Scituate

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.

Scituate, Massachusetts - 6 schools

An equity score of 28/100 ranks Scituate #271 of 362 districts in Massachusetts (state average 38). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $20,021 per pupil, Scituate ranks #249 of 396 Massachusetts districts by per-pupil spending (Massachusetts districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

2,789
Total Enrollment
6
Schools
$20,021
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Scituate operates 6 public schools serving 2,789 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Massachusetts. The school portfolio breaks down into 3 elementary, 1 high, 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 Plymouth County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $20,021 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower half of 396 Massachusetts districts by per-pupil spending. See how Massachusetts compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 71.6% local, 23.9% state, and 4.5% 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 28/100, ranked #271 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 6 schools offering Advanced Placement (19 AP courses district-wide), a 205.4:1 student-counselor ratio, that meets the ASCA-recommended benchmark, and 15.1% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 90.8% White, 3.0% Hispanic or Latino, 2.1% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Scituate High School, with a diversity index of 21.3/100.

Its largest campus is Scituate High School, enrolling 725 students (26% of the district's total enrollment).

Scituate High School accounts for 26.0% of all Scituate student enrollment

That concentration means Scituate-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

Scituate school enrollment varies 2.8× across entities

Scituate school enrollment ranges from 263 students (lowest) to 725 students (highest), a spread of 462 students. That relatively narrow ratio reflects an unusually homogeneous campus portfolio, most districts have a wider mix of school sizes. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.

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

Scituate student-counselor ratio is 205:1 — 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

Scituate chronic absenteeism rate is 15.1% — 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 Scituate is typically wider than the Scituate-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Where does the funding come from?

4.5%
Federal
23.9%
State
71.6%
Local

Funding Equity

28
Equity Score
271 / 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 6 schools in Scituate.

White 90.8%
Hispanic or Latino 3.0%
African American 2.1%
Multiracial 3.5%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 17.2/100

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

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Scituate High School 21.3
  2. 2 Jenkins Elementary School 20.6
  3. 3 Cushing Elementary 17.1
  4. 4 Gates Middle School 15.3
  5. 5 Hatherly Elementary 15.1

Programs & Resources

1 / 6
Schools with AP
19 AP courses total
205.4:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
15.1%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Scituate

School Enrollment
Scituate High School
725
Gates Middle School
639
Wampatuck Elementary
424
Cushing Elementary
352
Jenkins Elementary School
341
Hatherly Elementary
263

How Scituate Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Massachusetts districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Wayland Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Freetown-Lakeville Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded
Holliston Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Longmeadow Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Duxbury Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Scituate'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 Scituate →
Worcester
24,707 students · 46 schools · $20,642/pupil
Compare vs Scituate →
Springfield
23,873 students · 66 schools · $23,067/pupil
Compare vs Scituate →
Lynn
15,556 students · 27 schools · $19,669/pupil
Compare vs Scituate →
Brockton
14,999 students · 24 schools · $21,147/pupil
Compare vs Scituate →

Compare Scituate

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 Scituate?

Scituate has 6 schools, including 1 high, 1 middle, 1 combined, 3 elementary. Total enrollment is 2,789 students.

How much does Scituate spend per student?

Scituate spends $20,021 per student. The district has an equity score of 28/100, ranking #271 in Massachusetts.

What is the demographic composition of Scituate?

Scituate students are 90.8% White, 3.0% Hispanic or Latino, 2.1% African American, 0.5% Asian, averaged across 6 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Scituate?

Scituate has an equity score of 28/100, ranking #271 out of 362 districts in Massachusetts.