Knox Trail Middle School

ARLINGTON – The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education released 2025 Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) results today at Ottoson Middle School in Arlington. While 63 districts reached pre-pandemic levels of achievement for grades 3-8, the results show that post-pandemic learning loss continues to be a major challenge for many students. This underscores the need for a focus on addressing chronic absenteeism and improving early literacy, which the Healey-Driscoll Administration has prioritized. 

“We know that school communities are working hard to support their students, and I’m glad to highlight positive results among several districts while also recognizing the work that we still need to do as a state,” said Education Secretary Dr. Patrick Tutwiler. “We know our educators and students can do great things when all students are welcomed to school and attend classes every day, and the state’s investment in early literacy will build a solid start for future academic success.”  

“Today, we are recognizing 63 districts for returning to pre-pandemic achievement levels in grades 3-8, but next year, I hope that all districts have met this benchmark,” said Elementary and Secondary Education Commissioner Pedro Martinez. “We want to exceed where we were in 2019, but the first step is to get back to that baseline. I want to congratulate the districts who are here today, particularly the 13 districts that, like Arlington, have reached pre-pandemic levels in both English language arts and math.” 

In addition to the 13 districts where students reached pre-pandemic levels in both English language arts (ELA) and math, another 50 reached pre-pandemic levels in one of those two subjects. 

Overall, the 2025 results show that Massachusetts students are still behind where they were in 2019. In grades 3-8, English language arts results increased from 2024, while math results were mostly flat. Science results were flat in grade 5 and lower in grade 8. For the first time in decades, high school students who took the MCAS in 2025 did not have to earn a qualifying score to graduate, and high school scores in English language arts, mathematics and science dropped compared to last year. 

This year’s results include a grade 8 civics test for the first time. The Department was charged with developing a civics assessment for grade 8 alongside the state's broader initiatives to strengthen civics education as described in the 2018 Act to Promote and Enhance Civic Engagement. 

Also today, DESE released 2025 accountability results. District and school accountability results are used to identify schools that are demonstrating success, as well as those that require additional support or assistance. The state maintains its accountability system to meet the requirements of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act, as well as certain requirements in Massachusetts state law.  

This year’s information includes data on accountability indicators (download) such as graduation and chronic absenteeism rates, and it also includes school percentiles, determinations of each district’s and school’s need for assistance or intervention, and their progress toward targets for each indicator. 

The vast majority of schools – 82 percent – that received an accountability designation were identified as “not requiring assistance or intervention.” Fifty-five percent of schools met, exceeded or made substantial progress towards their accountability targets. 

This year, DESE is again identifying a number of Schools of Recognition for their strong improvement or overall achievement. This year’s group includes 61 schools across the state, from Egremont Elementary School in Pittsfield to New Mission High School in Boston.  

Detailed MCAS results 

English language arts: English language arts scores increased for grades 3-8 as a whole and dropped in grade 10 compared to 2024. 

Science: Science scores were statistically similar in grade 5 and dropped in grade 8 and high school.  

Math: Compared to 2024, the percentage of students scoring Meeting or Exceeding Expectations in math was unchanged in grades 3-8. The percentage of students who scored Meeting or Exceeding Expectations in grade 10 fell 3 percentage points. 

MCAS scores will be available online at https://profiles.doe.mass.edu/statereport/mcas.aspx. 

About Accountability Results 

District and school accountability data will be available at https://profiles.doe.mass.edu/statereport/accountability.aspx. 

Commissioner Martinez has not made entry or exit decisions about Underperforming or Chronically Underperforming schools. All schools previously identified by the Commissioner as Underperforming or Chronically Underperforming have maintained that status as part of today’s announcement, and each school’s status will be evaluated by the Commissioner in the coming weeks. 
  

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