Students must pass the tenth grade MCAS math and English tests in order to graduate high school. Mastery of communication skills, including reading, writing, speaking and listening, is critical for success at college and in the workplace.

In 2023, 56% of tenth graders passed the state's language arts exam, down five points from 2019 and slightly lower than the 2023 state passing rate of 58%. Proficiency was lower among Hispanic or Latino (34%), economically disadvantaged (35%), and African American or Black (40%) students compared to those who are White (63%), not economically disadvantaged (72%), or Asian (80%). Proficiency decreased slightly for White, Black and Asian students, while rates for Hispanic, economically advantaged and economically disadvantaged students remained steady.

Among school districts in the County, 11 had passing rates of 70% or higher and three had a rate of 30% or lower in 2023. Passing rates were highest in Northborough-Southborough (89%) and lowest in Webster (21%) and Southbridge (19%).

It is important to note that standardized educational tests like the MCAS do not offer a full picture of the performance and/or abilities of a student. It is crucial to contextualize these data in contrast with other social factors that can have a deep impact on student performance and learning.

Studies point to a variety of factors believed to contribute to disparities in test scores and other measures of student achievement nationwide. Most school systems in the United States are highly segregated, and Black and Latino students disproportionally attend schools with high proportions of low-income students and lower levels of resources such as access to early learning opportunities, experienced teachers, advanced courses, and modern technology and facilities. In addition, teachers across all school systems in the nation tend to be disproportionately White, and the cultural relevance of teaching practices and curriculum may vary.

As assessments vary among states, it is not possible to include comparable data for the nation or other areas in this indicator.

The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education did not administer Spring 2020 MCAS for the 2019-2020 school year due to the cancellation of state assessments and school closures related to COVID-19.

In 2019, next-generation MCAS tests were administered. These next-generation achievement levels differ from the legacy MCAS achievement levels and are reported using a different scale. The next-generation achievement levels are designed to provide an indication of whether a student is on track to succeed in the subject matter and whether extra academic assistance may be needed for the student. Results from the next-generation grade 10 ELA and math tests, which were first administered in 2019, are not comparable to results from prior years.