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Excellent

#350 of 1,793 schools in MA

Top 20% in state

South Elementary

Elementary School · Plymouth · Plymouth, MA

A Plymouth elementary school where students score 6 points below what's typical for similar communities.

178 Bourne Rd, Plymouth, MA 02360

  • Math 40% vs MA 42% (2025)
  • Reading 44% vs MA 41% (2025)
  • 12.6:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress9.0Excellent50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data17
Annual Change-0.16 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendStable
Academics6.1Average30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency40% (2025 MCAS)
Reading/ELA Proficiency43.7% (2025 MCAS)
Math vs. State Avg-2.1 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+1.1 pts
Overall Proficiency42% (2025 MCAS, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)48% (model expectation from 2025 MCAS)
vs. Expected-6.3 pts
Adjusted Percentile44th
Resources & Environment8.2Excellent20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio12.6:1
District spending per student$23,402
Chronic Absenteeism14%

Students at South Elementary score 42% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 48%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 MCAS proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. MA average.

Math Proficiency40%(2025 MCAS)
School
State
42%(2025 MCAS)
ELA Proficiency44%(2025 MCAS)
School
State
41%(2025 MCAS)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency is down 16 points across the 17-year record (2009–2025) and has held near 42% recently.

Show all 17 years
2009
Math
55%
ELA
61%
2010
Math
57%
ELA
59%
2011
Math
54%
ELA
65%
2012
Math
57%
ELA
60%
2013
Math
59%
ELA
59%
2014
Math
52%
ELA
44%
2015
Math
61%
ELA
56%
2016
Math
47%
ELA
48%
2017
Math
42%
ELA
48%
2018
Math
43%
ELA
49%
2019
Math
39%
ELA
47%
2020*
Math
42%
ELA
54%
2021*
Math
39%
ELA
52%
2022
Math
41%
ELA
40%
2023
Math
48%
ELA
48%
2024
Math
47%
ELA
42%
2025
Math
40%
ELA
44%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 45% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 49% (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 rate

The neighborhood

Where South 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 4Car-Dependent
  • Bike 14Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: Elevated1,022/100K

Powered byWalk Score

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

$111,975

Median home value

$494,700

Median rent

$1,831/mo

College educated

45.2%

Homeownership

79.8%

Poverty rate

6.1%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 02360; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Indian BrookEnrollment path unverified6.0K–54.9 mi543Compare →
Cold SpringEnrollment path unverified7.0K–5Not available220Compare →
Federal Furnace SchoolEnrollment path unverified8.3K–5Not available383Compare →
Manomet ElementaryEnrollment path unverified7.5K–5Not available273Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Plymouth

Schools in district
13
Rank in district
#4 of 13
District spending per student
$23,402NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
6.3%Census SAIPE · 2024

South Elementary is listed in Plymouth; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About South Elementary

South Elementary is a public elementary school in Plymouth, MA, part of Plymouth, serving approximately 628 students in grades Kindergarten-5th with a 12.6:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 8.0 out of 10 and ranks #350 of 1,793 schools in MA. State assessment records show 45% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 49% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about South Elementary

What grades does South Elementary serve?

South Elementary serves students in grades Kindergarten through 5th.

How many students attend South Elementary?

South Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 628 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at South Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at South Elementary is 12.6:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does South Elementary rank in MA?

South Elementary ranks #350 of 1,793 schools in MA.

What is South Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

South Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 8.0 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 South Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, South Elementary has 45% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 49% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is South Elementary a charter school?

No, South Elementary is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is South Elementary a Title I school?

No, South Elementary is not currently a Title I school.

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

Grades
Kindergarten – 5th
Enrollment
628
Student-Teacher Ratio
12.6:1
Teachers (FTE)
50
Type
regular
Setting
Fringe Rural
County
Plymouth County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
14.0%
Area population (ZIP 02360)
62,405
Area average commute
30.4 min
Area median age
47.3
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 02360; 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

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