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Excellent

#167 of 1,793 schools in MA

Top 9% in state

John F Kennedy Middle

Middle School · Waltham · Waltham, MA

A Waltham middle school where students score 11 points above what's typical for similar communities.

655 Lexington St, Waltham, MA 02452

  • Math 46% vs MA 41% (2025)
  • Reading 55% vs MA 43% (2025)
  • 10.5:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress8.9Excellent40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data17
Annual Change-0.21 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendStable
Academics8.1Excellent35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency46.2% (2025 MCAS)
Reading/ELA Proficiency54.5% (2025 MCAS)
Math vs. State Avg+4 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+11.6 pts
Overall Proficiency50% (2025 MCAS, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)39% (model expectation from 2025 MCAS)
vs. Expected+11.1 pts
Adjusted Percentile71th
Resources & Environment9.2Excellent25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio10.5:1
District spending per student$27,267
Chronic Absenteeism17.4%

Students at John F Kennedy Middle score 50% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 39%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 MCAS proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. MA average.

Math Proficiency46%(2025 MCAS)
School
State
41%(2025 MCAS)
ELA Proficiency55%(2025 MCAS)
School
State
43%(2025 MCAS)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency is down 15 points across the 17-year record (2009–2025) and has held near 50% recently.

Show all 17 years
2009
Math
54%
ELA
76%
2010
Math
50%
ELA
76%
2011
Math
50%
ELA
70%
2012
Math
47%
ELA
71%
2013
Math
45%
ELA
74%
2014
Math
42%
ELA
71%
2015
Math
56%
ELA
77%
2016
Math
45%
ELA
54%
2017
Math
49%
ELA
50%
2018
Math
46%
ELA
52%
2019
Math
46%
ELA
52%
2020*
Math
40%
ELA
50%
2021*
Math
40%
ELA
50%
2022
Math
47%
ELA
48%
2023
Math
45%
ELA
45%
2024
Math
44%
ELA
44%
2025
Math
46%
ELA
55%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 46% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 54% (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 88 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 rate

The neighborhood

Where John F Kennedy Middle 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 40Car-Dependent
  • Transit 21Minimal Transit
  • Bike 26Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: Elevated962/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Waltham), 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

$112,902

Median home value

$779,900

Median rent

$2,325/mo

College educated

54.3%

Homeownership

51.1%

Poverty rate

9.4%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 02452; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Milestones Day SchoolPrivate · tuition6.9private4–121.1 mi80Compare →
John W. Mcdevitt Middle SchoolEnrollment path unverified6.26–81.3 mi604Compare →
Cotting SchoolPrivate · tuition7.1privateK–121.6 mi113Compare →
Jonas Clarke MiddleEnrollment path unverified9.36–82.3 mi810Compare →

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.

Waltham

Schools in district
10
Rank in district
#1 of 10
District spending per student
$27,267NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
12.2%Census SAIPE · 2024

John F Kennedy Middle is listed in Waltham; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About John F Kennedy Middle

John F Kennedy Middle is a public middle school in Waltham, MA, part of Waltham, serving approximately 628 students in grades 6th-8th with a 10.5:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 8.7 out of 10 and ranks #167 of 1,793 schools in MA. State assessment records show 46% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 54% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about John F Kennedy Middle

What grades does John F Kennedy Middle serve?

John F Kennedy Middle serves students in grades 6th through 8th.

How many students attend John F Kennedy Middle?

John F Kennedy Middle has an enrollment of approximately 628 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at John F Kennedy Middle?

The student-teacher ratio at John F Kennedy Middle is 10.5:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does John F Kennedy Middle rank in MA?

John F Kennedy Middle ranks #167 of 1,793 schools in MA.

What is John F Kennedy Middle's MySchoolScout rating?

John F Kennedy Middle has a current MySchoolScout rating of 8.7 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 John F Kennedy Middle?

Based on loaded state assessment records, John F Kennedy Middle has 46% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 54% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is John F Kennedy Middle a charter school?

No, John F Kennedy Middle is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is John F Kennedy Middle a Title I school?

No, John F Kennedy Middle is not currently a Title I school.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
6th – 8th
Enrollment
628
Student-Teacher Ratio
10.5:1
Teachers (FTE)
60
Type
regular
Setting
Small City
County
Middlesex County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
17.4%
Area population (ZIP 02452)
16,173
Area average commute
26.1 min
Area median age
32.4
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 02452; this does not measure the attendance area.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2025; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

Related reading

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