Russell, Massachusetts
The Russell Schools by the Numbers
Russell has no school district of its own. Its students belong to Gateway Regional, a six town district of about 721 students spread over more than 175 square miles. Detailed figures come from the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE).
District Snapshot
Sources: Massachusetts DESE, school and district profiles.
High needs is a state count, not a score. It includes every student who is from a low income household, learning English, or receiving special education services, and counts each one only once. The median across all 396 Massachusetts districts is 46.7 percent.
District Overview
| District | Gateway Regional |
| Enrollment | 721 |
| Schools | 3 (Chester Elementary, Littleville Elementary, Gateway Regional School) |
| Member towns | Blandford, Chester, Huntington, Middlefield, Montgomery, Russell |
Student Population
For the precise current breakdown, see the DESE district profile.
| English learners | 2.5% |
| First language not English | 6.0% |
| Students with disabilities | 25.8% |
| Low income | 43.0% |
| High needs | 55.2% |
| Per-pupil spending (in-district) | $25,430.08 |
Academic Performance & Context
Gateway Regional graduates 86.5 percent of its students within four years, against a state figure of 89.3 percent, and spends $24,619.65 per student in total against a state figure of $23,165. The district also runs two Chapter 74 vocational programs, in Early Education and Care and in Metal Fabrication and Joining Technologies, so a Gateway student can leave with a state recognized credential as well as a diploma. MCAS results and accountability data are published and updated each year by DESE, so this guide links to the live state profile rather than reprinting numbers that quickly go stale.
Sources
MA DESE, Gateway Regional Student Profile (code 06720000). Accessed 2026.