Excellent
#79 of 1,793 schools in MA
Top 4% in state
Bessie Buker Elementary
Elementary School · Hamilton-wenham · Wenham, MA
A Hamilton-wenham elementary school where students score 13 points above what's typical for similar communities.
1 School Street, Wenham, MA 01984
- Math 72% vs MA 42% (2025)
- Reading 70% vs MA 41% (2025)
- 13.6:1 student-teacher ratio
Academics
Full Profile · 3/3 metricsView breakdown
View breakdown
View breakdown
Students at Bessie Buker Elementary score 71% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 58%).
2025 MCAS proficiency
Most recent published year. School vs. MA average.
Trend
→ SteadyProficiency is up 7 points across the 17-year record (2009–2025) and has held near 71% recently.
Show all 17 years
Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 64% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 71% (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 Bessie Buker Elementary 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 38Car-Dependent
- Bike 55Bikeable
- City Safety: Average376/100K
Powered by
FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Wenham), 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
$187,652
Median home value
$841,800
College educated
69.9%
Homeownership
85.6%
Poverty rate
3.9%
ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 01984; 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winthrop SchoolEnrollment path unverified | 6.1 | PK–5 | 0.8 mi | 331 | Compare → |
| Cutler SchoolEnrollment path unverified | 5.4 | K–5 | 0.9 mi | 255 | Compare → |
| Waldorf School at Moraine FarmPrivate · tuition | 7.1private | PK–8 | 1.9 mi | 76 | Compare → |
| North Beverly ElementaryEnrollment path unverified | 8.3 | K–4 | 2.0 mi | 347 | Compare → |
Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.
Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.
Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.
Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.
Hamilton-wenham
- Schools in district
- 5
- Rank in district
- #1 of 5
- District spending per student
- $23,969NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
- District child poverty rate
- 2.9%Census SAIPE · 2024
Bessie Buker Elementary is listed in Hamilton-Wenham; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.
About Bessie Buker Elementary
Bessie Buker Elementary is a public elementary school in Wenham, MA, part of Hamilton-wenham, serving approximately 259 students in grades Kindergarten-5th with a 13.6:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 9.1 out of 10 and ranks #79 of 1,793 schools in MA. State assessment records show 64% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 71% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about Bessie Buker Elementary
What grades does Bessie Buker Elementary serve?
Bessie Buker Elementary serves students in grades Kindergarten through 5th.
How many students attend Bessie Buker Elementary?
Bessie Buker Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 259 students.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Bessie Buker Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Bessie Buker Elementary is 13.6:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.
How does Bessie Buker Elementary rank in MA?
Bessie Buker Elementary ranks #79 of 1,793 schools in MA.
What is Bessie Buker Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?
Bessie Buker Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 9.1 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 Bessie Buker Elementary?
Based on loaded state assessment records, Bessie Buker Elementary has 64% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 71% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).
Is Bessie Buker Elementary a charter school?
No, Bessie Buker Elementary is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.
Is Bessie Buker Elementary a Title I school?
No, Bessie Buker Elementary is not currently a Title I school.
School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)
- Grades
- Kindergarten – 5th
- Enrollment
- 259
- Student-Teacher Ratio
- 13.6:1
- Teachers (FTE)
- 19
- Type
- regular
- Setting
- Large Suburb
- County
- Essex County
- Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
- 7.3%
- Phone
- (978) 468-5324
- Area population (ZIP 01984)
- 4,930
- Area average commute
- 28.4 min
- Area median age
- 29.6
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 01984; 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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