Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 11 schools in district

Benjamin G Brown

201 Willow Avenue, Somerville, MA 02144Somerville →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades KG–05Non-Charter
211
Students
Total enrolled
$52,692
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 267% vs nat'l
16.0 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
~avg
48/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
~avg
⇄ Compare with another school
Small public school
Serves 211 students in grades KG–05 in Somerville, Massachusetts.
267% above average funding
District spends $52,692 per pupil, 267% more than the national average of $14,347.
Near-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 48th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Benjamin G Brown is a mid-sized elementary in Somerville, Massachusetts, serving grades KG–05 with 211 students. The district invests $52,692 per student — 267% above the national average of $14,347, with a 16.0:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm.

Student Body & Demographics at Benjamin G Brown

211
Total Students
16.0 : 1
Student:Teacher
—
Free Lunch
13
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
Highlighted grades (KG–05) are served by this school
Gender Distribution76 male · 135 female
36%
64%
Male 36%Female 64%
Student Composition
9%
60%
17%
Asian9%
White60%
Hispanic / Latino7%
Black7%
Multiracial17%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 251089001732

Academic Outcomes at Benjamin G Brown

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
48
/ 100
Near-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 48th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 70th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 02144

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$52,692Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$52,692
State avg
$28,509
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$23,184
Student Support$10,011
Administration$6,323
Operations$7,904
Other$5,269
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $52,692 spent per student, an estimated $23,342 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
33%
59%
State government
33.2%
Local (property tax)
59.2%
Federal programs
7.6%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Above-average funding — $52,692/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • 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
E Somerville CommunityAlbert F. Argenziano School at Lincoln ParkArthur D HealeyJohn F Kennedy
+3 more
↓
Middle
Next Wave Junior High
↓
High School
Somerville HighFull Circle High School
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesKG – 05
Location—
CountyMiddlesex County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictSomerville →
Phone: (617)629-5620
NCES ID: 251089001732
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Somerville seeking a public elementary 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 Somerville
High
Somerville High
1,310 students · 09–12
● 49 opp
Elem
E Somerville Community
729 students · PK–08
Elem
Albert F. Argenziano School at Lincoln Park
544 students · PK–08
● 49 opp
Elem
Arthur D Healey
506 students · PK–08
Elem
John F Kennedy
440 students · PK–08
● 48 opp
Elem
Winter Hill Community
422 students · PK–08
Elem
West Somerville Neighborhood
371 students · PK–08
● 48 opp
Elem
Capuano Early Childhood Center
213 students · PK–01
District School Rankings
Location
201 Willow Avenue, Somerville, MA 02144
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.

Elementary
1
How is early reading and literacy taught?
Look for evidence-based, structured approaches
2
How does the school communicate with families?
Frequency, channels, translation support
3
What support exists for students who fall behind?
Tutoring, intervention programs, IEPs
4
What's the average class size here?
National avg is ~23 for elementary
5
What before/after-school programs are available?
Important for working parents
6
How is student social-emotional wellbeing supported?
Counselors, community circles, conflict resolution
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.