Needs Improvement
#1677 of 1,793 schools in MA
Balch
Elementary School · Norwood · Norwood, MA
A Norwood elementary school where students score 21 points below what's typical for similar communities.
1170 Washington Street PO Box 67, Norwood, MA 02062
- Math 27% vs MA 42% (2025)
- Reading 29% vs MA 41% (2025)
- 9.6:1 student-teacher ratio
Academics
Full Profile · 3/3 metricsView breakdown
View breakdown
View breakdown
Students at Balch score 28% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 49%).
2025 MCAS proficiency
Most recent published year. School vs. MA average.
Trend
→ SteadyProficiency is down 32 points across the 17-year record (2009–2025) and has held near 28% recently.
Show all 17 years
Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 39% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 38% (multi-year average, 2009-2025)
* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.
Based on 82 test records from MA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).
How we rate schools
A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.
See how we rateThe neighborhood
Where Balch sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.
Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Open the Boston map →
Getting around & local context
- Walk 74Very Walkable
- Bike 50Bikeable
- City Safety: Elevated883/100K
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FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Norwood), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details
Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.
Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)
Median income
$97,110
Median home value
$613,500
Median rent
$2,056/mo
College educated
53.1%
Homeownership
51.8%
Poverty rate
8.2%
ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 02062; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.
Compare nearby
Nearby same-level schools
4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available
| School | Score | Grades | Distance | Enrollment | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norwood Montessori SchoolPrivate · tuition | 7.2private | PK–10 | 0.8 mi | 32 | Compare → |
| F a ClevelandEnrollment path unverified | 6.8 | 1–5 | 0.9 mi | 317 | Compare → |
| Charles J PrescottEnrollment path unverified | 3.8 | K–5 | 1.2 mi | 250 | Compare → |
| Tec Connections Academy Commonwealth Virtual SchoolEnrollment path unverified | 3.9 | K–12 | 1.2 mi | 2,907 | Compare → |
Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.
Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.
Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.
Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.
Norwood
- Schools in district
- 8
- Rank in district
- #8 of 8
- District spending per student
- $22,812NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
- District child poverty rate
- 7.9%Census SAIPE · 2024
Balch is listed in Norwood; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.
About Balch
Balch is a public elementary school in Norwood, MA, part of Norwood, serving approximately 306 students in grades 1st-5th with a 9.6:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 3.7 out of 10 and ranks #1,677 of 1,793 schools in MA. State assessment records show 39% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 38% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about Balch
What grades does Balch serve?
Balch serves students in grades 1st through 5th.
How many students attend Balch?
Balch has an enrollment of approximately 306 students.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Balch?
The student-teacher ratio at Balch is 9.6:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.
How does Balch rank in MA?
Balch ranks #1,677 of 1,793 schools in MA.
What is Balch's MySchoolScout rating?
Balch has a current MySchoolScout rating of 3.7 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.
What are the test scores at Balch?
Based on loaded state assessment records, Balch has 39% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 38% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).
Is Balch a charter school?
No, Balch is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.
Is Balch a Title I school?
No, Balch is not currently a Title I school.
School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)
- Grades
- 1st – 5th
- Enrollment
- 306
- Student-Teacher Ratio
- 9.6:1
- Teachers (FTE)
- 32
- Type
- regular
- Setting
- Large Suburb
- County
- Norfolk County
- Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
- 29.4%
- Phone
- (781) 762-0694
- Area population (ZIP 02062)
- 31,380
- Area average commute
- 31.2 min
- Area median age
- 39.4
Official sources & links
About this school's data
Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.
- School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
- NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
- Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
- MySchoolScout rating and rank
- MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
- Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
- Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
- Math proficiency
- State department of education · 2025 MCAS · Low confidence
- Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
- Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
- Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
- Reading/ELA proficiency
- State department of education · 2025 MCAS · Low confidence
- Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
- Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
- Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
- Student progress (growth)
- State assessments · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
- Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
- Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
- Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
- Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
- U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
- Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
- Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 02062; this does not measure the attendance area.
Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2025; directory SY 2023–24
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