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Somerville Public Schools, Massachusetts, elections

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Somerville Public Schools
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District details
School board members: 9
Students: 4,927 (2023-2024)
Schools: 11 (2023-2024)
Website: Link

Somerville Public Schools is a school district in Massachusetts (Middlesex County). During the 2024 school year, 4,927 students attended one of the district's 11 schools.

This page provides information regarding school board members, election rules, finances, academics, policies, and more details about the district.

Jump to a section:
Elections School board Location Budget Academic performance Students Staff Schools

Elections

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Somerville School Committee Ward 1

General election

General election for Somerville School Committee Ward 1

Incumbent Emily Ackman won election in the general election for Somerville School Committee Ward 1 on November 5, 2019.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
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Emily Ackman (Nonpartisan)
 
97.9
 
1,152
 Other/Write-in votes
 
2.1
 
25

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 1,177
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Somerville School Committee Ward 2

General election

General election for Somerville School Committee Ward 2

Ilana Krepchin won election in the general election for Somerville School Committee Ward 2 on November 5, 2019.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
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Ilana Krepchin (Nonpartisan)
 
98.5
 
1,453
 Other/Write-in votes
 
1.5
 
22

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 1,475
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Somerville School Committee Ward 3

General election

General election for Somerville School Committee Ward 3

Sarah Phillips defeated Mary Marshall in the general election for Somerville School Committee Ward 3 on November 5, 2019.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
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Sarah Phillips (Nonpartisan)
 
59.3
 
1,377
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Mary Marshall (Nonpartisan)
 
40.5
 
941
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.2
 
5

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 2,323
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Somerville School Committee Ward 4

General election

General election for Somerville School Committee Ward 4

Incumbent Andre Green won election in the general election for Somerville School Committee Ward 4 on November 5, 2019.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
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Andre Green (Nonpartisan)
 
98.6
 
1,235
 Other/Write-in votes
 
1.4
 
18

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 1,253
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Somerville School Committee Ward 5

General election

General election for Somerville School Committee Ward 5

Incumbent Laura Pitone won election in the general election for Somerville School Committee Ward 5 on November 5, 2019.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
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Laura Pitone (Nonpartisan)
 
98.4
 
1,902
 Other/Write-in votes
 
1.6
 
30

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 1,932
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Somerville School Committee Ward 6

General election

General election for Somerville School Committee Ward 6

Ellenor Barish won election in the general election for Somerville School Committee Ward 6 on November 5, 2019.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
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Ellenor Barish (Nonpartisan)
 
98.5
 
1,528
 Other/Write-in votes
 
1.5
 
24

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 1,552
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Somerville School Committee Ward 7

General election

General election for Somerville School Committee Ward 7

Incumbent Caroline Normand defeated Tara Ten Eyck in the general election for Somerville School Committee Ward 7 on November 5, 2019.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
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Caroline Normand (Nonpartisan)
 
74.3
 
1,236
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Tara Ten Eyck (Nonpartisan)
 
25.3
 
421
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.4
 
7

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 1,664
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.


About the district

School board

Somerville Public Schools consists of nine members serving two-year terms. To find information about school board meetings, click here.

List of school board members
NameSeatYear assumed officeYear term ends
Katjana Ballantyne
Lance Davis
Leiran BitonWard 72024
Ellenor BarishWard 62020
Sarah PhillipsWard 32020
Emily AckmanWard 12018
Andre GreenWard 42016
Laura PitoneWard 52014
Elizabeth EldridgeWard 220262029

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District map

School district map

Overlapping state house districts

Somerville Public Schools
Office NameCurrent OfficeholderParty% School District Covered% Other District Covered
Massachusetts House of Representatives 27th Middlesex DistrictErika UyterhoevenDemocratic Party 46% 100%
Massachusetts House of Representatives 26th Middlesex DistrictMike ConnollyDemocratic Party 28% 46%
Massachusetts House of Representatives 34th Middlesex DistrictChristine BarberDemocratic Party 25% 34%

The table was limited to the lower chamber because it provides the most granularity. State house districts tend to be more numerous and therefore smaller than state senate or U.S. House districts. This provides an impression of the partisan affiliations in the area.

Budget

The following statistics were published by the National Center for Education Statistics, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education.[1]

Revenue, 2021-2022
SOURCE AMOUNT AMOUNT PER STUDENT PERCENT
Federal: $11,835,000 $2,533 8%
Local: $92,360,000 $19,765 59%
State: $51,832,000 $11,092 33%
Total: $156,027,000 $33,389
Expenditures, 2021-2022
TYPE AMOUNT AMOUNT PER STUDENT PERCENT
Total Expenditures: $246,229,000 $52,691
Total Current Expenditures: $127,667,000 $27,320
Instructional Expenditures: $71,905,000 $15,387 29%
Student and Staff Support: $23,102,000 $4,943 9%
Administration: $13,622,000 $2,915 6%
Operations, Food Service, Other: $19,038,000 $4,074 8%
Total Capital Outlay: $77,976,000 $16,686
Construction: $32,885,000 $7,037
Total Non El-Sec Education & Other: $2,702,000 $578
Interest on Debt: $23,216,000 $4,968

Academic performance

Each year, state and local education agencies use tests and other standards to assess student proficiency. Although the data below was published by the U.S. Department of Education, proficiency measurements are established by the states. As a result, proficiency levels are not comparable between different states and year-over-year proficiency levels within a district may not be comparable because states may change their proficiency measurements. To protect student privacy, percentages are reported as ranges for groups of 300 students or fewer. If five or fewer students were included in a data set, the data will display as "PS."[2]

The following table shows the percentage of district students who scored at or above the proficiency level each school year:

School year All (%) Asian/Pacific Islander (%) Black (%) Hispanic (%) Native American (%) Two or More Races (%) White (%)
2021-2022 34 55-59 15-19 14 PS 45-49 55
2020-2021 26 45-49 10-14 10 PS 40-44 42
2018-2019 44 65-69 25-29 27 PS 55-59 63
2017-2018 48 65-69 30-34 33 PS 50-54 66
2016-2017 51 70-74 40-44 36 PS 45-49 68
2015-2016 54 70-74 35-39 40 50-59 71
2014-2015 54 70-74 30-34 40 50-59 70
2013-2014 48 60-64 30-34 35 PS 50-59 64
2012-2013 47 65-69 25-29 37 40-49 62
2011-2012 40 60-64 24 28 PS 40-59 54
2010-2011 41 55-59 22 30 PS 40-59 54

The following table shows the percentage of district students who scored at or above the proficiency level each school year:

School year All (%) Asian/Pacific Islander (%) Black (%) Hispanic (%) Native American (%) Two or More Races (%) White (%)
2021-2022 43 60-64 25-29 22 PS 60-64 64
2020-2021 43 60-64 25-29 26 PS 60-64 61
2018-2019 49 65-69 35-39 32 PS 55-59 68
2017-2018 54 75-79 45-49 38 PS 55-59 71
2016-2017 52 65-69 45-49 37 PS 50-54 68
2015-2016 62 75-79 50-54 48 60-69 78
2014-2015 60 70-74 45-49 47 50-59 78
2013-2014 59 65-69 45-49 48 PS 60-69 74
2012-2013 57 70-74 40-44 44 50-59 73
2011-2012 53 65-69 35 42 PS 60-79 68
2010-2011 52 60-64 32 41 PS 60-79 68

The following table shows the graduation rate of district students each school year:

School year All (%) Asian/Pacific Islander (%) Black (%) Hispanic (%) Native American (%) Two or More Races (%) White (%)
2021-2022 88 >=80 >=90 80-84 PS >=50 90-94
2020-2021 87 >=80 70-79 80-84 PS >=95
2019-2020 88 >=80 80-89 80-84 PS 90-94
2018-2019 85 >=90 70-79 75-79 PS 90-94
2017-2018 84 >=80 80-89 75-79 PS 90-94
2016-2017 84 >=80 80-89 75-79 PS 85-89
2015-2016 81 >=90 >=90 65-69 PS PS 90-94
2014-2015 81 >=90 80-89 70-74 PS 90-94
2013-2014 77 80-89 75-79 70-74 PS PS 75-79
2012-2013 78 >=90 70-79 70-74 PS PS 75-79
2011-2012 78 >=90 80-84 65-69 80-84
2010-2011 78 80-89 80-84 65-69 PS PS 85-89

Students

The following statistics were published by the National Center for Education Statistics, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education.[3]

Year Enrollment Year-to-year change (%)
2023-2024 4,927 0.9
2022-2023 4,884 4.3
2021-2022 4,673 -0.4
2020-2021 4,691 -5.3
2019-2020 4,939 0.6
2018-2019 4,909 0.8
2017-2018 4,868 -2.9
2016-2017 5,008 0.4
2015-2016 4,987 0.0
2014-2015 4,987 0.9
2013-2014 4,940 0.4
2012-2013 4,922 0.9
2011-2012 4,877 0.5
2010-2011 4,855 0.3
2009-2010 4,842 -0.7
2008-2009 4,877 -0.3
2007-2008 4,890 -1.9
2006-2007 4,984 -2.8
2005-2006 5,125 -5.0
2004-2005 5,383 -4.3
2003-2004 5,616 -2.5
2002-2003 5,757 -0.8
2001-2002 5,802 -4.8
2000-2001 6,081 -4.5
1999-2000 6,355 0.0
Racial Demographics, 2023-2024
RACE Somerville Public Schools (%) Massachusetts K-12 STUDENTS (%)
American Indian/Alaska Native 0.1 0.2
Asian or Asian/Pacific Islander 5.9 7.4
Black 8.3 9.6
Hispanic 40.4 25.1
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander 0.2 0.1
Two or More Races 6.2 4.5
White 38.3 52.8

Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

Staff

The following statistics were published by the National Center for Education Statistics, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education.[4]

As of the 2023-2024 school year, Somerville Public Schools had 440.70 full-time classroom teachers. The student-teacher ratio was 11.18.

Teachers, 2023-2024 school year
TYPE NUMBER OF TEACHERS
Prekindergarten: 29.21
Kindergarten: 22.56
Elementary: 241.03
Secondary: 147.90
Total: 440.70

Somerville Public Schools employed 39.50 district administrators and 52.70 school administrators as of the 2023-2024 school year.

Administrators, 2023-2024 school year
TYPE NUMBER OF ADMINISTRATORS
District Administrators: 39.50
District Administrative Support: 24.00
School Administrators: 52.70
School Administrative Support: 29.00
Other staff, 2023-2024 school year
TYPE NUMBER OF OTHER STAFF
Instructional Aides: 92.30
Instruc. Coordinators & Supervisors: 3.80
Total Guidance Counselors: 18.30
Elementary Guidance Counselors: 10.00
Secondary Guidance Counselors: 8.30
Librarians/Media Specialists: 2.00
Library/Media Support: 7.00
Student Support Services: 77.40
Other Support Services: 10.00

Schools

The following statistics were published by the National Center for Education Statistics, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education.[5]

Somerville Public Schools operates 11 schools. They are listed below in alphabetical order.
List of schools
SCHOOL NAMENUMBER OF STUDENTSGRADES
Albert F. Argenziano School At Lincoln Park564PK-8
Arthur D Healey486PK-8
Benjamin G Brown225KG-5
Capuano Early Childhood Center230PK-KG
E Somerville Community743PK-8
Full Circle High School649-12
John F Kennedy448PK-8
Next Wave Junior High137-8
Somerville High1,3739-12
West Somerville Neighborhood378PK-8
Winter Hill Community403PK-8


About school boards

Education legislation in Massachusetts

Bills are monitored by BillTrack50 and sorted by action history.

See also

School Boards Education Policy Local Politics Massachusetts
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External links

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    • Footnotes

    1. ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Elementary/Secondary Information System," accessed October 6, 2025
    2. ↑ U.S. Department of Education, Washington, DC: EDFacts, "State Assessments in Reading/Language Arts and Mathematics- School Year 2021-22 EDFacts Data Documentation," accessed October 18, 2025
    3. ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Elementary/Secondary Information System," accessed October 6, 2025
    4. ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Elementary/Secondary Information System," accessed October 6, 2025
    5. ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Elementary/Secondary Information System," accessed October 6, 2025
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