Salem School District

29 Highland Avenue
Salem, MA 01970
(District boundaries shown in map)
: 
2/
10
Bottom 50%

Top Rankings

Salem School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in Massachusetts for:

Category
Attribute
Diversity
Most diverse schools (Top 1%)
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2026-27 school year, there are 4 public preschools serving 1,095 students in Salem School District. This district's average pre testing ranking is 1/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public pre schools in Massachusetts.
Public Preschools in Salem School District have an average math proficiency score of 22% (versus the Massachusetts public pre school average of 36%), and reading proficiency score of 24% (versus the 37% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 66% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is more than the Massachusetts public preschool average of 55% (majority Hispanic).

Overview

This School District
This State (MA)
# Schools
11 Schools
568 Schools
# Students
3,831 Students
205,107 Students
# Teachers
329 Teachers
17,560 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
12:1
12:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Salem School District, which is ranked within the bottom 50% of all 391 school districts in Massachusetts (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2022-2023 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 83% has increased from 82% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (MA)
#354 out of 395 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
22%
42%
27%
44%
28%
44%
83%
89.2%
(2022-23)
25%
22.8%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.63
0.68
% American Indian
1%
n/a
% Asian
2%
6%
% Hispanic
48%
31%
% Black
7%
13%
% White
38%
45%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
4%
5%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $28,120 is higher than the state median of $25,197. The school district revenue/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $29,517 is higher than the state median of $27,523. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
This School District
This State (MA)
Total Revenue
$108 MM
$23,079 MM
Spending
$113 MM
$25,209 MM
Revenue / Student
$28,120
$25,197
Spending / Student
$29,517
$27,523

Best Salem School District Public Preschools (2026-27)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Bates
(Math: 30-34% | Reading: 30-34%)
Rank:
4/
10
Bottom 50%
53 Liberty Hill Avenue
Salem, MA 01970
(978) 740-1250
Gr: PK-5 | 410 students Student-teacher ratio: 12:1 Minority enrollment: 51%
Rank: #22.
Horace Mann Laboratory
(Math: 10-14% | Reading: 25-29%)
Rank:
2/
10
Bottom 50%
79 Willson Street
Salem, MA 01970
(978) 740-1290
Gr: PK-5 | 293 students Student-teacher ratio: 12:1 Minority enrollment: 66%
Rank: #33.
Bentley Academy Innovation School
(Math: 15-19% | Reading: 10-14%)
Rank:
1/
10
Bottom 50%
25 Memorial Drive
Salem, MA 01970
(978) 740-1260
Gr: PK-5 | 286 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 87%
Rank: n/an/a
Salem Early Childhood
25 Memorial Drive
Salem, MA 01970
(978) 740-1221
Gr: PK | 106 students Student-teacher ratio: 9:1 Minority enrollment: 63%

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Quick Facts (26-27)

  • District size: 11 schools
  • Grades: PK-12
  • Enrollment: 3,831 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 12:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 62%
  • : 83% (Top 50% in MA)
  • : Bottom 50%
  • : 22% (Btm 50%)
  • : 27% (Btm 50%)
  • : 28% (Btm 50%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), MA Dept. of Education

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