n/a
1999 941 n/a 0.0 0
2000 934 n/a 0.0 8.4
2001 938 n/a 0.0 8.4
2002 553 n/a n/a 9.2
2003 553 n/a n/a 9.2
2004 513 35.4 14.5 10.1
2005 506 35.5 14.3 11.7
2006 503 38.0 13.2 10.8
2007 504 37.0 13.6 10.3
2008 484 31.0 15.6 9.9
2009 499 36.3 13.7 11.8
2010 753 48.4 15.5 11.4
2011 698 47.4 14.7 12.6
2012 693 43.1 16.0 14.3
2013 672 47.4 14.1 18.9
2014 591 48.0 12.3 19.8
2015 579 46.0 12.5 22.6
2016 574 44.0 13.0 n/a
2017 563 44.5 12.6 n/a
2018 537 42.3 12.6 n/a
2019 536 36.5 14.6 n/a
2020 542 38.5 14.0 n/a
2021 495 42.0 11.7 n/a
2022 561 45.5 12.3 n/a
2023 633 48.4 13.0 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 Varnum Brook

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 729 n/a n/a n/a
1989 738 n/a n/a n/a
1990 716 n/a n/a n/a
1991 714 n/a n/a n/a
1992 757 n/a n/a n/a
1993 776 n/a 0.0 n/a
1994 802 n/a n/a n/a
1995 875 n/a 0.0 n/a
1996 875 n/a 0.0 n/a
1997 899 n/a 0.0 n/a
1998 925 n/a 0.0 n/a
1999 941 n/a 0.0 0
2000 934 n/a 0.0 8.4
2001 938 n/a 0.0 8.4
2002 553 n/a n/a 9.2
2003 553 n/a n/a 9.2
2004 513 35.4 14.5 10.1
2005 506 35.5 14.3 11.7
2006 503 38.0 13.2 10.8
2007 504 37.0 13.6 10.3
2008 484 31.0 15.6 9.9
2009 499 36.3 13.7 11.8
2010 753 48.4 15.5 11.4
2011 698 47.4 14.7 12.6
2012 693 43.1 16.0 14.3
2013 672 47.4 14.1 18.9
2014 591 48.0 12.3 19.8
2015 579 46.0 12.5 22.6
2016 574 44.0 13.0 n/a
2017 563 44.5 12.6 n/a
2018 537 42.3 12.6 n/a
2019 536 36.5 14.6 n/a
2020 542 38.5 14.0 n/a
2021 495 42.0 11.7 n/a
2022 561 45.5 12.3 n/a
2023 633 48.4 13.0 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 Varnum Brook

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $384 (2.6%) $14,473 (97.4%) $14,858
2020 $963 (5.8%) $15,591 (94.2%) $16,554
2021 $841 (5.2%) $15,237 (94.8%) $16,078

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Varnum Brook

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 291st of 942 Elementary schoolsRanks 432nd of 928 Elementary schools
 15.7%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Varnum Brook)6140.7
 20.3%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (North Middlesex)5948.3
 10.7%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Massachusetts)5643.9
 12.1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Varnum Brook)5744.1
 12.9%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (North Middlesex)5044.3
 5.7%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Massachusetts)4941
 8%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Varnum Brook)6348.4
 14.6%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (North Middlesex)5742.6
 14.4%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Massachusetts)5239.7
 12.3%
4th Grade Mathematics (Varnum Brook)6746.8
 20.2%
   4th Grade Mathematics (North Middlesex)5942
 17%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Massachusetts)4945
 4%
All Grades English Language Arts (Varnum Brook)6244.7
 17.3%
   All Grades English Language Arts (North Middlesex)5744.6
 12.5%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Massachusetts)5242.3
 9.7%
All Grades Mathematics (Varnum Brook)6145.5
 15.5%
   All Grades Mathematics (North Middlesex)5335.9
 17.1%
   All Grades Mathematics (Massachusetts)4940.6
 8.4%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students536633
 18.1%
African American1216
 33.3%
American Indian10
 100%
Asian721
 200%
Hispanic2661
 134.6%
Pacific Islander01
White471506
 7.4%
Two or More Races1928
 47.4%


Schools Near Varnum Brook









Frequently Asked Questions about Varnum Brook

Students who attend Varnum Brook usually go on to attend:

Middle : Nissitissit Middle School
High : North Middlesex Regional

Varnum Brook ranks 369th of 916 Massachusetts elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

In the 2022-23 school year, 633 students attended Varnum Brook.

Students at Varnum Brook are 80% White, 10% Hispanic, 4% Two or more races, 3% Asian, 3% 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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