Enrollment
269
Elementary
DISTRICT 367 · STATE 381
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·SHREWSBURY·NCES 251077001719
Walter J. Paton School
58 Grafton Street, Shrewsbury, MA 01545 · (508) 841-8626 · Worcester County
GRADES KG–04ELEMENTARY21-SUBURBREGULAR SCHOOL269 STUDENTS
A
allk12 Grade
Scored higher than 90% of Massachusetts public elementary schools
- A-Test scores Share of students meeting the state standard in reading, math, and other tested subjects, 2023-24 and 2024-25.
- ·Beats expectations Not available for this school, so the grade uses the other parts.
- A-Three-year trend Change in reading and math proficiency over the last three test years.
Grades compare a school only with schools in the same state, because every state gives its own test. How grades work · Top-graded Massachusetts public elementary schools
Student : Teacher
12.1:1
22 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 13.7:1 · 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 | 55 | 20% |
| Grade 1 | 45 | 17% |
| Grade 2 | 57 | 21% |
| Grade 3 | 59 | 22% |
| Grade 4 | 53 | 20% |
This year's kindergarten class (55) is about the same size as its 4th grade class (53).
Student demographics
59%Diversity index
The chance that two students picked at random belong to different racial or ethnic groups.
DISTRICT 68% · 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 Shrewsbury. Attendance zones can vary; confirm enrollment with the district.
Test scores
MCAS 2024-25 . % Meeting or Exceeding ExpectationsEnglish Language Arts
56.0%
MA avg 43.8% . -15.0pp since 2016
Math
74.0%
MA avg 42.2% . -4.0pp since 2016
What this means: On the MCAS, Massachusetts's statewide test, about 56 of every 100 students at this school read and write at grade level and about 74 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 15 points since 2016, while math scores are down about 4 points.
MCAS results by year
| School year | English Language Arts | Math |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 56.0% | 74.0% |
| 2023-24 | 57.0% | 67.0% |
| 2022-23 | 64.0% | 73.0% |
| 2021-22 | 54.0% | 61.0% |
| 2020-21 | 71.0% | 58.0% |
| 2018-19 | 74.0% | 75.0% |
| 2017-18 | 75.0% | 76.0% |
| 2016-17 | 71.0% | 78.0% |
% Meeting or Exceeding Expectations, all students and all tested grades.
Source: MCAS. All students, all grades. See all years and grades →
Where Walter J. Paton School ranks
Among elementary schools| Measure | This school | In Massachusetts | In Worcester County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Math proficiency ranked highest first | 74.0% | #52 of 920 ▲ 92 | #3 of 113 ▲ 4 |
| Reading proficiency ranked highest first | 56.0% | #243 of 920 ▼ 50 | #20 of 113 ▼ 10 |
| 3-year test score change ranked biggest gain first | +7.5pp | #151 of 901 | #8 of 110 |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 269 | #803 of 1,086 | #106 of 139 |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 12.1:1 | #442 of 938 | #28 of 124 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 59.1% | #320 of 938 | #46 of 124 |
| Enrollment change since 2017-18 ranked steepest decline first | -21.3% | #110 of 602 | #12 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
269
-81 (-23%) vs 2020
-10% since 1990-91, when it was 298
Student : Teacher
12.1:1
was 19.4:1
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 | 269 | 22.3 | 12.1:1 | N/A |
| 2023-24 | 270 | 24.2 | 11.2:1 | N/A |
| 2022-23 | 291 | 25.1 | 11.6:1 | N/A |
| 2020-21 | 350 | 18 | 19.4:1 | N/A |
| 2017-18 | 342 | 21.1 | 16.2:1 | N/A |
| 2015-16 | 360 | 23 | 15.7:1 | N/A |
| 2010-11 | 371 | 21 | 17.7:1 | 11% (42) |
| 2000-01 | 392 | N/A | N/A | 7% (29) |
| 1990-91 | 298 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for Walter J. Paton School.
Since 2017-18: students down 21% (342 to 269); teachers up 5% (21.1 to 22.3).
About Walter J. Paton School
Families in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, are served by Walter J. Paton School, a low-enrollment elementary school. School enrollment was 269 students in 2024-25, in kindergarten through 4. The average among elementary schools in Massachusetts is roughly 381 students; this school is 29% smaller than that.
A total of 9 schools make up Shrewsbury, with 5,956 students enrolled.
Roughly 59% of students at Walter J. Paton School are White. The rest of enrollment is 19% Asian, 10% Hispanic, 8% multiracial, and 2% Black. Among all residents of Worcester County, the White share is about 73%. Walter J. Paton School's diversity index is 59%, against a US figure of 70%.
Federal staffing data show 22.3 full-time-equivalent teachers at Walter J. Paton School and a ratio of 12.1:1. For comparison, elementary schools in Massachusetts average 12.2:1.
Walter J. Paton School is graded A by allk12, scoring above 90% of Massachusetts public elementary schools once test results, poverty-adjusted performance, and the recent trend are combined.
Recent Census Bureau figures for Worcester County show that the median household income is $95,939, about 40% of adults have at least a bachelor's degree, and the poverty rate is about 7%. Besides Walter J. Paton School, Worcester County has 256 other public schools.
Nearest public school: Sherwood Middle School, about 0.9 miles away. Within five miles are at least 8 other public schools.
The NCES locale for Walter J. Paton School is Suburb: Large, which covers schools in a suburban area outside a principal city, within an urbanized area with a population of 250,000 or more.
The school enrolled 269 students in 2024-25, 81 fewer than the 350 it had in 2020-21. There were fewer students per teacher in 2024-25 (12.1:1) than in 2020-21 (19.4:1).
The allk12 site hosts a discussion page for Walter J. Paton School covering things like sports tryouts, band and choir, and theater. Reviews and ratings from people who know the school are welcome.
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 Shrewsbury
- Shrewsbury High SchoolHigh · 1,891 students
- Sherwood Middle SchoolMiddle · 951 students
- Oak Middle SchoolMiddle · 914 students
- Major Howard W. Beal SchoolElementary · 623 students
- Floral Street SchoolElementary · 524 students
- Spring Street SchoolElementary · 304 students
Other schools in Shrewsbury
- Shrewsbury High SchoolHigh · 1,891 students
- Sherwood Middle SchoolMiddle · 951 students
- Oak Middle SchoolMiddle · 914 students
- Major Howard W. Beal SchoolElementary · 623 students
- Floral Street SchoolElementary · 524 students
- Spring Street SchoolElementary · 304 students
Nearby schools
- Sherwood Middle School0.9 mi · 951
- Oak Middle School1.0 mi · 914
- Spring Street School1.1 mi · 304
- Floral Street School1.1 mi · 524
- Major Howard W. Beal School1.5 mi · 623
- Shrewsbury High School1.8 mi · 1,891
Frequently asked questions
About Walter J. Paton SchoolWhat is the total enrollment at Walter J. Paton School?
Walter J. Paton School enrolls approximately 269 students in grades KG-04.
What grades does Walter J. Paton School serve?
Walter J. Paton School serves grades KG-04.
How many teachers does Walter J. Paton School have?
Walter J. Paton School employs 22 FTE teachers, for a student-to-teacher ratio of 12.1:1.
What is the student diversity at Walter J. Paton School?
Student demographics at Walter J. Paton School are roughly 59% White, 10% Hispanic, 2% Black, 19% Asian, 8% Two or more.
Who oversees Walter J. Paton School?
Walter J. Paton School is overseen by Shrewsbury in Worcester County.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.