WORCESTER—Worcester Public Schools maintained its overall state classification of “not requiring assistance or intervention” for the 2024-25 school year, according to new accountability data released Monday by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE).
The district was recognized for “making moderate progress toward targets,” with measurable improvements in graduation rates, chronic absenteeism, and English learner language proficiency.
“The data reflect the stability and modest gains we have experienced in student achievement and engagement over the past few years, but there is certainly more work to do,” Superintendent Brian E. Allen said in the district’s announcement. “While it’s important that we stay the course, we must continue to focus intently on our students the most in need of making academic gains. Our primary goal is to ensure all students succeed.”
Of the 44 Worcester schools included in the state’s accountability assessments, 42 made either “significant” or “moderate” progress toward their goals. Nineteen schools improved their classifications over the prior year, while two remained unchanged.
At the district level, Worcester met 47 percent of its performance targets—matching last year’s mark and up six points from 2022-23. The city’s four-year graduation rate climbed to 86 percent, a one-point increase from the previous year, while the annual dropout rate fell from 3 to 2 percent.
Chronic absenteeism also improved, dropping nearly four percentage points among grades 1–8 students and just over two points among high schoolers.
The percentage of English learners showing progress toward proficiency rose for the third straight year, with nearly 20 percent of high school students and more than 43 percent of K–8 students advancing.
MCAS results were mixed. Scores for students in grades 3–8 showed modest gains in English Language Arts and math, while grade 10 performance declined slightly in both subjects. The 2024-25 year marked the first time high school students were not required to pass MCAS to graduate, following a change in state law.
Several schools stood out for significant progress. Thorndyke Road Elementary improved by 15 points, Lake View Elementary by 14, and Goddard Elementary School of Science and Technology by 11. Lake View Elementary met 90 percent of its targets—the highest in the district—followed by Forest Grove Middle School (82 percent), Thorndyke Road Elementary (79 percent), and Goddard Elementary (75 percent).
Thirty Worcester schools were rated “not requiring assistance or intervention,” and 14 were labeled as “requiring assistance or intervention,” unchanged from the previous year though some schools shifted between categories.
Full accountability data for the 2024-25 school year is available on the DESE website.
Have news, tips, or a story worth telling? Reach Editor Charlene Arsenault at carsenault@theworcesterguardian.org—because good stories (and great scoops) deserve to be shared.
