Mather Elementary School

www.bostonpublicschools.org

485 Students

Elementary School Pre-K - 5th

School Overview

The Mather Elementary School, located at 24 Parish Street in Dorchester, Massachusetts, holds a unique and historic place in American education. Established in 1639, it is officially recognized as the **oldest public elementary school in North America**. Serving the diverse community of Dorchester within the Boston Public Schools (BPS) district, the school balances this deep historical legacy with a commitment to providing a modern, equitable education for its students.

As a PK–5 institution, the Mather focuses on fostering a supportive learning environment that emphasizes academic growth, social-emotional development, and community engagement. The school’s curriculum is designed to meet the evolving needs of its urban student body, utilizing the resources provided by the Boston Public Schools system to offer diverse programming. By honoring its long-standing tradition of public service while adapting to the challenges of contemporary education, the Mather remains a cornerstone of the Dorchester neighborhood.

485

Total Students

42.2

Full-Time Teachers

11.5

Student/Teacher Ratio

N/A

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for Mather Elementary School
Demographic	Student Count
White	21
Hispanic	97
Black	209
Asian	134
Two or More	19
American Indian	4
Pacific Islander	1

Black
209 (43.1 %)
Asian
134 (27.6 %)
Hispanic
97 (20.0 %)
White
21 (4.3 %)
Two or More
19 (3.9 %)
American Indian
4 (0.8 %)
Pacific Islander
1 (0.2 %)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Elementary School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	Boston
Phone:	(617)635-8757
Website:	http://www.bostonpublicschools.org
Grade Range:	Pre-K - 5th
Total Students:	485
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	42.2
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	11.5
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	0
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	0

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Pre-Kindergarten 52

Kindergarten 78

Grade 1 75

Grade 2 75

Grade 3 69

Grade 4 79

Grade 5 57

Grades Taught Data Table

Grades Taught and Student Counts for Mather Elementary School
Grade	Student Count
Pre-Kindergarten	52
Kindergarten	78
Grade 1	75
Grade 2	75
Grade 3	69
Grade 4	79
Grade 5	57

Gender Ratio

Student Gender Ratio Data Table

Student Gender Ratio for Mather Elementary School
Gender	Student Count	Percentage
Female	242	49.9%
Male	243	50.1%

Nearby Elementary Schools (Within 10 Miles)