Benjamin Banneker Charter Public School vs John M Tobin

John M Tobin ranks #27 of 1791 schools in Massachusetts while Benjamin Banneker Charter Public School ranks #64 of 1791 — both elite positions, but Tobin sits 37 spots higher. Tobin's overall rating of 9.3/10 edges Banneker's 9.0/10 by 0.3 points, a narrow gap that masks meaningful differences underneath. Both schools sit just 2.0 miles apart in Cambridge, making the choice less about geography and more about academic priorities and classroom environment.

Banneker outperforms Tobin academically and on growth. Banneker's academic score of 9.7/10 beats Tobin's 9.4/10, and the growth gap is wider: Banneker posts a 9.9/10 growth score against Tobin's 8.9/10 — a full point difference. For parents focused on how much students improve year over year, that 1.0-point growth advantage at Banneker is the most concrete performance delta between the two schools.

The classroom structure differs sharply. Tobin's student-teacher ratio of 10.2:1 is dramatically more intimate than Banneker's 16.5:1, meaning Tobin students get roughly 62% more teacher attention per pupil on average. Enrollment is similar — Banneker at 346 students versus Tobin at 326 — so the ratio difference reflects staffing levels rather than school size. For families where small-group instruction and individualized attention matter most, Tobin's staffing model is a concrete structural advantage.

On grade span and school type, Banneker is a charter school serving PK through 6th grade, while Tobin is a regular district public school capped at PK through 5th. Banneker families avoid a school transition one year longer, keeping students through 6th grade before middle school. Tobin feeds into the Cambridge district pipeline a year earlier. The charter versus district-public distinction also means Banneker involves an active enrollment or lottery process, whereas Tobin admission follows standard Cambridge Public Schools assignment.