Topsfield

Public school district · Essex County · Massachusetts · NCES district ID 2511670

Topsfield spent $21,148 per student on current operations in fiscal year 2022-23, below the middle: 79% of the other Massachusetts districts with fewer than 1,000 students in fall 2022 spent more (median $24,952). Its 2 schools enrolled 598 students in 2024-25; 60.3% of its revenue came from the state. Census Bureau figures for 2023-24 put it at $24,291 per student, up 14.9% on the year before (U.S. $17,619 that year).

NCES F-33 finance survey, fiscal year 2022-23 · Census Bureau school finances 2023-24 · NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25 · method

Spending per student among Massachusetts districts of similar size

Current spending per student excludes construction and debt. The 9 districts closest to Topsfield in enrollment (602 to 655 students) and Topsfield itself.

Current spending per student, Massachusetts districts closest in size to Topsfield, FY23Southern Berkshire Regional $34,358; Franklin County Regional Vocational Technical $27,008; Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical $26,298; South Shore Regional Vocational Technical $26,257; UP Academy Charter School of Dorchester (District) $25,758; Carlisle Public Schools $25,434; Rising Tide Charter Public School $22,339; Frontier $22,050; Topsfield $21,148; Plainville Public Schools $19,768; State median, under 1,000 students $24,952.15k20k25k30k35k40kSouthern Berkshire Regional$34,358Franklin County Regional Vocat…$27,008Pathfinder Regional Vocational…$26,298South Shore Regional Vocationa…$26,257UP Academy Charter School of D…$25,758Carlisle Public Schools$25,434Rising Tide Charter Public Sch…$22,339Frontier$22,050Topsfield$21,148Plainville Public Schools$19,768State median, under 1,000 students $24,952
Current spending per student, Massachusetts districts closest in size to Topsfield, FY23Southern Berkshire Regional $34,358; Franklin County Regional Vocational Technical $27,008; Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical $26,298; South Shore Regional Vocational Technical $26,257; UP Academy Charter School of Dorchester (District) $25,758; Carlisle Public Schools $25,434; Rising Tide Charter Public School $22,339; Frontier $22,050; Topsfield $21,148; Plainville Public Schools $19,768; State median, under 1,000 students $24,952.15k20k25k30k35k40kSouthern Berkshire Regional$34,358Franklin County Regional Vocational…$27,008Pathfinder Regional Vocational Tech…$26,298South Shore Regional Vocational Tec…$26,257UP Academy Charter School of Dorche…$25,758Carlisle Public Schools$25,434Rising Tide Charter Public School$22,339Frontier$22,050Topsfield$21,148Plainville Public Schools$19,768State median, under 1,000 students $24,952
Current spending per student, Massachusetts districts closest in size to Topsfield, FY23Southern Berkshire Regional $34,358; Franklin County Regional Vocational Technical $27,008; Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical $26,298; South Shore Regional Vocational Technical $26,257; UP Academy Charter School of Dorchester (District) $25,758; Carlisle Public Schools $25,434; Rising Tide Charter Public School $22,339; Frontier $22,050; Topsfield $21,148; Plainville Public Schools $19,768; State median, under 1,000 students $24,952.15k25k35k40kSouthern Berkshire Regional$34,358Franklin County Regional Vocational Technic…$27,008Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical$26,298South Shore Regional Vocational Technical$26,257UP Academy Charter School of Dorchester (Di…$25,758Carlisle Public Schools$25,434Rising Tide Charter Public School$22,339Frontier$22,050Topsfield$21,148Plainville Public Schools$19,768State median, under 1,000 students $24,952
Current spending per student, Massachusetts districts closest in size to Topsfield, FY23Southern Berkshire Regional $34,358; Franklin County Regional Vocational Technical $27,008; Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical $26,298; South Shore Regional Vocational Technical $26,257; UP Academy Charter School of Dorchester (District) $25,758; Carlisle Public Schools $25,434; Rising Tide Charter Public School $22,339; Frontier $22,050; Topsfield $21,148; Plainville Public Schools $19,768; State median, under 1,000 students $24,952.15k25k35k40kSouthern Berkshire Regional$34,358Franklin County Regional Vocational Tec…$27,008Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical$26,298South Shore Regional Vocational Technic…$26,257UP Academy Charter School of Dorchester…$25,758Carlisle Public Schools$25,434Rising Tide Charter Public School$22,339Frontier$22,050Topsfield$21,148Plainville Public Schools$19,768State median, under 1,000 students $24,952

Where the money came from

$4,767,000 in revenue: 60.3% state, 19.3% local and 20.4% federal. Total spending including $36,000 of capital outlay was $13,642,000, or $21,654 per student; the figure above leaves capital out.

Topsfield revenue by source, fiscal year 2022-23State $2,873,000; Local $920,000; Federal $974,000; total $4,767,000.
  • State$2,873,000 60%
  • Local$920,000 19%
  • Federal$974,000 20%

Source: NCES F-33 school district finance survey, fiscal year 2022-23: current expenditures for elementary and secondary education divided by fall membership; the state median covers 153 districts with fewer than 1,000 students in fall 2022. Revenue by source (TOTALREV, TFEDREV, TSTREV, TLOCREV).

Enrollment fell from 2022-23 to 2024-25

628 students in 2022-23, 611 students in 2023-24, 598 students in 2024-25, counted across the schools that reported each year.

Topsfield enrollment by school year2022-23: 628, 2023-24: 611, 2024-25: 59802004006008002022-236282023-246112024-25598
Topsfield enrollment by school year2022-23: 628, 2023-24: 611, 2024-25: 59802004006008002022-236282023-246112024-25598
Topsfield enrollment by school year2022-23: 628, 2023-24: 611, 2024-25: 59802004006008002022-236282023-246112024-25598
Topsfield enrollment by school year2022-23: 628, 2023-24: 611, 2024-25: 59802004006008002022-236282023-246112024-25598

Teachers and students per teacher

School yearStudentsTeachers (FTE)Per teacher
2022-2362857.211.0
2023-2461154.711.2
2024-2559855.110.9

Source: NCES Common Core of Data membership and staff files, 2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25; sums over the schools reporting each year.

$5,111,000 in teacher salaries in fiscal year 2022-23, $8,113 per student

Topsfield booked $5,111,000 of teacher salaries in its 2022-23 finance report and counted 57 full-time teachers in its Common Core of Data district staff file for 2022-23 (the school files behind the staffing figures on this page count teachers separately, so the two can differ), or $89,400 of salary spending per teacher. That is more than 70 in 100 Massachusetts districts with a figure (state median $83,840, 276 districts). It is spending, not what a teacher is paid: the salary lines and the teacher count come from different files, so the result can differ widely from the average salary the district publishes (its salary schedule gives pay); benefits are left out, and states book salaries differently, so compare districts within one state. For pay, the National Education Association put the average Massachusetts teacher salary at $88,903 in 2021-22 (NCES Digest table 211.60).

ProgramTeacher salariesShare
Regular programs$3,731,00073.0%
Special education$1,380,00027.0%

Teacher salaries per student, fiscal years 2018-19 to 2022-23

The district's teacher salary bill divided by its fall enrollment each year: $6,144 in 2018-19, $7,051 in 2019-20, $8,302 in 2020-21, $7,662 in 2021-22, $8,113 in 2022-23.

Topsfield teacher salaries per student by fiscal year2018-19: $6,144, 2019-20: $7,051, 2020-21: $8,302, 2021-22: $7,662, 2022-23: $8,11302.5k5k7.5k10k2018-19$6,1442019-20$7,0512020-21$8,3022021-22$7,6622022-23$8,113
Topsfield teacher salaries per student by fiscal year2018-19: $6,144, 2019-20: $7,051, 2020-21: $8,302, 2021-22: $7,662, 2022-23: $8,11302.5k5k7.5k10k2018-19$6,1442019-20$7,0512020-21$8,3022021-22$7,6622022-23$8,113
Topsfield teacher salaries per student by fiscal year2018-19: $6,144, 2019-20: $7,051, 2020-21: $8,302, 2021-22: $7,662, 2022-23: $8,11302.5k5k7.5k10k2018-19$6,1442019-20$7,0512020-21$8,3022021-22$7,6622022-23$8,113
Topsfield teacher salaries per student by fiscal year2018-19: $6,144, 2019-20: $7,051, 2020-21: $8,302, 2021-22: $7,662, 2022-23: $8,11302.5k5k7.5k10k2018-19$6,1442019-20$7,0512020-21$8,3022021-22$7,6622022-23$8,113

Source: NCES F-33 school district finance survey, fiscal years 2019 to 2023: teacher salaries in regular, special, vocational and other programs (Z35 to Z38) and fall membership (V33); NCES Common Core of Data LEA staff file 2022-23, teachers (full-time equivalent).

State test results, 2021-22

In 2021-22, the students tested in Topsfield scored proficient or above: 59% in reading and 56% in math, against 43.7% in reading and 40.7% in math across Massachusetts. Each state writes its own test and sets its own proficiency bar, so compare these within Massachusetts, not across states.

Students proficient or above, 2021-22
SubjectThis districtMassachusettsStudents tested
Reading and language arts59%43.7%344
Math56%40.7%344

Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts state assessment results 2021-22, all students, from ED Data Express (the Data Rescue Project archive; ED has no 2022-23 result for this district): ED shows district results as ranges (for example 20-24%) to protect small groups.

1 elementary school, 347 students

SchoolStudentsPer teacherFree lunchTitle I, 2021‑22
Steward Elementary34711.2not reportedTargeted program

Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25; Title I status CCD 2021-22, the last year NCES published it. All free (CEP): every student eats free under the Community Eligibility Provision, so the school reports no free-lunch count; not reported: the school sent NCES no meal count.

1 middle school, 251 students

SchoolStudentsPer teacherFree lunchTitle I, 2021‑22
Proctor Elementary25110.4not reportedTargeted program

Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25; Title I status CCD 2021-22, the last year NCES published it. All free (CEP): every student eats free under the Community Eligibility Provision, so the school reports no free-lunch count; not reported: the school sent NCES no meal count.

Contact Topsfield

Source: NCES Common Core of Data, local education agency directory 2024-25. Enrollment, boundaries and school assignment are the district's to confirm.

What to look at next about Topsfield

  1. Massachusetts districts by spending per studentTopsfield ranks 121 of 153 Massachusetts districts with fewer than 1,000 students in fall 2022 on current spending per student in fiscal year 2022-23 ($21,148).#121 of 153
  2. Every school district in MassachusettsTopsfield is the number 291 by size of 397 Massachusetts districts, with 630 students in fall 2022 (F-33).#291 of 397
  3. Rising Tide Charter Public SchoolThe next larger Massachusetts district: 634 students in fall 2022, $22,339 per student in fiscal year 2022-23.$22,339
  4. FrontierThe next smaller Massachusetts district: 618 students in fall 2022, $22,050 per student in fiscal year 2022-23.$22,050
  5. Compare Topsfield with Rising Tide Charter Public SchoolEnrollment, spending, revenue sources and schools, side by side.
  6. Teacher salary spending across MassachusettsTopsfield spent $89,400 in salaries per full-time teacher in fiscal year 2022-23 (state median $83,840); spending, not a salary.$89,400
  7. Find the school district for an addressA home's district decides which public schools it can enroll in.

Source: NCES F-33 finance survey, fiscal year 2022-23 (spending per student and fall 2022 membership; ranks among the state's districts that reported them); NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25 (schools).

Questions about Topsfield

  1. How many schools and students are in Topsfield?
    2 schools were open in 2024-25 (1 elementary, 1 middle), enrolling 598 students, according to the NCES Common Core of Data.
  2. How much does Topsfield spend per student?
    $21,148 per student on current operations in fiscal year 2022-23 (NCES F-33), which leaves out construction and debt; the Massachusetts median for districts with fewer than 1,000 students in fall 2022 is $24,952 and the U.S. figure is $16,260. Census Bureau figures for 2023-24 put it at $24,291 per student, up 14.9% on the year before (U.S. $17,619 that year).
  3. Where does Topsfield's money come from?
    $4,767,000 in revenue in fiscal year 2022-23: 60.3% state, 19.3% local and 20.4% federal (NCES F-33).
  4. How many children in Topsfield live in poverty?
    The Census Bureau estimates that 11 of the 600 children aged 5 to 17 living within the district's boundaries in 2024, 1.8%, were in families in poverty (Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates). It is a model-based estimate for everyone living in the district, not a count of its students; the free-meal shares in the school tables are counts of enrolled students.
  5. How much does Topsfield spend on teacher salaries?
    $5,111,000 in fiscal year 2022-23 (NCES F-33), or $8,113 per student. Divided by the 57 full-time teachers in the NCES Common Core of Data for 2022-23 that is $89,400 per teacher, more than 70 in 100 Massachusetts districts (state median $83,840). That is spending, not what a teacher is paid: the salary lines and the teacher count come from different files, and the result can differ widely from the average salary a district publishes. The district's salary schedule gives pay. For pay, the National Education Association put the average Massachusetts teacher salary at $88,903 in 2021-22 (NCES Digest table 211.60).
  6. How do students in Topsfield do on state tests?
    In 2021-22, the students tested in Topsfield scored proficient or above: 59% in reading and 56% in math, against 43.7% in reading and 40.7% in math across Massachusetts. Massachusetts's own test sets what proficient means, so results compare within the state, not across states. Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts state assessment results, 2021-22.
  7. What is Topsfield's NCES district ID?
    2511670. Each of its schools' 12-digit NCES IDs begins with these seven digits.

Reading these figures: how to choose a school district, what Title I means and what an absenteeism rate means. They are for information and are not a substitute for the school's or district's own records.

Sources

Every federal file behind this record
  • NCES Common Core of Data, 2024-25: directory, membership, staff and lunch files. nces.ed.gov
  • NCES Common Core of Data, 2021-22 school characteristics: Title I status. nces.ed.gov
  • Civil Rights Data Collection, 2021-22: AP courses, gifted programs, counselors, discipline. civilrightsdata.ed.gov
  • EDFacts, 2022-23: chronic absenteeism. ed.gov
  • EDFacts state assessment results, 2021-22: reading and math proficiency for the district and its state (ED Data Express). eddataexpress.ed.gov
  • NCES Digest of Education Statistics, table 211.60 (2021-22): the state's average teacher salary, from the National Education Association. nces.ed.gov
  • U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, 2024: children aged 5 to 17 and those in families in poverty, by school district. census.gov
  • U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances, fiscal year 2023-24: per pupil current spending for 2023-24 and 2022-23. census.gov
  • NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, fiscal year 2022-23: district spending and revenue. nces.ed.gov
  • U.S. Census Bureau geocoder and TIGER school districts: the district boundary used by the district finder. census.gov

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances Per pupil current spending by school system · FY 2023-24

Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey Revenue and expenditures by district · FY 2022-23

Source: NCES Common Core of Data School directory, membership, staff and lunch files · 2024-25

Compiled from official source data by .