Massachusetts
Massachusetts consistently leads the nation — and ranks among the top systems internationally — on standardized academic assessments. Its NAEP scores in 4th and 8th grade reading and math have placed first or second nationally for over two decades, a product of the 1993 Education Reform Act that tied school funding increases to new curriculum frameworks and a high-stakes graduation exam (MCAS). The state's strong university ecosystem, high concentration of knowledge-economy employers, and above-average teacher pay all reinforce a culture of academic expectation. Boston Public Schools, Lowell, Lawrence, and Springfield serve large urban populations with significant ELL and low-income student shares and receive additional state support through the foundation budget. Massachusetts has been thoughtful about charter school expansion — its charter sector is among the highest-performing in the country.
| District | Schools | Students | Per-Pupil | Grad Rate | Free Lunch | Opp. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Large Districts — 10,000+ Students | ||||||
| Boston | 109 | 46K | $47,393↑66% | 80.3%↓12% | — | 37 |
| Worcester | 46 | 24K | $28,304 | 85.4%↓7% | — | 48 |
| Springfield | 65 | 24K | $33,774↑18% | 83.0%↓9% | — | 41 |
| Lynn | 25 | 15K | $23,095↓19% | 79.4%↓13% | — | 42 |
| Brockton | 23 | 15K | $24,398↓14% | 81.5%↓11% | — | 52 |
| Lowell | 27 | 14K | $27,720 | 81.6%↓11% | — | 49 |
| Lawrence | 26 | 13K | $24,990↓12% | 72.4%↓21% | — | 41 |
| New Bedford | 25 | 13K | $23,947↓16% | 75.2%↓18% | — | 48 |
| Newton | 22 | 12K | $30,860↑8% | 97.0%↑6% | — | 56 |
| Fall River | 16 | 10K | $40,714↑43% | 77.9%↓15% | — | 41 |
| Medium Districts — 1,000–9,999 Students | ||||||
| Quincy | 19 | 9,649 | $24,201↓15% | 93.5% | — | 59 |
| Framingham | 14 | 9,274 | $33,079↑16% | 84.0%↓8% | — | 52 |
| Taunton | 12 | 7,905 | $25,188↓12% | 93.5% | — | 46 |
| Haverhill | 17 | 7,775 | $22,410↓21% | 83.0%↓9% | — | 45 |
| Revere | 11 | 7,298 | $24,609↓14% | 81.8%↓11% | — | — |
| Everett | 10 | 7,285 | $24,498↓14% | 75.9%↓17% | — | — |
| Plymouth | 13 | 7,119 | $28,352 | 93.9% | — | 44 |
| Brookline | 13 | 7,060 | $60,665↑113% | 95.0% | — | 49 |
| Lexington | 10 | 6,845 | $30,734↑8% | 99.5%↑9% | — | 59 |
| Wachusett | 13 | 6,739 | $19,035↓33% | 97.0%↑6% | — | 53 |
| Chicopee | 15 | 6,710 | $23,001↓19% | 83.3%↓9% | — | 43 |
| Cambridge | 17 | 6,627 | $53,724↑88% | 90.0% | — | 34 |
| Methuen | 5 | 6,440 | $21,016↓26% | 91.0% | — | 52 |
| Malden | 7 | 6,308 | $21,775↓24% | 81.0%↓11% | — | 50 |
| Chelsea | 11 | 6,153 | $25,736↓10% | 72.0%↓21% | — | 46 |
| Leominster | 12 | 6,000 | $20,670↓27% | 91.9% | — | 44 |
| Arlington | 11 | 5,987 | $36,380↑28% | 98.0%↑7% | — | 52 |
| Attleboro | 12 | 5,926 | $83,041↑191% | 93.1% | — | 50 |
| Shrewsbury | 9 | 5,892 | $24,389↓14% | 98.0%↑7% | — | 55 |
| Peabody | 11 | 5,875 | $26,008↓9% | 88.0% | — | — |
| Waltham | 10 | 5,643 | $65,788↑131% | 84.0%↓8% | — | 51 |
| Andover | 10 | 5,526 | $28,787 | 97.0%↑6% | — | 58 |
| Needham | 8 | 5,525 | $28,303 | 98.0%↑7% | — | 56 |
| Bridgewater-Raynham | 8 | 5,482 | $33,490↑17% | 97.0%↑6% | — | 53 |
| Natick | 8 | 5,346 | $30,036↑5% | 97.0%↑6% | — | 55 |
| Braintree | 10 | 5,305 | $26,805↓6% | 94.0% | — | — |
| Fitchburg | 8 | 5,167 | $21,232↓26% | 86.2%↓6% | — | 51 |
| Acton-Boxborough | 9 | 5,133 | $35,574↑25% | 98.0%↑7% | — | 48 |
| Chelmsford | 8 | 5,055 | $20,584↓28% | 96.0% | — | 56 |
| Pittsfield | 15 | 4,909 | $30,015↑5% | 84.8%↓7% | — | 46 |
| Barnstable | 9 | 4,838 | $26,364↓8% | 90.0% | — | 41 |
| Westfield | 12 | 4,836 | $24,658↓14% | 88.3% | — | 44 |
| Billerica | 8 | 4,822 | $26,020↓9% | 92.0% | — | 48 |
| Somerville | 11 | 4,815 | $52,692↑85% | 87.6% | — | 48 |
| Marlborough | 7 | 4,765 | $25,301↓11% | 83.0%↓9% | — | 46 |
| Franklin | 10 | 4,711 | $23,091↓19% | 98.0%↑7% | — | 54 |
| Westford | 9 | 4,710 | $24,640↓14% | 99.5%↑9% | — | 52 |
| Holyoke | 11 | 4,662 | $28,527 | 74.0%↓19% | — | 41 |
| Beverly | 8 | 4,575 | $23,469↓18% | 93.0% | — | — |
| Milford | 6 | 4,483 | $22,370↓22% | 87.0% | — | — |