Overview

• Grades 3–8 results show 42% meeting or exceeding expectations in English (+3 points from 2024, 10 points below 2019) and 41% in math (flat year over year, 8 points below 2019).
• Grade 10 performance declined to 51% in English (down 6 points) and 45% in math (down 3 points), with officials reporting more blank and off‑topic responses after the test stopped counting for graduation.
• Only 13 districts matched or exceeded pre‑pandemic levels in both English and math for grades 3–8, with nine reaching that mark in English and 41 in math.
• Accountability data list 61 Schools of Recognition, identify 29 districts and 280 schools needing assistance, and show 55% of schools meeting progress targets compared with 60% in 2024.
• This year introduced an 8th‑grade civics exam with 39% meeting expectations, and DESE says work on new graduation standards will yield initial findings later this fall.