Somerville High

Summary:

Somerville High is a public high school located in Somerville, Massachusetts, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 1,310 students. The school is part of the Somerville School District, which is ranked 216 out of 351 districts in Massachusetts and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Somerville High has a diverse student population, with 33.74% White, 9.31% African American, 47.18% Hispanic, and 5.73% Asian students. The school has consistently ranked in the middle of Massachusetts high schools, ranking between 197 and 224 out of 342-351 schools over the past several years. While Somerville High performs better in some student subgroups compared to others, it has seen a decline in its four-year graduation rate, from 92.5% in 2019-2020 to 87.9% in 2022-2023, and an increase in its dropout rate from 2.3% to 6.9% during the same period.

Academically, Somerville High's performance, as measured by MCAS test scores, is generally below the state average in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science. The school's proficiency rates range from 39.47% to 54.9%, compared to the state averages of 48.47% to 56.86%. While Somerville High's performance is generally better than the nearby Full Circle High School, it lags behind other nearby schools, such as Cambridge Rindge and Latin and the Community Charter School of Cambridge, which have higher academic performance and graduation rates.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 81 Highland Avenue
       Somerville, MA  02143


(617) 625-6600

District: Somerville

SchoolDigger Rank:
212th of 348 Massachusetts High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $22,926 Help


Feeder schools for Somerville High:

Elementary:    Albert F. Argenziano School at Lincoln Park
    Arthur D Healey
    Benjamin G Brown
    Capuano Early Childhood Center
    More...

Student/teacher ratio:  9.8 Help
Number of students:  1,310

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
47.2%
White:
33.7%
African American:
9.3%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  73.4% Help


 See top rated Massachusetts high schools

 Compare Somerville High to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Somerville High ranks worse than 60.9% of high schools in Massachusetts. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 43.98. (See more...)
Help
The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Somerville High who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.
Help
The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (47.2%), White (33.7%), African American (9.3%). (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Somerville High is 9.8. (See more...)
Help
Compare Somerville High employs 133.6 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Somerville High is $22,926.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Somerville High:

SchoolDigger ranks Somerville High 212th of 348 Massachusetts public high schools. (See Somerville High in the ranking list.)

High 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:


Somerville:

SchoolDigger ranks Somerville 216th of 351 Massachusetts school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Somerville High

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Somerville High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 39.08 197th 304 35.2%
2004 21.83 239th 307 22.1%
2005 27.61 235th 311 24.4%
2006 25.62 252nd 314 19.7%
2007 22.48 262nd 316 17.1%
2008 28.45 253rd 319 20.7%
2009 25.47 267th 322 17.1%
2010 30.98 264th 335 21.2%
2011 29.81 276th 340 18.8%
2012 26.73 282nd 340 17.1%
2013 35.55 270th 344 21.5%
2014 41.02 254th 347 26.8%
2015 48.76 231st 354 34.7%
2016 37.63 265th 351 24.5%
2017 46.01 241st 348 30.7%
2018 43.34 243rd 345 29.6%
2019 45.44 224th 351 36.2%
2021 36.28 201st 285 29.5%
2022 45.87 197th 342 42.4%
2023 45.78 201st 347 42.1%
2024 43.98 212th 348 39.1%
See the entire list of Massachusetts High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Somerville High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 63.73 34th 87 60.9%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Somerville High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 25.42 64th 77 16.9%
2019 38.19 42nd 82 48.8%
2021 35.81 34th 46 26.1%
2022 56.84 13th 77 83.1%
2023 31.25 73rd 84 13.1%
2024 26.96 83rd 86 3.5%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Somerville High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 45.18 201st 344 41.6%
2019 41.88 217th 348 37.6%
2021 34.89 183rd 268 31.7%
2022 40.53 207th 339 38.9%
2023 47.04 132nd 301 56.1%
2024 51.17 119th 289 58.8%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Somerville High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 37.70 232nd 330 29.7%
2019 41.49 215th 330 34.8%
2021 29.62 190th 253 24.9%
2022 31.85 229th 332 31.0%
2023 35.96 221st 338 34.6%
2024 30.85 241st 338 28.7%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Somerville High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 39.10 247th 339 27.1%
2019 41.03 227th 342 33.6%
2021 35.53 205th 281 27.0%
2022 46.53 196th 340 42.4%
2023 43.91 203rd 339 40.1%
2024 35.74 226th 342 33.9%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Somerville High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 50.90 148th 299 50.5%
2019 40.76 163rd 299 45.5%
2021 44.16 100th 202 50.5%
2022 47.86 128th 295 56.6%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Somerville High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 41.27 242nd 343 29.4%
2019 44.41 217th 346 37.3%
2021 34.83 201st 281 28.5%
2022 42.24 206th 339 39.2%
2023 43.41 200th 343 41.7%
2024 45.74 195th 342 43.0%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Somerville High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 36.07 69th 91 24.2%
2019 22.33 80th 97 17.5%
2021 42.28 48th 68 29.4%
2022 28.38 69th 93 25.8%
2023 50.15 63rd 96 34.4%
2024 41.00 67th 98 31.6%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts High Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Somerville High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 60.15 53rd 134 60.4%
2019 60.76 52nd 137 62.0%
2021 37.12 61st 94 35.1%
2022 48.45 63rd 133 52.6%
2023 56.07 56th 142 60.6%
2024 28.33 114th 160 28.8%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Somerville High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 41.20 119th 193 38.3%
2019 43.80 112th 206 45.6%
2021 35.13 87th 149 41.6%
2022 35.58 137th 217 36.9%
2023 32.54 164th 241 32.0%
2024 36.23 145th 249 41.8%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Somerville High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 67.18 100th 303 67.0%
2019 65.79 114th 302 62.3%
2021 64.70 95th 249 61.8%
2022 79.25 60th 300 80.0%
2023 70.94 86th 301 71.4%
2024 65.93 107th 302 64.6%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts High 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.

Somerville High 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%

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Reviews:
by a parent
Friday, February 5, 2021

Open Quote Somerville gets a bad rap because it's urban and right next to Cambridge, but I am very happy with my child's experience here. The teachers are great, there's a real sense of community and a desire for students to thrive. The school is geared towards a variety of different needs and paths, not just "college bound". Close Quote



Enrollment information for Somerville High

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 1798 121 67 106 4 n/a n/a 0 2096
1989 1574 113 72 148 3 n/a n/a 0 1910
1990 1562 143 79 139 9 n/a n/a -1 1931
1991 1482 198 80 171 5 n/a n/a -2 1934
1992 1413 223 80 163 8 n/a n/a -2 1885
1993 1390 241 100 186 6 n/a n/a -3 1920
1994 1324 248 103 215 6 n/a n/a 0 1896
1995 1227 310 104 220 7 n/a n/a -1 1867
1996 1227 310 104 220 7 n/a n/a -1 1867
1997 1086 408 111 333 0 n/a n/a 0 1938
1998 1120 342 103 280 1 n/a n/a -1 1845
1999 1162 323 111 270 2 n/a n/a 0 1868
2000 1066 325 129 337 5 n/a n/a 0 1862
2001 1006 310 145 296 4 n/a n/a 0 1761
2002 841 337 147 437 2 n/a n/a 0 1764
2003 841 337 147 437 2 n/a n/a 0 1764
2004 800 312 135 415 4 n/a n/a 0 1666
2005 743 293 130 418 2 n/a n/a 0 1586
2006 686 243 108 420 2 n/a n/a 51 1510
2007 631 227 125 421 3 n/a n/a 39 1446
2008 571 234 140 440 4 n/a n/a 21 1410
2009 564 228 141 452 4 0 17 0 1406
2010 526 191 137 446 5 1 9 0 1315
2011 492 211 135 491 5 3 7 0 1344
2012 456 213 140 498 4 3 10 0 1324
2013 400 208 136 514 5 3 10 0 1276
2014 408 194 144 503 3 2 11 0 1265
2015 387 172 134 531 1 0 12 0 1237
2016 390 170 128 533 1 0 9 0 1231
2017 384 171 118 577 0 0 9 0 1259
2018 383 165 100 549 0 0 18 0 1215
2019 407 158 90 570 1 1 23 1 1251
2020 390 156 76 579 0 2 22 3 1228
2021 420 132 75 558 1 2 24 3 1215
2022 433 142 76 617 3 2 26 5 1304
2023 442 122 75 618 2 1 33 17 1310

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 Somerville High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 2096 n/a n/a n/a
1989 1910 n/a n/a n/a
1990 1931 n/a n/a n/a
1991 1934 n/a n/a n/a
1992 1885 n/a n/a n/a
1993 1920 n/a 0.0 n/a
1994 1896 n/a n/a n/a
1995 1867 n/a 0.0 n/a
1996 1867 n/a 0.0 n/a
1997 1938 n/a 0.0 n/a
1998 1845 n/a 0.0 n/a
1999 1868 n/a 0.0 53.2
2000 1862 n/a 0.0 59.1
2001 1761 n/a 0.0 51.4
2002 1764 n/a n/a 64.8
2003 1764 n/a n/a 64.8
2004 1666 137.0 12.2 55.1
2005 1586 128.1 12.4 57.4
2006 1510 128.1 11.8 57.2
2007 1446 130.0 11.1 69
2008 1410 124.0 11.4 66.8
2009 1406 123.4 11.4 68.5
2010 1315 114.2 11.5 70.3
2011 1344 107.1 12.5 70.8
2012 1324 115.2 11.4 72
2013 1276 122.1 10.4 72
2014 1265 119.1 10.6 70.4
2015 1237 123.0 10.0 73.4
2016 1231 117.0 10.5 n/a
2017 1259 123.4 10.1 n/a
2018 1215 124.7 9.7 n/a
2019 1251 120.1 10.4 n/a
2020 1228 121.0 10.1 n/a
2021 1215 113.2 10.7 n/a
2022 1304 119.8 10.8 n/a
2023 1310 133.6 9.8 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 Somerville High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 2096 n/a n/a n/a
1989 1910 n/a n/a n/a
1990 1931 n/a n/a n/a
1991 1934 n/a n/a n/a
1992 1885 n/a n/a n/a
1993 1920 n/a 0.0 n/a
1994 1896 n/a n/a n/a
1995 1867 n/a 0.0 n/a
1996 1867 n/a 0.0 n/a
1997 1938 n/a 0.0 n/a
1998 1845 n/a 0.0 n/a
1999 1868 n/a 0.0 53.2
2000 1862 n/a 0.0 59.1
2001 1761 n/a 0.0 51.4
2002 1764 n/a n/a 64.8
2003 1764 n/a n/a 64.8
2004 1666 137.0 12.2 55.1
2005 1586 128.1 12.4 57.4
2006 1510 128.1 11.8 57.2
2007 1446 130.0 11.1 69
2008 1410 124.0 11.4 66.8
2009 1406 123.4 11.4 68.5
2010 1315 114.2 11.5 70.3
2011 1344 107.1 12.5 70.8
2012 1324 115.2 11.4 72
2013 1276 122.1 10.4 72
2014 1265 119.1 10.6 70.4
2015 1237 123.0 10.0 73.4
2016 1231 117.0 10.5 n/a
2017 1259 123.4 10.1 n/a
2018 1215 124.7 9.7 n/a
2019 1251 120.1 10.4 n/a
2020 1228 121.0 10.1 n/a
2021 1215 113.2 10.7 n/a
2022 1304 119.8 10.8 n/a
2023 1310 133.6 9.8 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 Somerville High

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $412 (2.0%) $20,046 (98.0%) $20,459
2020 $318 (1.5%) $21,090 (98.5%) $21,408
2021 $766 (3.3%) $22,160 (96.7%) $22,926

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Somerville High

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 224th of 351 High schoolsRanks 201st of 347 High schools
 5.9%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
10th Grade English Language Arts (Somerville High)5756.9
 0.2%
   10th Grade English Language Arts (Somerville)5353.4
 0.4%
   10th Grade English Language Arts (Massachusetts)6158.2
 2.8%
10th Grade Mathematics (Somerville High)5240.2
 11.8%
   10th Grade Mathematics (Somerville)4637.3
 8.7%
   10th Grade Mathematics (Massachusetts)5849.7
 8.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students12511310
 4.7%
African American158122
 22.8%
American Indian12
 100%
Asian9075
 16.7%
Hispanic570618
 8.4%
Pacific Islander11
White407442
 8.6%
Two or More Races2333
 43.5%


Schools Near Somerville High









Frequently Asked Questions about Somerville High

Somerville High ranks 212th of 348 Massachusetts high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Somerville High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Albert F. Argenziano School at Lincoln Park
Elementary : Arthur D Healey
Elementary : Benjamin G Brown
Elementary : Capuano Early Childhood Center
Elementary : E Somerville Community
Elementary : John F Kennedy
Elementary : West Somerville Neighborhood
Elementary : Winter Hill Community

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,310 students attended Somerville High.

Students at Somerville High are 47% Hispanic, 34% White, 9% African American, 6% Asian, 3% Two or more races, 1% Not Specified.


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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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