schoolsbycounty

Franklin County Schools & Education

School Score

52/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Midrange Signal

Graduation Rate

78.8%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

78.8%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 88.1%

Per-Pupil Spending

$12,613

National avg $13,239

State avg $13,582

School Score

52/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 72/100

State Score Position

#13

of 14 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Franklin County

Measured School Summary

Franklin County has midrange measured school signals (score: 52/100) with a graduation rate of 78.8%, which warrants review in official state and district records.

Funding Context

With $12,613 per pupil, Franklin County has adequate funding that generally covers core educational needs and some supplemental services.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 27% below the Massachusetts average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 9.3 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 7% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Franklin County before comparing districts

County-level education data is best used as a screening layer. It summarizes the local school environment, then points you toward the district and school records that matter for local review.

Local context that changes the interpretation

35 public schools and 20 districts are represented below. Use those school and district records to confirm whether the county-level context fits the neighborhoods you are actually considering.

Overall screen

52/100

Mixed county signal. Ranks #13 of 14 Massachusetts counties with school score data.

Completion

78.8%

9.3 pts below the state average

Funding context

$12,613

$969 below the state average

School coverage

35

20 districts represented in the county school list.

Start with measured county context

This county needs a closer look at district mix, school level, and local context. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.

Check the local school mix

Franklin County has 35 public schools across 20 districts, so school-level fit can vary inside the county.

Verify local rules

Use this page as county-level context, then confirm attendance zones, transportation, special programs, and current school boundaries with local districts.

Parent decision brief

What Franklin County school data means before you move

County averages are useful for screening, but parents choose addresses, grade pathways, and district rules. This brief turns the public data into the checks that matter before you sign a lease or mortgage.

Mixed school landscape

Franklin County has enough school-level records to compare the local mix, but no single county metric should be treated as the answer. Use district shape, grade span, and data coverage together.

State position

#13

of 14 Massachusetts counties with school score data. The county score is 20 points below the state average.

Data confidence

Usable

3 of 5 county signals are present, and 100% of listed schools report enrollment. Compare schools, then verify missing fields locally.

K-12 continuity check

These are the largest visible district slices in the county data. They show whether elementary, middle, and high school records appear together or whether a family needs to investigate transition points.

Greenfield

Elementary to high school visible

1,446 students

Elementary 3Middle 1High 1Other 1

6 listed schools in this county slice.

Greater Commonwealth Virtual District

Other grade structure

1,155 students

Elementary 0Middle 0High 0Other 1

1 listed school in this county slice.

Gill-Montague

Elementary to high school visible

863 students

Elementary 3Middle 1High 1Other 0

5 listed schools in this county slice.

Mohawk Trail

Elementary and high visible

788 students

Elementary 3Middle 0High 1Other 0

4 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

Greenfield is the largest listed district slice, with 6 schools. County pages do not prove address assignment, so verify boundaries with local district tools.

What the data cannot tell you

NCES records do not confirm current attendance zones, private-school options, transfer approvals, program capacity, transportation, or whether a listed school is available to a specific address.

Questions to ask before choosing an address

Which district actually serves the addresses we are considering in Franklin County?

Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Franklin County district systems?

What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?

Which charter, magnet, or virtual options require a lottery, application window, separate transportation plan, or address eligibility check?

Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?

Education Overview

About Schools in Franklin County, Massachusetts

This context is screened for neutral school-data wording and should be read alongside the current metrics on this page. It is not school advice.

Rural Roots and Localized Learning

Franklin County manages 35 public schools serving 8,805 students across 20 distinct districts. The infrastructure is primarily built around 23 elementary schools, focusing heavily on primary education in local communities. This decentralized system reflects the county's commitment to maintaining neighborhood-based schools.

Greenfield and Virtual Districts Lead the Way

The Greenfield district is the largest traditional provider with 6 schools and 1,446 students. Interestingly, the Greater Commonwealth Virtual School is the county's largest single institution, serving 1,155 students statewide from its local base. Other key districts include Gill-Montague and Mohawk Trail, which serve the region's smaller towns.

The State's Smallest Brick-and-Mortar Classrooms

Attending school here is an intimate experience, with an average school size of just 252 students—one of the lowest in the state. The landscape is entirely rural or town-based, featuring 19 schools in pastoral settings and 16 in small towns. Schools like Greenfield High and Frontier Regional offer a close-knit community feel that larger counties cannot match.

School Overview

Total Schools

35

in Franklin County

Reported Enrollment

8,805

35 schools reporting

School Districts

20

districts

Charter Schools

1

3% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary23
Middle2
High8
Other2

20 School Districts in Franklin County

Greenfield

6 schools
1,446 students

Greater Commonwealth Virtual District

1 school
1,155 students

Gill-Montague

5 schools
863 students

Mohawk Trail

4 schools
788 students

Pioneer Valley

3 schools
660 students

Frontier

1 school
606 students

Franklin County Regional Vocational Technical

1 school
602 students

Orange

2 schools
524 students

Ralph C Mahar

1 school
523 students

Deerfield

1 school
309 students

35 Public Schools in Franklin County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 1 high-enrollment school; every NCES public school remains listed here.

NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data

Level

Showing 20 of 35 matching schools

Greater Commonwealth Virtual School

Greater Commonwealth Virtual District

Greenfield, 01301 / Town: Distant

ProfileKG–12Virtual1,155 students

Frontier Regional

Frontier

South Deerfield, 01373 / Town: Fringe

Record7–12High606 students

Franklin County Technical

Franklin County Regional Vocational Technical

Turners Falls, 01376 / Rural: Fringe

Record9–12Vocational602 students

Ralph C Mahar Regional

Ralph C Mahar

Orange, 01364 / Town: Fringe

Record7–12High523 students

Greenfield High

Greenfield

Greenfield, 01301 / Town: Distant

Record8–12High454 students

Deerfield Elementary

Deerfield

South Deerfield, 01373 / Town: Fringe

RecordPK–6Primary309 students

Greenfield Middle

Greenfield

Greenfield, 01301 / Town: Distant

Record5–7Middle300 students

Dexter Park

Orange

Orange, 01364 / Rural: Fringe

Record3–6Primary294 students

Buckland-Shelburne Regional

Mohawk Trail

Shelburne Falls, 01370 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–6Primary274 students

Mohawk Trail Regional School

Mohawk Trail

Shelburne Falls, 01370 / Rural: Distant

Record7–12High271 students

Pioneer Valley Regional

Pioneer Valley

Northfield, 01360 / Rural: Distant

Record7–12High256 students

Fisher Hill

Orange

Orange, 01364 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–2Primary230 students

Four Rivers Charter Public School

Four Rivers Charter Public (District)

Greenfield, 01301 / Rural: Fringe

Record7–12Charter219 students

Discovery School at Four Corners

Greenfield

Greenfield, 01301 / Town: Distant

RecordKG–4Primary214 students

Sheffield Elementary School

Gill-Montague

Turners Falls, 01376 / Town: Distant

Record2–5Primary211 students

Great Falls Middle

Gill-Montague

Montague, 01351 / Town: Distant

Record6–8Middle207 students

Bernardston Elementary

Pioneer Valley

Bernardston, 01337 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–6Primary204 students

Newton School

Greenfield

Greenfield, 01301 / Town: Distant

RecordKG–4Primary203 students

Northfield Elementary

Pioneer Valley

Northfield, 01360 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–6Primary200 students

Turners Fall High

Gill-Montague

Montague, 01351 / Town: Distant

Record9–12High194 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$12,613

State avg $13,582

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Franklin County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.

Open Compare

Browse Public Schools

See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.

View Schools

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Massachusetts counties have the highest graduation rates?
Barnstable County (92.4%), Hampshire County (92.3%), and Middlesex County (92.1%) currently lead Massachusetts among counties with available NCES four-year adjusted cohort graduation-rate data. This answer is generated from the same dataset used in the county table and can change when federal data refreshes.
What is per-pupil spending like in Massachusetts?
Across Massachusetts counties with available NCES district-finance data, average per-pupil spending is $13,582. The highest current county values are Dukes County ($21,423), Nantucket County ($16,692), and Suffolk County ($15,756). Compare counties in the table before treating the statewide average as representative of a local district.
How should I read the school score in Franklin County?
Franklin County has a school score of 52/100, which is a midrange measured signal in this county-level index. This score is calculated from available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data, with school-level records shown separately below.
What is the graduation rate in Franklin County?
The high school graduation rate in Franklin County is 78.8%, which is below the national average of 87.5%. This figure is based on NCES district-level data for public high schools in the county.
How much does Franklin County spend per student?
Franklin County spends $12,613 per pupil annually on public education, based on NCES district finance data. Current operating spending per fall enrollment, including instruction, support services, administration, transportation, and operations. It excludes capital outlays and debt service in the SchoolsByCounty methodology.

Frequently Asked Questions

Schools in Franklin County, Massachusetts — FAQ

What does the school system look like in Franklin County, Massachusetts?

Franklin County manages 35 public schools serving 8,805 students across 20 distinct districts. The infrastructure is primarily built around 23 elementary schools, focusing heavily on primary education in local communities. This decentralized system reflects the county's commitment to maintaining neighborhood-based schools.

What are the major school districts in Franklin County, Massachusetts?

The Greenfield district is the largest traditional provider with 6 schools and 1,446 students. Interestingly, the Greater Commonwealth Virtual School is the county's largest single institution, serving 1,155 students statewide from its local base. Other key districts include Gill-Montague and Mohawk Trail, which serve the region's smaller towns.

What is the school experience like in Franklin County?

Attending school here is an intimate experience, with an average school size of just 252 students—one of the lowest in the state. The landscape is entirely rural or town-based, featuring 19 schools in pastoral settings and 16 in small towns. Schools like Greenfield High and Frontier Regional offer a close-knit community feel that larger counties cannot match.

Counties with Similar School Profile

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorUpdated Reviewed by Evan Brooks, Data Editor

Data Sources

Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.

Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.