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Massachusetts public elementary school

South Lawrence East Elementary School

Lawrence school district

C+
overall grade

Ranks #612 of 895 Massachusetts elementary schools.

Overall rank
#612
of 895 schools
ELA · 2024–2026
31%
MA average 42%
Math · 2024–2026
42%
MA average 43%
Avg class size
25
688 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
  • Best of its categories: Attendance, in the bottom 49% statewide. Students attend 94.3% of school days on average.
  • Area to watch: Teacher quality ranks in the bottom 11% statewide.
  • Trend: Chronic absence has fallen from 48.6% in 2022 to 13.3% in 2025.
  • Trend: ELA is up 5 points since 2023 (21% to 26%).
Where it stands among 895 Massachusetts elementary schools
Bottom of MATop of MA
Overall
Below averagebottom 32% · #612
ELA
Below averagebottom 29% · #639
Math
Averagebottom 47% · #482
Attendance
Averagebottom 49% · #461
Teacher quality
Below averagebottom 11% · #802

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 below the state average every year since 2018. Math has been above the state average in 2 of 8 years since 2018.

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

English Language Arts26%in 2026 · state 43%
17 points below the state
0%50%100%This school26%State43%20172019202120232026
Math34%in 2026 · state 42%
8 points below the state
0%50%100%This school34%State42%20172019202120232026
Detailed scores
Average scaled score, ELA (500+ = meeting expectations)488
Average scaled score, Math (500+ = meeting expectations)490
Achievement percentile vs. MA schools (ELA · Math)26th · 34th

Students & classrooms

Classrooms
Students688
Average class size25MA avg 18
Students per teacher12MA avg 12.1
Who attends
Hispanic/Latino
93.8%
White
2.3%
Black/African American
2%
Asian
1.5%
Multi-Race
0.4%

49% girls · 51% boys

Student needs
Low incomeHigher than average
This school
85.5%
MA avg
42.8%
English learnersHigher than average
This school
43%
MA avg
17.2%
Students with disabilitiesLower than average
This school
19%
MA avg
22.3%

Teachers

Licensed teachersAbout average
This school
96.4%
MA avg
98.4%
Experienced teachersWorse than average
This school
56.8%
MA avg
73.2%
Teaching in their fieldAbout average
This school
83.9%
MA avg
92.4%
Stayed from last yearAbout average
This school
80.7%
MA avg
82.7%
More staffing details
Teachers (full-time equivalent)55.5
Principal retention100%
General education teachers64.9%
Special education teachers18.9%
English learner teachers16.2%

Attendance & safety

Attendance rateAbout average
This school
94.3%
MA avg
94.1%
Chronically absentmissed 10%+ of daysBetter than average
This school
13.3%
MA avg
15.6%

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

About Lawrence

Essex County · North Shore & Merrimack Valley
Avg single-family home value$479KMA median $588K
Avg property tax bill$4,140MA median $6,814
Tax rate$8.60 per $1,000MA median $12.40
Income per person$21,419MA median $47,872
Local kids in public school94%
Town bond ratingA+
Free cash reserves3.9% of budget

Lawrence 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.

Other schools in Lawrence

See all 10 Lawrence elementary schools →

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