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Massachusetts public elementary school

Cunniff Elementary

Watertown school district

B-
overall grade

Ranks #400 of 895 Massachusetts elementary schools — top 45%.

Overall rank
#400
of 895 schools
ELA · 2024–2026
47%
MA average 42%
Math · 2024–2026
51%
MA average 43%
Avg class size
17
324 students

ELA and Math show the share of 3rd graders meeting or exceeding expectations on the MCAS, averaged over 2024–2026.

How it compares

What stands out
  • Strongest area: Attendance, in the top 15% statewide. Students attend 95.4% of school days on average.
  • Area to watch: Teacher quality ranks in the bottom 31% statewide.
  • Trend: Math is up 13 points since 2023 (31% to 44%).
  • Trend: Chronic absence has fallen from 16.8% in 2022 to 7.1% in 2025.
Where it stands among 895 Massachusetts elementary schools
Bottom of MATop of MA
Overall
Averagetop 45% · #400
ELA
Averagetop 44% · #391
Math
Averagetop 39% · #346
Attendance
Above averagetop 15% · #134
Teacher quality
Below averagebottom 31% · #625

MCAS standings use the 2024–2026 average of grade 3 results, so one unusual year doesn't swing a school's ranking. Scores in the sections below are from 2026.

Test scores

ELA has been above the state average in 5 of 8 years since 2018. Math has been above the state average in 3 of 8 years since 2018.

Share of 3rd graders meeting or exceeding expectations on the MCAS. There was no test in 2020.

English Language Arts44%in 2026 · state 43%
1 point above the state
0%50%100%This school44%State43%20172019202120232026
Math44%in 2026 · state 42%
2 points above the state
0%50%100%This school44%State42%20172019202120232026
Detailed scores
Average scaled score, ELA (500+ = meeting expectations)494
Average scaled score, Math (500+ = meeting expectations)495
Achievement percentile vs. MA schools (ELA · Math)44th · 48th

Students & classrooms

Classrooms
Students324
Average class size17MA avg 18
Students per teacher8MA avg 12.1
Who attends
White
55.6%
Hispanic/Latino
25.3%
Multi-Race
10.8%
Asian
5.3%
Black/African American
2.8%
American Indian/Alaska Native
0.3%

53.7% girls · 46.3% boys

Student needs
Low incomeLower than average
This school
30.3%
MA avg
42.8%
English learnersAbout average
This school
16.7%
MA avg
17.2%
Students with disabilitiesAbout average
This school
23.5%
MA avg
22.3%

Teachers

Licensed teachersAbout average
This school
97.5%
MA avg
98.4%
Experienced teachersAbout average
This school
66.1%
MA avg
73.2%
Teaching in their fieldAbout average
This school
95.6%
MA avg
92.4%
Stayed from last yearBetter than average
This school
94.9%
MA avg
82.7%
More staffing details
Teachers (full-time equivalent)39.8
General education teachers69.9%
Special education teachers23.9%
English learner teachers6.3%

Attendance & safety

Attendance rateBetter than average
This school
95.4%
MA avg
94.1%
Chronically absentmissed 10%+ of daysBetter than average
This school
7.1%
MA avg
15.6%

8 days absent per student (MA avg 10.3) · Suspensions: Not reported

About Watertown

Middlesex County · Greater Boston — Inside I-95
Avg single-family home value$663KMA median $588K
Avg property tax bill$8,094MA median $6,814
Tax rate$12.20 per $1,000MA median $12.40
Income per person$64,792MA median $47,872
Local kids in public school84.8%
Town bond ratingAAA
Free cash reserves16.1% of budget

Watertown district profile · What could you afford here? · All towns A–Z

Town figures are FY2026 averages for single-family homes from the Massachusetts Department of Revenue. Assessed values usually run below recent sale prices. "MA median" is the median of the state's 351 towns.

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