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Deerfield MA post officePhoto: Jsayre64 · Public domain
B−
Schools in Deerfield · Deerfield School District, Frontier School District

Deerfield’s public schools outscore 53% of Massachusetts districts

The grade covers the two public school districts serving Deerfield, from kindergarten through graduation, on state tests and graduation. Each state writes its own tests, so this is the one TownRatings grade compared within Massachusetts, not nationally.

#147of 283 Massachusetts townsK–12Where will my kid go?

From Massachusetts state tests taken in spring 2022, when 99% of students in the tested grades sat them, and the class of 2023’s four-year graduation rate, as reported to the U.S. Department of Education.

Reading proficiency
48%
▲ 4 pts vs MA 44%
2021–22
Math proficiency
43%
▲ 3 pts vs MA 41%
2021–22
Graduate on time
90–94%
▲ 1–5 pts vs MA 89%
class of 2023
Spent per student
$23.6K
▼ 11% vs MA $26.5K
FY2024 · Frontier
Students per teacher
10.2
MA 11.9 · smaller classes
Schools in town
3
889 students on the public path
In brief

Deerfield’s schools, in brief

Better than its incomes would predict

Among the 285 Massachusetts towns with household incomes within a quarter of Deerfield’s, its schools beat 61%, higher than their 53% against all the state’s districts. The grade ↓

Deerfield runs its own schools through grade 6, then shares

Deerfield Elementary (PK–6) is Deerfield’s own. From grade 7, students attend the Frontier School District with Conway, Sunderland and Whately: Frontier Regional. See the path ↓

Above the state on both counts

Reading proficiency is 48% and math 43% across both districts in spring 2022, against 44% and 41% statewide; 90–94% of the class of 2023 graduated in four years, against 89%. Test scores ↓

Spending and class size

Deerfield spends $25,751 per student and Frontier $23,593, against $26,530 across Massachusetts (FY2024). Neither counts toward the grade. Districts ↓

Choice beyond the district

The Bement School (private) is in town. Every school ↓

Written from the figures on this page. Tests are from 2021–22, graduation from the class of 2023; each school’s own letter uses 2020–21 results.

The School Grade

What’s behind Deerfield’s grade

B− Test scoresC Graduation

B−: better than 53% of Massachusetts school districts, #147 of 283 Massachusetts towns. Test scores and graduation are both above the Massachusetts average; test scores are the stronger of the two.

Massachusetts school districts we grade (394)Better than 53%
Lower resultsHigher results
Massachusetts towns with similar household incomes (285)Better than 61%
Towns in Franklin County (23)Better than 83%
C+B+A fairly firm grade. Ordinary sampling error in 487 test results and a graduating class of 92 could put Deerfield anywhere from C+ to B+. The tests are from spring 2022, when 99% of Deerfield’s students in the tested grades sat them (485 in math, 488 in reading).

How TownRatings grades schools →

Where will my kid go?

Pick a grade. These are the public schools that serve Deerfield, with each school’s own grade.

The path, start to finish
PK–6Deerfield ElementaryDeerfield School DistrictC+
7–12Frontier RegionalFrontier School DistrictB+

Deerfield runs its own schools through grade 6 (Deerfield School District). From grade 7, students attend the Frontier School District, shared with Conway, Sunderland and Whately. To confirm the school for a specific address, ask the district.

Two districts serve Deerfield

Spending and class size are shown but don’t count toward the grade. Each district’s own page has every school.

Deerfield School DistrictGrades PK–6 · 1 schools · 301 students, down 3% since 2020–21 · 8.9 per teacher (MA 11.9)
$25,751MA $26,530 · FY2024
B
Frontier School DistrictGrades 7–12 · 1 schools · 588 students, down 9% since 2020–21 · 11.1 per teacher (MA 11.9)
$23,593MA $26,530 · FY2024
B−
Test scores · 2021–22

Above the state in reading

Reading · PK–6, Deerfield School District47%
State average 43.7% · 180 students tested
Math · PK–6, Deerfield School District47%
State average 40.7% · 178 students tested
Reading · 7–12, Frontier School District48%
State average 43.7% · 308 students tested
Math · 7–12, Frontier School District41%
State average 40.7% · 307 students tested

Deerfield vs. its neighbors

Schools grades for the Massachusetts towns that share Deerfield’s borders.

Schools next door
TownSchoolsMain districts
DeerfieldB−Deerfield PK–6 · Frontier 7–12
GreenfieldD−Greenfield
MontagueDGill-Montague
ConwayB−Conway PK–6 · Frontier 7–12
SunderlandB−Sunderland PK–6 · Frontier 7–12
WhatelyBWhately PK–6 · Frontier 7–12
ShelburneC−Mohawk Trail

3 of the 6 neighbors share Frontier with Deerfield for grades 7–12, so their letters differ mainly through the lower grades.

Every school in Deerfield

3 schools. Each public school’s letter compares its own 2020–21 reading and math results with Massachusetts’s other public schools (the newest school-level results we have).

District schools in Deerfieldby address
Deerfield Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–6 · South Deerfield
C+
301 students9:1Rate it →
Frontier Regional
High · Grades 7–12 · South Deerfield
B+
588 students11:1Rate it →
Private schoolstuition; no state tests, so no grade
The Bement School
Grades K–9
Private · Nonsectarian
223 students6:1Rate it →

Questions about Deerfield’s schools

Are Deerfield’s schools good?

They sit near the middle of Massachusetts: the public schools Deerfield children attend outscore 53% of Massachusetts’s school districts on tests and graduation, a B− Schools grade, #147 of 283 Massachusetts towns. Among towns with similar incomes they beat 61%. Tests are from 2021–22, graduation from the class of 2023.

What school district is Deerfield in?

Two districts: Deerfield School District runs grades PK–6, and Frontier School District runs grades 7–12, shared with Conway, Sunderland and Whately.

What is Deerfield’s graduation rate?

90–94% of the class of 2023 in Frontier School District graduated in four years, against 89% across Massachusetts.

How much does Deerfield spend per student?

$25,751 in Deerfield School District and $23,593 in Frontier School District (FY2024), against $26,530 across Massachusetts. Spending doesn’t count toward the grade.

Are there private schools in Deerfield?

Yes: The Bement School (nonsectarian, grades K–9, 223 students).

Parents talk

What Deerfield families are saying about school.

Town Square →
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Looking for colleges? Colleges near Deerfield → They have their own page.

School data: state test results (2021–22, with participation) and four-year graduation rates (class of 2023) reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express); each school’s own letter uses its 2020–21 results (EDFacts via the Urban Institute); schools and enrollment from NCES (2024–25; private schools 2023–24); spending from the Census Bureau’s school finance survey (FY2024). The School Grade is our own summary, graded within Massachusetts. Stars are from neighbors.