Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Middle· 17 schools in district

Vassal Lane Upper School

158 Spring Street, Cambridge, MA 02141Cambridge →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 06–08Non-Charter
273
Students
Total enrolled
$53,724
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 274% vs nat'l
6.4 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 59% vs nat'l
51/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
~avg
⇄ Compare with another school
Small public school
Serves 273 students in grades 06–08 in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
274% above average funding
District spends $53,724 per pupil, 274% more than the national average of $14,347.
Near-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 51th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Vassal Lane Upper School is a mid-sized middle in Cambridge, Massachusetts, serving grades 06–08 with 273 students. The district invests $53,724 per student — 274% above the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 6.4:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1.

Student Body & Demographics at Vassal Lane Upper School

273
Total Students
6.4 : 1
Student:Teacher
—
Free Lunch
43
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (06–08) are served by this school
Gender Distribution144 male · 128 female
53%
47%
Male 53%Female 47%
Student Composition
18%
37%
11%
24%
10%
Asian18%
White37%
Hispanic / Latino11%
Black24%
Multiracial10%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 250327002756

Academic Outcomes at Vassal Lane Upper School

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
51
/ 100
Near-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 51th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 83th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 02141

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$53,724Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$53,724
State avg
$28,509
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$23,638
Student Support$10,207
Administration$6,447
Operations$8,059
Other$5,372
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $53,724 spent per student, an estimated $23,800 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
18%
78%
State government
17.7%
Local (property tax)
78.2%
Federal programs
4.1%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Above-average funding — $53,724/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • 6.4:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Amigos SchoolKing OpenGraham and ParksMaria L. Baldwin
+8 more
↓
Middle
Cambridge Street Upper SchoolRindge Avenue Upper SchoolPutnam Avenue Upper School
↓
High School
Cambridge Rindge and Latin
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelMiddle
Grades06 – 08
Location—
CountyMiddlesex County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictCambridge →
Phone: (617)349-6550
NCES ID: 250327002756
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Cambridge seeking a public middle school, especially those prioritizing above-average resources and classroom investment. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Cambridge
High
Cambridge Rindge and Latin
1,867 students · 09–12
● 54 opp
Elem
Amigos School
407 students · PK–08
● 34 opp
Elem
King Open
371 students · PK–05
● 34 opp
Elem
Graham and Parks
362 students · PK–05
Elem
Maria L. Baldwin
340 students · PK–05
● 54 opp
Elem
Martin Luther King Jr.
332 students · PK–05
● 34 opp
Elem
John M Tobin
320 students · PK–05
● 34 opp
Elem
Peabody
318 students · PK–05
District School Rankings
Location
158 Spring Street, Cambridge, MA 02141
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

Middle
1
How does the school support the transition from elementary?
Orientation programs, peer mentoring
2
What electives and clubs are available?
Arts, STEM, sports, extracurriculars
3
How are students grouped for core subjects?
Tracking policies can affect equity
4
What is the school's homework and study policy?
Look for balance and academic support
5
How is bullying and social pressure addressed?
Anti-bullying policies, counselor availability
6
What advanced or enrichment options exist?
Honors courses, gifted programs
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.