Holliston

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

Holliston, Massachusetts - 4 schools

An equity score of 20/100 ranks Holliston #335 of 362 districts in Massachusetts (state average 38). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $17,189 per pupil, Holliston ranks #363 of 396 Massachusetts districts by per-pupil spending (Massachusetts districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

2,810
Total Enrollment
4
Schools
$17,189
Per-Pupil Spending
High, Elementary
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Holliston operates 4 public schools serving 2,810 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Massachusetts. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 high, 1 elementary, 1 middle, 1 combined schools, a small enough portfolio that most families will interact with nearly every campus in the district at some point. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Middlesex County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $17,189 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, among the bottom 40 of 396 Massachusetts districts by per-pupil spending. See how Massachusetts compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 61.8% local, 31.5% state, and 6.7% federal, a local-revenue-heavy mix that leaves the district more exposed to property-tax swings and local ballot measures than state-funded peers. The district's equity score is 20/100, ranked #335 of 362 in Massachusetts against a state average of 38, notably less even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 4 schools offering Advanced Placement (24 AP courses district-wide), a 220.4:1 student-counselor ratio, that meets the ASCA-recommended benchmark, and 15.7% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 75.8% White, 9.2% Asian, 7.5% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Miller School, with a diversity index of 45.8/100.

Its largest campus is Holliston High, enrolling 809 students (30% of the district's total enrollment).

Holliston High accounts for 28.8% of all Holliston student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Holliston-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: high. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Holliston student-counselor ratio is 220:1 — low (typically associated with meeting or exceeding the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) recommended 250:1 benchmark, which correlates with stronger college and career counseling capacity)

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Lower values often correlate with smaller scale and population characteristics rather than higher resource budgets per se.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Holliston chronic absenteeism rate is 15.7% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Variation between sub-units within Holliston is typically wider than the Holliston-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

6.7%
Federal
31.5%
State
61.8%
Local

Funding Equity

20
Equity Score
335 / 362
State Rank
38
State Average

This district scores below average on funding equity. High reliance on local revenue or lower spending may contribute.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 4 schools in Holliston.

White 75.8%
Hispanic or Latino 7.5%
African American 1.4%
Asian 9.2%
Multiracial 5.5%
Other 0.6%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 40.7/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Holliston's schools, below the Massachusetts average of 47.3.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Miller School 45.8
  2. 2 Placentino Elementary 41.1
  3. 3 Holliston High 38.2
  4. 4 Robert H. Adams Middle School 37.7

Programs & Resources

1 / 4
Schools with AP
24 AP courses total
220.4:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
15.7%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Holliston

School Enrollment
Holliston High
809
Miller School
649
Robert H. Adams Middle School
626
Placentino Elementary
605

How Holliston Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Massachusetts districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Freetown-Lakeville Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Longmeadow Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Scituate Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Duxbury Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Wayland Similar size Higher spending More locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Holliston's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in Massachusetts

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Boston
46,367 students · 109 schools · $34,835/pupil
Compare vs Holliston →
Worcester
24,707 students · 46 schools · $20,642/pupil
Compare vs Holliston →
Springfield
23,873 students · 66 schools · $23,067/pupil
Compare vs Holliston →
Lynn
15,556 students · 27 schools · $19,669/pupil
Compare vs Holliston →
Brockton
14,999 students · 24 schools · $21,147/pupil
Compare vs Holliston →

Compare Holliston

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Boston →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Holliston?

Holliston has 4 schools, including 1 high, 1 elementary, 1 middle, 1 combined. Total enrollment is 2,810 students.

How much does Holliston spend per student?

Holliston spends $17,189 per student. The district has an equity score of 20/100, ranking #335 in Massachusetts.

What is the demographic composition of Holliston?

Holliston students are 75.8% White, 9.2% Asian, 7.5% Hispanic or Latino, 1.4% African American, averaged across 4 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Holliston?

Holliston has an equity score of 20/100, ranking #335 out of 362 districts in Massachusetts.