Top Rankings
Watertown School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in Massachusetts for:
Category
Attribute
Diversity
Most diverse schools (Top 1%)
Student Attention
Lowest student-teacher ratio (Top 1%)
For the 2026 school year, there are 3 public preschools serving 1,500 students in Watertown School District. This district's average pre testing ranking is 7/10, which is in the top 50% of public pre schools in Massachusetts.
Public Preschools in Watertown School District have an average math proficiency score of 52% (versus the Massachusetts public pre school average of 36%), and reading proficiency score of 47% (versus the 37% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 46% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the Massachusetts public preschool average of 55% (majority Hispanic).
Overview
This School District
This State (MA)
# Schools
5 Schools
568 Schools
# Students
2,844 Students
205,107 Students
# Teachers
277 Teachers
17,560 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
10:1
10:1
Student By Grade
District Rank
Watertown School District, which is ranked within the top 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 87% has decreased from 90-94% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#169 out of 395 school districts
(Top 50%)
(Top 50%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
48%
42%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
47%
44%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
42%
44%
Graduation Rate
87%
90%
Chronically Absent Students
(2022-23)20.8%
22.8%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.64
0.68
% American Indian
n/a
n/a
% Asian
9%
6%
% Hispanic
23%
31%
% Black
5%
13%
% White
54%
45%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
9%
5%
All Ethnic Groups
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $28,939 is higher than the state median of $23,855. The school district revenue/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $49,091 is higher than the state median of $24,613. The school district spending/student has grown by 56% over four school years.
Total Revenue
$82 MM
$21,850 MM
Spending
$140 MM
$22,544 MM
Revenue / Student
$28,939
$23,855
Spending / Student
$49,091
$24,613
Best Watertown School District Public Preschools (2026)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
James Russell Lowell
(Math: 55-59% | Reading: 55-59%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
123 Lowell Ave.
Watertown, MA 02472
(617) 926-7770
Watertown, MA 02472
(617) 926-7770
Gr: PK-5 | 422 students Student-teacher ratio: 10:1 Minority enrollment: 46%
Rank: #22.
Hosmer
(Math: 57% | Reading: 42%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
1 Concord Rd
Watertown, MA 02472
(617) 926-7740
Watertown, MA 02472
(617) 926-7740
Gr: PK-5 | 758 students Student-teacher ratio: 11:1 Minority enrollment: 48%
Rank: #33.
Cunniff
(Math: 35-39% | Reading: 40-44%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
246 Warren Street
Watertown, MA 02472
(617) 926-7726
Watertown, MA 02472
(617) 926-7726
Gr: PK-5 | 320 students Student-teacher ratio: 8:1 Minority enrollment: 43%
Recent Articles
Media Literacy as a Core Skill: How to Tell if a School Teaches It Well
Learn how to evaluate whether a public school teaches media literacy effectively, from fact-checking and source evaluation to digital citizenship and critical thinking.
Screen Time, Paper Learning, and the New Back-to-Basics Debate
Explore why some public schools are reducing screen time, bringing back paper learning, and rethinking the balance between technology and traditional instruction.
Student Data, AI Tools, and Privacy: Questions to Ask Your District
Learn how public schools use AI, protect student data, and the key privacy questions every parent should ask their school district in 2026.
