Enrollment
317
Elementary
DISTRICT 375 · STATE 381
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·WACHUSETT·NCES 251188001476
Houghton Elementary
32 Boutelle Road, Sterling, MA 01564 · (978) 422-2333 · Worcester County
GRADES KG–04ELEMENTARY21-SUBURBREGULAR SCHOOL317 STUDENTS
Student : Teacher
11.4:1
28 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 13.5:1 · 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten | 74 | 23% |
| Grade 1 | 61 | 19% |
| Grade 2 | 56 | 18% |
| Grade 3 | 66 | 21% |
| Grade 4 | 60 | 19% |
This year's kindergarten class (74) is 23% larger than its 4th grade class (60).
Student demographics
39%Diversity index
The chance that two students picked at random belong to different racial or ethnic groups.
DISTRICT 33% · 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 Wachusett. Attendance zones can vary; confirm enrollment with the district.
Test scores
MCAS 2024-25 . % Meeting or Exceeding ExpectationsEnglish Language Arts
53.0%
MA avg 43.8% . -5.0pp since 2016
Math
54.0%
MA avg 42.2% . -7.0pp since 2016
What this means: On the MCAS, Massachusetts's statewide test, about 53 of every 100 students at this school read and write at grade level and about 54 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 5 points since 2016, while math scores are down about 7 points.
MCAS results by year
| School year | English Language Arts | Math |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 53.0% | 54.0% |
| 2023-24 | 54.0% | 61.0% |
| 2022-23 | 60.0% | 58.0% |
| 2021-22 | 58.0% | 54.0% |
| 2020-21 | 64.0% | 42.0% |
| 2018-19 | 72.0% | 62.0% |
| 2017-18 | 67.0% | 61.0% |
| 2016-17 | 58.0% | 61.0% |
% Meeting or Exceeding Expectations, all students and all tested grades.
Source: MCAS. All students, all grades. See all years and grades →
Where Houghton Elementary ranks
Among elementary schools| Measure | This school | In Massachusetts | In Worcester County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Math proficiency ranked highest first | 54.0% | #307 of 920 ▼ 87 | #28 of 113 ▼ 8 |
| Reading proficiency ranked highest first | 53.0% | #283 of 920 ▼ 42 | #25 of 113 ▼ 9 |
| 3-year test score change ranked biggest drop first | -2.5pp | #276 of 901 | #46 of 110 |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 317 | #668 of 1,086 | #86 of 139 |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 11.4:1 | #313 of 938 | #11 of 124 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 39.2% | #662 of 938 | #87 of 124 |
| Enrollment change since 2017-18 ranked steepest decline first | -15.5% | #206 of 602 | #24 of 77 |
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. Arrows under a test-score rank show places moved since the prior test year, among schools tested both years.
4-year change
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25Enrollment
317
+11 (+4%) vs 2020
-41% since 2000-01, when it was 534
Student : Teacher
11.4:1
was 12.8:1
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 | 317 | 27.8 | 11.4:1 | N/A |
| 2023-24 | 318 | 23.6 | 13.5:1 | N/A |
| 2022-23 | 328 | 24.8 | 13.2:1 | N/A |
| 2020-21 | 306 | 24 | 12.8:1 | N/A |
| 2017-18 | 375 | 23.8 | 15.8:1 | N/A |
| 2015-16 | 421 | 24 | 17.5:1 | N/A |
| 2010-11 | 511 | 30 | 17.0:1 | 10% (50) |
| 2000-01 | 534 | N/A | N/A | 3% (16) |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for Houghton Elementary.
Since 2017-18: students down 15% (375 to 317); teachers up 17% (23.8 to 27.8).
About Houghton Elementary
Families in Sterling, Massachusetts, are served by Houghton Elementary, a low-enrollment elementary school. It has an enrollment of 317 students in kindergarten through 4.
Wachusett serves 6,557 students across 13 schools.
The largest group at Houghton Elementary is White students, at 76%. Enrollment also includes 15% Hispanic, 3% Black, 3% multiracial, and 3% Asian. Worcester County residents are about 73% White, a similar share. On the diversity index, which measures the chance that two random students are from different groups, Houghton Elementary scores 39%.
Houghton Elementary has 27.8 full-time-equivalent teachers on staff and a student-to-teacher ratio of 11.4:1. The gap from the 12.2:1 average for elementary schools in Massachusetts is 0.8 students per teacher.
The school is in Worcester County, where median household income comes to about $95,939, 40% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and about 7% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Worcester County counts 257 public schools with about 121,490 students.
Chocksett Middle School is less than a tenth of a mile from Houghton Elementary, the shortest distance to any other public school. Other public schools within five miles: at least 8.
Federal records code the school's setting as Suburb: Large.
Enrollment was 317 in 2024-25. In 2020-21, it was 306. The student-to-teacher ratio dropped from 12.8:1 in 2020-21 to 11.4:1 in 2024-25.
The Houghton Elementary discussion page is a place for special education services, counseling, and support programs. Teachers and staff are welcome to share updates too.
Worcester County at a glance
View full county profilePopulation
867,788
Census ACS
Median income
$95,939
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
40%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
7%
Below federal line
Schools in county
257
121,490 students
Quick facts
Related schools
Other schools in Wachusett
- Wachusett Regional HighHigh · 1,779 students
- Mountview MiddleMiddle · 773 students
- DawsonElementary · 487 students
- Leroy E.MayoElementary · 472 students
- Paxton CenterElementary · 448 students
- Davis Hill ElementaryElementary · 431 students
Other Houghton Elementary schools
2 other US public schools in 2 states are named Houghton Elementary. Houghton Elementary is the 2nd largest of the 3.
- Houghton Elementary SchoolHOUGHTON, MI · 618 students
- Houghton Elementary SchoolWHITE LAKE, MI · 278 students
Nearby schools
- Chocksett Middle School0.1 mi · 264
- West Boylston Junior/Senior High2.8 mi · 461
- Major Edwards Elementary2.8 mi · 462
- Clinton Senior High3.6 mi · 582
- Clinton Middle School3.8 mi · 573
- Thomas Prince4.0 mi · 355
Frequently asked questions
About Houghton ElementaryHow large is Houghton Elementary?
Houghton Elementary enrolls approximately 317 students in grades KG-04.
Is Houghton Elementary an elementary, middle, or high school?
Houghton Elementary is an elementary school covering grades KG-04.
How many teachers does Houghton Elementary have?
Houghton Elementary employs 28 FTE teachers, for a student-to-teacher ratio of 11.4:1.
What is the student diversity at Houghton Elementary?
Student demographics at Houghton Elementary are roughly 76% White, 15% Hispanic, 3% Black, 3% Asian, 3% Two or more.
What district is Houghton Elementary in?
Houghton Elementary is part of Wachusett.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.