Enrollment
303
Elementary
DISTRICT 257 · STATE 381
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·NORWOOD·NCES 250906001460
Balch
1170 Washington Street, Norwood, MA 02062 · (781) 762-0694 · Norfolk County
GRADES 01–05ELEMENTARY21-SUBURBREGULAR SCHOOL303 STUDENTS
Student : Teacher
10.4:1
29 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 11.5:1 · STATE 12.2:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
,
Title I proxy
Community
0
0 members
Enrollment and student:teacher ratio compared against other elementary schools. Free/Reduced Lunch and demographics compared against all schools.
Enrollment by grade, 2024-25
| Grade | Students | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Grade 1 | 64 | 21% |
| Grade 2 | 64 | 21% |
| Grade 3 | 68 | 22% |
| Grade 4 | 56 | 18% |
| Grade 5 | 51 | 17% |
Student demographics
67%Diversity index
The chance that two students picked at random belong to different racial or ethnic groups.
DISTRICT 64% · STATE 65% · US 70%
Student head counts by race/ethnicity from federal NCES enrollment data. District, state, and US figures are each group's share of all public school students in that area (US excludes territories). Very small groups may be suppressed in the source, so categories do not always sum exactly to total enrollment.
Gender split
School pathway
Students here typically continue to
Based on grade levels within Norwood. Attendance zones can vary; confirm enrollment with the district.
Test scores
MCAS 2024-25 . % Meeting or Exceeding ExpectationsEnglish Language Arts
29.0%
MA avg 43.8% . -13.0pp since 2016
Math
26.0%
MA avg 42.2% . -16.0pp since 2016
What this means: On the MCAS, Massachusetts's statewide test, about 29 of every 100 students at this school read and write at grade level and about 26 of 100 do math at grade level. Across all Massachusetts schools, those numbers are about 44 and 42. Reading and writing scores are down about 13 points since 2016, while math scores are down about 16 points.
MCAS results by year
| School year | English Language Arts | Math |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 29.0% | 26.0% |
| 2023-24 | 22.0% | 25.0% |
| 2022-23 | 25.0% | 30.0% |
| 2021-22 | 29.0% | 31.0% |
| 2020-21 | 39.0% | 26.0% |
| 2018-19 | 41.0% | 47.0% |
| 2017-18 | 42.0% | 47.0% |
| 2016-17 | 42.0% | 42.0% |
% Meeting or Exceeding Expectations, all students and all tested grades.
Source: MCAS. All students, all grades. See all years and grades →
Where Balch ranks
Among elementary schools| Measure | This school | In Massachusetts | In Norfolk County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Math proficiency ranked highest first | 26.0% | #715 of 920 | #100 of 104 |
| Reading proficiency ranked highest first | 29.0% | #674 of 920 | #97 of 104 |
| 3-year test score change ranked biggest drop first | -2.5pp | #271 of 901 | #30 of 103 |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 303 | #710 of 1,086 | #81 of 123 |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 10.4:1 | #160 of 938 | #7 of 110 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 67.0% | #122 of 938 | #25 of 110 |
| Enrollment change since 2017-18 ranked fastest growth first | +2.4% | #265 of 317 | #47 of 55 |
Ranked against other public elementary schools. Online schools are left out of every list, and test-score lists leave out schools that serve specialized populations. Each rank links to the full list.
4-year change
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25Enrollment
303
+9 (+3%) vs 2020
-16% since 1990-91, when it was 362
Student : Teacher
10.4:1
was 9.8:1
Source: NCES Common Core of Data
Enrollment and staffing by year
| School year | Students | Teachers (FTE) | Students per teacher | Free and reduced lunch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 303 | 29.1 | 10.4:1 | N/A |
| 2023-24 | 306 | 32.4 | 9.4:1 | N/A |
| 2022-23 | 312 | 31.7 | 9.8:1 | N/A |
| 2020-21 | 294 | 30 | 9.8:1 | N/A |
| 2017-18 | 296 | 24.2 | 12.2:1 | N/A |
| 2015-16 | 293 | 24 | 12.2:1 | N/A |
| 2010-11 | 282 | 19 | 14.8:1 | 38% (106) |
| 2000-01 | 355 | N/A | N/A | 14% (51) |
| 1990-91 | 362 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for Balch.
About Balch
Located in Norwood, Massachusetts, Balch is a low-enrollment elementary school. The school had 303 students in grades 1 through 5 in 2024-25. Average enrollment for elementary schools in Massachusetts is about 381, so this school runs 20% smaller than that.
Norwood includes 9 schools. Together they enroll 3,575 students.
Hispanic students are the largest group at Balch, with 42% of enrollment. Other reported shares: 38% White, 11% Black, and 7% Asian. Norfolk County's residents are about 6% Hispanic, 36 points below the school's share. Balch has a diversity index of 67%, compared with 70% for all US public school students.
The school employs the equivalent of 29.1 full-time teachers, for a ratio of 10.4:1. The average ratio among elementary schools in Massachusetts is 12.2:1, higher than at this school.
According to the American Community Survey, in Norfolk County, median household income is about $130,739, a bachelor's degree or higher is held by about 59% of adults, and the share of residents below the poverty line is 4%. Balch is one of 198 public schools in Norfolk County, which together enroll about 101,300 students.
Nearby, Dr. Philip O. Coakley Middle School is about 0.4 miles away. Balch is one of several public schools in the area, with at least 8 others within five miles.
The school's setting, by NCES definition, is Suburb: Large: in a suburban area outside a principal city, within an urbanized area with a population of 250,000 or more.
A comparison of 2020-21 and 2024-25 shows enrollment up 3%, from 294 to 303.
Community posts for Balch can cover sports schedules, lunch menus, and spirit week. Alumni can share how the school prepared them.
Norfolk County at a glance
View full county profilePopulation
730,082
Census ACS
Median income
$130,739
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
59%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
4%
Below federal line
Schools in county
198
101,300 students
Quick facts
Related schools
Other schools in Norwood
- Norwood HighHigh · 966 students
- Dr. Philip O. Coakley Middle SchoolMiddle · 807 students
- F A ClevelandElementary · 339 students
- Charles J PrescottElementary · 267 students
- John P OldhamElementary · 261 students
- George F. WillettElementary · 256 students
Other schools in Norwood
- Norwood HighHigh · 966 students
- Dr. Philip O. Coakley Middle SchoolMiddle · 807 students
- F A ClevelandElementary · 339 students
- Charles J PrescottElementary · 267 students
- John P OldhamElementary · 261 students
- George F. WillettElementary · 256 students
Nearby schools
- Dr. Philip O. Coakley Middle School0.4 mi · 807
- F A Cleveland0.9 mi · 339
- Norwood High1.1 mi · 966
- TEC Connections Academy Commonwealth Virtual School1.2 mi · 2,969
- Charles J Prescott1.2 mi · 267
- George F. Willett1.4 mi · 256
Frequently asked questions
About BalchHow large is Balch?
Balch enrolls approximately 303 students in grades 01-05.
What grades does Balch serve?
Balch serves grades 01-05.
How many teachers does Balch have?
Balch employs 29 FTE teachers, for a student-to-teacher ratio of 10.4:1.
What is the racial breakdown of students at Balch?
At Balch, the student body is approximately 38% White, 42% Hispanic, 11% Black, 7% Asian, 2% Two or more.
Is Balch public or private?
Balch is a public K-12 school, overseen by Norwood.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.