Benjamin Banneker Charter Public School vs Haggerty

Separated by just 1.4 miles in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Benjamin Banneker Charter Public School and Haggerty are both high-performing elementary schools, but they land at different positions on the state ladder. Haggerty ranks #44 of 1,791 schools in Massachusetts against Benjamin Banneker Charter Public School's #64 of 1,791 — a 20-spot gap that reflects a 0.2-point overall rating difference (Haggerty at 9.2/10, Benjamin Banneker at 9.0/10). By statewide standards, both schools sit comfortably in the top 4 percent, making this a comparison of genuine excellence rather than a clear winner versus also-ran.

Where Benjamin Banneker Charter Public School pulls decisively ahead is academic proficiency. Its academic score of 9.7/10 outpaces Haggerty's 8.3/10 — a 1.4-point gap that is the largest measurable difference between the two schools. Growth scores are closer: Benjamin Banneker Charter Public School earns a 9.9/10 versus Haggerty's 9.7/10, meaning students at both schools are advancing faster than their peers statewide, with Banneker holding a slight edge. Families prioritizing raw test-score benchmarks will find Banneker's academic profile notably stronger.

The classroom experience differs sharply in scale and structure. Haggerty serves 229 students at a student-teacher ratio of 7.9:1 — one of the lowest ratios of any public school in the state, indicating consistently small class sizes. Benjamin Banneker Charter Public School enrolls 346 students at a 16.5:1 ratio, still below national averages but more than double Haggerty's. Haggerty is a regular Cambridge public school with neighborhood assignment, while Benjamin Banneker Charter Public School operates as a charter, meaning enrollment requires an application and, often, a lottery.

One structural distinction affects long-term planning: Benjamin Banneker Charter Public School serves grades PK through 6, giving families one additional year before a middle-school transition, while Haggerty covers PK through 5. Parents with younger children at Haggerty will need to navigate a school change one year earlier than their Banneker counterparts.