Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 11 schools in district

Somerville High

81 Highland Avenue, Somerville, MA 02143Somerville
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 0912Non-Charter
1,310
Students
Total enrolled
90%
Grad Rate
Nat'l avg 87%
~avg
$52,692
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
267% vs nat'l
9.8 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
36% vs nat'l
49/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
~avg
Large public school
Serves 1,310 students in grades 09–12 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 49th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Somerville High is a very large high in Somerville, Massachusetts, serving grades 09–12 with 1,310 students. The district invests $52,692 per student — 267% above the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 9.8:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. The school's 90% graduation rate — above the national average of 87% — reflects strong completion outcomes for its students.

Student Body & Demographics at Somerville High

1,310
Total Students
9.8 : 1
Student:Teacher
Free Lunch
134
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (0912) are served by this school
Gender Distribution677 male · 616 female
52%
48%
Male 52%Female 48%
Student Composition
34%
47%
9%
Asian6%
White34%
Hispanic / Latino47%
Black9%
Multiracial3%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 251089001745

Academic Outcomes at Somerville High

Graduation Rate (Adjusted Cohort)
90
High
National avg 87%
Graduation Rate Comparison
This school
90%
State avg
91%
National avg
87%
Neighborhood Opportunity Score
49
/ 100
Near-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 49th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 76th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 02143

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
  • 90% graduation rate — well above the 87% national average
  • Above-average funding — $52,692/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • 9.8:1 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.
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelHigh
Grades09 – 12
Location
CountyMiddlesex County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
Phone: (617)625-6600
NCES ID: 251089001745
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Somerville seeking a public high 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.

Location
81 Highland Avenue, Somerville, MA 02143
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.

High
1
What percentage of students take AP or dual enrollment courses?
Indicates academic rigor and college prep
2
What college counseling and application support is provided?
Ratio of students per counselor matters
3
What career and vocational pathways are offered?
CTE programs, internships, industry partnerships
4
How does the school support students at risk of not graduating?
Credit recovery, attendance intervention
5
What's the school's culture around attendance and behavior?
Discipline approach, restorative practices
6
What happens after graduation — where do students go?
Ask about college, career, military outcomes
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.