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First Congregational of SunderlandPhoto: Tom Walsh · CC BY-SA 3.0
B−
Schools in Sunderland · Frontier School District, Sunderland School District

Sunderland’s public schools score below 55% of Massachusetts districts on tests and graduation

The grade covers the two public school districts serving Sunderland, 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.

#169of 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
46%
▲ 3 pts vs MA 44%
2021–22
Math proficiency
40%
▼ 1 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
9.8
MA 11.9 · smaller classes
Schools in town
1
762 students on the public path
In brief

Sunderland’s schools, in brief

Better than its incomes would predict

Among the 110 Massachusetts towns with household incomes within a quarter of Sunderland’s, its schools beat 70%, higher than their 45% against all the state’s districts. The grade ↓

Sunderland runs its own schools through grade 6, then shares

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

Above the state in reading, below in math

Reading proficiency is 46% and math 40% 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

Frontier spends $23,593 per student and Sunderland $30,224, against $26,530 across Massachusetts (FY2024). Neither counts toward the grade. Districts ↓

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 Sunderland’s grade

B− Test scoresC Graduation

B−: better than 45% of Massachusetts school districts, #169 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 45%
Lower resultsHigher results
Massachusetts towns with similar household incomes (110)Better than 70%
Towns in Franklin County (23)Better than 74%
CBA fairly firm grade. Ordinary sampling error in 420 test results and a graduating class of 92 could put Sunderland anywhere from C to B. The tests are from spring 2022, when 99% of Sunderland’s students in the tested grades sat them (418 in math, 420 in reading).

How TownRatings grades schools →

Where will my kid go?

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

The path, start to finish
PK–6Sunderland ElementarySunderland School DistrictC+
7–12Frontier Regionalin South DeerfieldB+

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

Two districts serve Sunderland

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

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−
Sunderland School DistrictGrades PK–6 · 1 schools · 174 students, down 5% since 2020–21 · 7.2 per teacher (MA 11.9)
$30,224MA $26,530 · FY2024
C+
Test scores · 2021–22

Above the state in reading

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
Reading · PK–6, Sunderland School District42%
State average 43.7% · 112 students tested
Math · PK–6, Sunderland School District37%
State average 40.7% · 111 students tested

Sunderland vs. its neighbors

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

Schools next door
TownSchoolsMain districts
SunderlandB−Sunderland PK–6 · Frontier 7–12
DeerfieldB−Deerfield PK–6 · Frontier 7–12
WhatelyBWhately PK–6 · Frontier 7–12
LeverettBLeverett PK–6 · Amherst-Pelham 7–12
MontagueDGill-Montague

2 of the 4 neighbors share Frontier with Sunderland for grades 7–12, so their letters differ mainly through the lower grades.

Every school in Sunderland

2 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 Sunderlandby address
Sunderland Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–6
C+
174 students7:1Rate it →
Also serving Sunderlandin other towns
Frontier Regional
High · Grades 7–12 · South Deerfield
B+
588 students11:1Rate it →

Questions about Sunderland’s schools

Are Sunderland’s schools good?

On Massachusetts’s tests they score below most of the state: the public schools Sunderland children attend score below 55% of Massachusetts’s school districts on tests and graduation, a B− Schools grade, #169 of 283 Massachusetts towns. Among towns with similar incomes they beat 70%. Tests are from 2021–22, graduation from the class of 2023.

What school district is Sunderland in?

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

What is Sunderland’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 Sunderland spend per student?

$23,593 in Frontier School District and $30,224 in Sunderland School District (FY2024), against $26,530 across Massachusetts. Spending doesn’t count toward the grade.

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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.