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Massachusetts public elementary school

Walnut Square Elementary

Haverhill school district

C+
overall grade

Ranks #551 of 895 Massachusetts elementary schools.

Overall rank
#551
of 895 schools
ELA · 2024–2026
34%
MA average 42%
Math · 2024–2026
34%
MA average 43%
Avg class size
20
159 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: Teacher quality, in the top 4% statewide. 100% of teachers are licensed and 96.3% are experienced.
  • Area to watch: Math ranks in the bottom 35% statewide.
  • Trend: Chronic absence has fallen from 38.5% in 2022 to 16.3% in 2025.
  • Trend: ELA is up 12 points since 2024 (30% to 42%).
Where it stands among 895 Massachusetts elementary schools
Bottom of MATop of MA
Overall
Averagebottom 39% · #551
ELA
Below averagebottom 35% · #586
Math
Below averagebottom 35% · #587
Attendance
Averagetop 49% · #432
Teacher quality
Excellenttop 4% · #35

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

Both ELA and Math have been below the state average every year since 2024.

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

English Language Arts42%in 2026 · state 43%
1 point below the state
0%50%100%This school42%State43%20182019202120232026
Math42%in 2026 · state 42%
Same as the state
0%50%100%This school42%State42%20182019202120232026
Detailed scores
Average scaled score, ELA (500+ = meeting expectations)494
Average scaled score, Math (500+ = meeting expectations)491
Achievement percentile vs. MA schools (ELA · Math)44th · 36th

Students & classrooms

Classrooms
Students159
Average class size20MA avg 18
Students per teacher12MA avg 12.1
Who attends
White
54.7%
Hispanic/Latino
34%
Black/African American
8.2%
Multi-Race
1.9%
Asian
1.3%

47.8% girls · 52.2% boys

Student needs
Low incomeHigher than average
This school
53.5%
MA avg
42.8%
English learnersLower than average
This school
12%
MA avg
17.2%
Students with disabilitiesLower than average
This school
15.7%
MA avg
22.3%

Teachers

Licensed teachersAbout average
This school
100%
MA avg
98.4%
Experienced teachersBetter than average
This school
96.3%
MA avg
73.2%
Teaching in their fieldAbout average
This school
93.8%
MA avg
92.4%
Stayed from last yearBetter than average
This school
100%
MA avg
82.7%
More staffing details
Teachers (full-time equivalent)13.4
Principal retention100%
General education teachers85.1%
Special education teachers7.5%
English learner teachers7.5%

Attendance & safety

Attendance rateAbout average
This school
94.4%
MA avg
94.1%
Chronically absentmissed 10%+ of daysAbout average
This school
16.3%
MA avg
15.6%

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

About Haverhill

Essex County · North Shore & Merrimack Valley
Avg single-family home value$562KMA median $588K
Avg property tax bill$5,962MA median $6,814
Tax rate$10.60 per $1,000MA median $12.40
Income per person$35,519MA median $47,872
Local kids in public school89.1%
Town bond ratingAA
Free cash reserves4.2% of budget

Haverhill 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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