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Massachusetts public elementary school

Wales Elementary

Wales school district

C+
overall grade

Ranks #562 of 895 Massachusetts elementary schools.

Overall rank
#562
of 895 schools
ELA · 2024–2026
48%
MA average 42%
Math · 2024–2026
38%
MA average 43%
Avg class size
12
98 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: ELA, in the top 44% statewide. An average of 48% of 3rd graders met or exceeded expectations over 2024–2026, vs 42% statewide.
  • Area to watch: Teacher quality ranks in the bottom 10% statewide.
  • Trend: ELA is up 30 points since 2023 (20% to 50%).
  • Trend: Chronic absence has fallen from 28.1% in 2022 to 14% in 2025.
Where it stands among 895 Massachusetts elementary schools
Bottom of MATop of MA
Overall
Averagebottom 38% · #562
ELA
Averagetop 44% · #387
Math
Averagebottom 39% · #547
Attendance
Averagetop 44% · #388
Teacher quality
Well below averagebottom 10% · #810

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 2 of 7 years since 2018. Math has been above the state average in 1 of 7 years since 2018.

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

English Language Arts50%in 2026 · state 43%
7 points above the state
0%50%100%This school50%State43%20172019202120232026
Math30%in 2026 · state 42%
12 points below the state
0%50%100%This school30%State42%20172019202120232026
Detailed scores
Average scaled score, ELA (500+ = meeting expectations)498
Average scaled score, Math (500+ = meeting expectations)493
Achievement percentile vs. MA schools (ELA · Math)58th · 42nd

Students & classrooms

Classrooms
Students98
Average class size12MA avg 18
Students per teacher8.6MA avg 12.1
Who attends
White
87.8%
Black/African American
6.1%
Hispanic/Latino
5.1%
American Indian/Alaska Native
1%

39.8% girls · 60.2% boys

Student needs
Low incomeHigher than average
This school
53.1%
MA avg
42.8%
English learnersLower than average
This school
0%
MA avg
17.2%
Students with disabilitiesHigher than average
This school
26.5%
MA avg
22.3%

Teachers

Licensed teachersAbout average
This school
90.7%
MA avg
98.4%
Experienced teachersWorse than average
This school
51.9%
MA avg
73.2%
Teaching in their fieldAbout average
This school
91.7%
MA avg
92.4%
Stayed from last yearBetter than average
This school
100%
MA avg
82.7%
More staffing details
Teachers (full-time equivalent)10.8
Principal retention100%
General education teachers90.7%
Special education teachers9.3%

Attendance & safety

Attendance rateAbout average
This school
94.6%
MA avg
94.1%
Chronically absentmissed 10%+ of daysBetter than average
This school
14%
MA avg
15.6%

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

About Wales

Hampden County · Western Massachusetts
Avg single-family home value$325KMA median $588K
Avg property tax bill$4,588MA median $6,814
Tax rate$14.10 per $1,000MA median $12.40
Income per person$29,839MA median $47,872
Local kids in public school90.2%

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.

Similar schools elsewhere

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