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B+

Salem School District

Public school districtGrades PK–12

Serves Salem.

Salem’s School Grade B+ better than 70% of New Hampshire school districts

Students
3,557
Schools
8
Spent per student
$20,915
NH $23,296
Students per teacher
12:1
Free or reduced lunch
16%
Debt
$84.1M
fiscal 2024
The gist

What stands out about Salem School District

  • Its letter, B+: results better than 70% of New Hampshire districts
  • Math proficiency 6 pts above the state
  • Graduation rate 8 pts above the state
  • Spends 10% less per student than the NH average
  • 12 students per teacher
  • Debt of $84.1M, about $23,633 per student
The School Grade

What this district adds to its towns’ grade

B+: better than 70% of the 172 New Hampshire school districts we grade. Each town’s School Grade weighs its districts by the students they test; spending and class size are shown but don’t count.

Test scoresReading and math above the state, 2021–22
B
GraduationFour-year graduation well above the state, class of 2023
A−
The town it serves, and its School Grade
B+Salem 31,868

How TownRatings grades schools →

Where would my kid go?

The school path for Salem. Grade by grade →

K–55 elementary schoolsThis district
6–8Woodbury SchoolThis district
9–12Salem High SchoolThis district

Test scores vs. NH

2021–22 · class of 2023
Math proficiency46%
State average 40.5% · 1,779 students tested
Reading / language arts54%
State average 50.8% · 1,775 students tested
Graduation rate (4-year)96%
State average 88.1% · 292 in the class

97% of students in the tested grades sat the 2022 tests.

Reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express and the Urban Institute); the newest year for each measure.

Where the money goes

fiscal 2024
$20,915 per student · 10% below NH
Spending
Classroom instruction 62%Support & administration 35%Other 3%
Paid for by
Local (mostly property tax) 71%State 23%Federal 5%

Fiscal 2022–24 includes federal pandemic relief (ESSER).

U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances.

Enrollment over time
3,516’20
3,577’21
3,607’22
3,556’23
3,557’24

About steady since 2020–21.

Students
White 78%Hispanic 12%Two or more races 6%Asian 3%Black 1%American Indian/Alaska Native <1%Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander <1%

Schools in the district

8 public schools. Each public school’s letter compares its own 2020–21 reading and math results with New Hampshire’s other public schools.

Salem Preschool
Prekindergarten · Grades PK · Salem
113 students23:1
William T. Barron Elementary School
Elementary · Grades K–5 · Salem
A
377 students14:1
North Salem Elementary School
Elementary · Grades K–5 · Salem
B+
353 students14:1
William E. Lancaster School
Elementary · Grades K–5 · Salem
B
294 students13:1
Mary A. Fisk Elementary School
Elementary · Grades K–5 · Salem
B−
272 students12:1
Dr. L. F. Soule School
Elementary · Grades K–5 · Salem
B−
270 students12:1
Woodbury School
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Salem
B+
762 students13:1
Salem High School
High · Grades 9–12 · Salem
B+
1,116 students11:1

Nearby districts

Compare spending and schools next door.

Derry School DistrictDerry
$23,696per student
Methuen School DistrictMethuen
$19,711per student
Pelham School DistrictPelham
$20,481per student
Timberlane Regional School DistrictAtkinson
$21,352per student

District facts: U.S. Department of Education (NCES school directory 2024–25 and district boundaries) and the U.S. Census Bureau’s school finance survey. Test scores and graduation: state results reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express and the Urban Institute). The letters are our own summary, graded within New Hampshire.