Graham and Parks vs John M Tobin
Graham and Parks and John M Tobin are very closely rated, both scoring around 9.4 out of 10. In math proficiency, John M Tobin leads at 72.0%.
Graham and Parks
Cambridge, MA
396 students
John M Tobin
Cambridge, MA
326 students
Ratings Comparison
| Metric | Graham and Parks | John M Tobin |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating | 9.4 / 10 | 9.2 / 10 |
| Academic Score | 8.6 | 9.4 |
| Growth Score | 9.8 | 8.9 |
| Diversity Index | — | — |
| Free/Reduced Lunch | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Environment Score | 9.8 | 9.8 |
| State Rank | #10 of 1,791 | #27 of 1,791 |
| State Percentile | 100th | 99th |
Test Scores
| Subject | Graham and Parks | John M Tobin |
|---|---|---|
| Math Proficiency | 47.0% | 72.0% |
| Math (State Avg) | — | — |
| ELA Proficiency | 57.0% | 82.0% |
| ELA (State Avg) | — | — |
School Details
Neighborhood
| Metric | Cambridge (02138) | Cambridge (02139) |
|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $122,040 | $124,648 |
| Median Home Value | $1,088,700 | $1,066,200 |
| Median Rent | $2,799 | $2,613 |
| College Educated (Bachelor's+) | 85.6% | 77.6% |
| Poverty Rate | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| Avg Commute | 24 min | 25 min |
The data story: Graham and Parks vs John M Tobin
Graham and Parks and John M Tobin sit 1.3 miles apart in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and both rank among the state's very best elementary schools — but their positions diverge more than their overall scores suggest. Graham and Parks holds an overall rating of 9.4/10 against John M Tobin's 9.2/10, a gap of 0.2 points. In state rank terms, that difference is more pronounced: Graham and Parks places #10 of 1,791 Massachusetts schools while John M Tobin places #27 of 1,791 — a 17-school spread near the very top of a competitive field.
The two schools trade leads across academic dimensions. John M Tobin scores higher on academic proficiency at 9.4/10 versus Graham and Parks at 8.6/10 — a difference of 0.8 points reflecting stronger tested achievement on grade-level content. Graham and Parks counters with a growth score of 9.8/10 against John M Tobin's 8.9/10, a gap of 0.9 points. That growth advantage means students at Graham and Parks are gaining ground faster relative to their starting points, even where their proficiency baseline sits lower. Families weighing where kids will progress most over time will find that distinction meaningful.
On enrollment and staffing, Graham and Parks is the larger school with 396 students versus John M Tobin's 326. Both maintain small class environments, but John M Tobin edges out slightly more individual attention with a student-teacher ratio of 10.2:1 compared to Graham and Parks at 11.3:1. The difference is modest — roughly one additional student per teacher — but for families prioritizing maximum adult contact, John M Tobin's ratio is the tighter of the two.
Both schools serve the same grade span, prekindergarten through fifth grade, so the entry and exit points are identical. Neither school forces a mid-elementary transition. The choice comes down to whether a family values peak academic proficiency scores or the highest measurable growth trajectory, since both schools otherwise operate in near-identical structural conditions just over a mile apart in the same district.
Editorial summary generated April 2026 · sonnet
Who each school fits
Graham and Parks
Graham and Parks suits families who prioritize learning momentum over baseline test scores. With a growth score of 9.8/10 — 0.9 points above John M Tobin — it is the stronger fit for students entering below grade level or those whose families want evidence that the school actively accelerates progress rather than reinforcing existing achievement.
John M Tobin
John M Tobin suits families who want the highest academic proficiency environment their district offers. Its 9.4/10 academic score outpaces Graham and Parks by 0.8 points, and its student-teacher ratio of 10.2:1 gives it a slight staffing edge — making it the better fit for families who prioritize demonstrated grade-level mastery and close teacher contact from the start.