Enrollment
623
Massachusetts · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Shrewsbury, MA
Major Howard W. Beal School
Federal NCES profile for Major Howard W. Beal School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 33/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 251077002496
👥 S:T ratio 42
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 60
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Major Howard W. Beal School earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 84% of Massachusetts schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Massachusetts schools.
- #5 of 6
- elementary schools in Shrewsbury · Resource Index
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.5:1
- large classes for Massachusetts
- 623
- students enrolled
Major Howard W. Beal School has class sizes larger than 84% of Massachusetts schools. Computed live against every Massachusetts school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Major Howard W. Beal School ranks #5 of 6 elementary schools in Shrewsbury, MA.
School address
District: Shrewsbury · Massachusetts
NCES ID 251077002496 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
43.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.5:1
vs 12.3:1 Massachusetts avg
+18% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Major Howard W. Beal School compares with Massachusetts and U.S. medians
What stands out at Major Howard W. Beal School
Major Howard W. Beal School is a mid-sized elementary school in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, enrolling 623 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 14.5:1 puts it in the larger third of Massachusetts schools by student-teacher ratio.
Enrollment of 623 puts it in the larger third of Massachusetts schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,831 scored Massachusetts schools.
Its student body is led by White (38%) and Asian (37%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 70/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 623 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
16.1% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding Shrewsbury spends $17,158 per pupil, 24% below the Massachusetts average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Shrewsbury's elementary schools, it stands alongside Sherwood Middle School (951 students): Major Howard W. Beal School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (14.5:1 vs 14.2:1).
Shrewsbury also operates Shrewsbury High School (1,891 students) and Sherwood Middle School (951 students) alongside Major Howard W. Beal School.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Major Howard W. Beal School compares
Major Howard W. Beal School on the metrics families compare, against Massachusetts and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Massachusetts | Massachusetts avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.5:1 | ▲ 18% | 12.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 623 | top 23% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.5:1
Leaner classes than 52% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
623
Bigger than 75% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Staffing depth
14.5:1
students per teacher
- 18% above state mean
Top 84% in Massachusetts - lower ratio than 16% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
16.1%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$17,158
per pupil, district-wide
- below Massachusetts avg of $22,458
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 623 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
White 37.7%
Asian 36.9%
Hispanic or Latino 13.6%
Two or More 6.1%
African American 4.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.8%
Largest group: White at 37.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 69.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 69.7, Major Howard W. Beal School is more mixed than the Massachusetts school average of 47.3.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Shrewsbury, which includes Major Howard W. Beal School.
$17,158
Per student
-24%
vs Massachusetts
Avg $22,458
+3%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 59.4%
State 35.9%
Federal 4.6%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Major Howard W. Beal School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shrewsbury High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Sherwood Middle School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Oak Middle School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Floral Street School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Spring Street School | Smaller | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Major Howard W. Beal School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,891
- Students per teacher
- 15.3:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 951
- Students per teacher
- 14.2:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 914
- Students per teacher
- 12.4:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 524
- Students per teacher
- 12.5:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 304
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
Similar elementary schools in Shrewsbury
5 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Sherwood Middle School
Standard public school
951 students 14.2:1 students per teacher
Floral Street School
Standard public school
524 students 12.5:1 students per teacher
Spring Street School
Standard public school
304 students 13.8:1 students per teacher
Calvin Coolidge School
Standard public school
287 students 13:1 students per teacher
Walter J. Paton School
Standard public school
269 students 10.8:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Massachusetts, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~623 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Major Howard W. Beal School's federal record.
- Compare Major Howard W. Beal School against another school. Compare schools
- Shrewsbury's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Major Howard W. Beal School
How many students attend Major Howard W. Beal School?
Major Howard W. Beal School has 623 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Shrewsbury, MA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Major Howard W. Beal School?
The student-teacher ratio at Major Howard W. Beal School is 14.5:1, which is 18% higher than the Massachusetts average of 12.3:1 and 8% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Major Howard W. Beal School?
The largest demographic group at Major Howard W. Beal School is White at 37.7% of enrollment, in Shrewsbury, MA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 69.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Major Howard W. Beal School?
Major Howard W. Beal School has a Resource Investment Index of 33/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Major Howard W. Beal School rank among elementary schools in Shrewsbury?
By Resource Investment Index, Major Howard W. Beal School ranks #5 of 6 elementary schools in Shrewsbury, MA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Shrewsbury on the city page.
Is Major Howard W. Beal School a good school?
Major Howard W. Beal School earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 84% of Massachusetts schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Massachusetts schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Shrewsbury?
Besides Major Howard W. Beal School, Shrewsbury also operates Shrewsbury High School (1,891 students), Sherwood Middle School (951 students), and Oak Middle School (914 students). See the Shrewsbury district page for the complete list.
Related tools
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. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.