Best Public Schools in Zip Code 02451

Summary:

The 02451 zip code area of Waltham, Massachusetts is home to two elementary schools: Douglas MacArthur Elementary School and Thomas R Plympton Elementary School. Based on the available data, Douglas MacArthur Elementary School appears to be the stronger-performing school, consistently outperforming the Waltham district and state averages in MCAS proficiency rates across multiple grade levels and earning a higher 2-star rating from SchoolDigger. In contrast, Plympton Elementary School underperformed the district and state benchmarks in most academic areas and received a lower 1-star rating.

While both schools have similar student-teacher ratios, Douglas MacArthur spent less per student ($21,642) compared to Plympton ($23,136). This suggests that factors beyond just funding and resources may be contributing to the performance gap between the two schools. Additionally, the schools have contrasting student demographics, with Douglas MacArthur having a higher percentage of white students and Plympton serving a more diverse student population with higher percentages of Hispanic and African American students.

Overall, the analysis indicates that Douglas MacArthur Elementary School is the stronger-performing school in the 02451 zip code area, but the underlying reasons for the performance disparity between the two schools warrant further investigation. Identifying and addressing the specific challenges faced by Plympton Elementary School could help improve student outcomes and ensure equitable educational opportunities for all students in the Waltham community.

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				MCAS Next Generation English Language Arts (2024)				MCAS Next Generation Mathematics (2024)				MCAS Next Generation Science (2024)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2021)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	MCAS Next Generation English Language Arts 3rd Grade	MCAS Next Generation English Language Arts 4th Grade	MCAS Next Generation English Language Arts 5th Grade	MCAS Next Generation English Language Arts All Grades	MCAS Next Generation Mathematics 3rd Grade	MCAS Next Generation Mathematics 4th Grade	MCAS Next Generation Mathematics 5th Grade	MCAS Next Generation Mathematics All Grades	MCAS Next Generation Science 5th Grade	MCAS Next Generation Science All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Douglas MacArthur Elementary School	Public	K-5	494 Lincoln Street	Waltham	02451	Middlesex County	Waltham	No	No	No	No	(781) 314-5721	475	42	11.3		283 (59.6%)	23 (4.8%)	97 (20.4%)	49 (10.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	20 (4.2%)	51	462^nd of 916 public elementary schools	49.6%		56.6	419^th of 928 public elementary schools	54.8%	43	42.2	36.1	57.5	45.5	27.8	39.3	53.4	39.3	42.5	42.5	$21,642	$1,009	$20,633
Thomas R Plympton Elementary School	Public	K-5	20 Farnsworth Street	Waltham	02451	Middlesex County	Waltham	No	No	No	Yes	(781) 314-5765	352	34	10.3		132 (37.5%)	54 (15.3%)	134 (38.1%)	17 (4.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (4.3%)	25.9	678^th of 916 public elementary schools	26.0%		41.8	548^th of 928 public elementary schools	40.9%	130	37.8	20.6	29.3	28.3	35.6	28.6	22.0	28.1	25.4	25.4	$23,136	$944	$22,192

Cities Near Zip Code 02451

City	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
Waltham	0.72 mi	10	274^th
Lexington	2.72 mi	11	11^th
Weston	3.04 mi	5	4^th
Lincoln	3.17 mi	1	31^st
West Newton	3.31 mi	2	45^th

See the top MA Massachusetts cities

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.