The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System, or MCAS, results were released this week, and Swampscott students are consistently scoring above the statewide average.

“We are immensely proud of the progress and growth our students are demonstrating across the district,” Superintendent Jason Calichman told the Swampscott Tides. “Our educators have worked very hard to support all students in striving to meet and exceed grade-level expectations, and seeing those efforts pay off is incredibly rewarding.”

Tests are administered to students in third through eighth grade as well as tenth grade. All tested grades take math and English language arts, while grades five, eight and ten are also tested on science and technology / engineering. Eighth grade students also take a civics test, which was first administered in 2025.

Students receive scaled scores ranging from 440 to 560. A score of 500 is required to meet expectations. 

Students previously had to achieve a minimum score on the tenth grade exams to graduate high school. In 2024, Massachusetts voters got rid of the requirement. While the stakes are now lower for students, MCAS results are still considered as a major component of school and district accountability. 

Statewide, student achievement remained below pre-pandemic levels, with mixed results compared with last year. Students in third through eighth grade scored similarly in math compared to last year’s results, with eighth grade math showing the strongest improvement with an increase of 4% from 2025. English test scores dropped slightly.

Education Secretary Steve Zrike said in a press release that Gov. Maura Healey and her administration have “recognized the urgent need to focus on early literacy.” Zrike praised the Literacy Launch initiative, through which he said he is “confident that we will see improved outcomes in our English language arts performance.”

In Swampscott, sixth-grade English language arts scores rose 10%. Eighth grade scores increased 6% in English language arts, 10% in math, 9% in science and technology, and 8% in civics. Tenth grade math scores improved 13% from 2025. Most other results were within 1% of last year’s results.

“Over the past two school years, we’ve focused professional development on designing rigorous, standards-aligned learning tasks. That work directly supports our overarching district goals of delivering high-quality, standards-aligned instruction that challenges students to think critically and strengthening our multi-tiered systems of support,” Calichman said. “This success belongs to our dedicated staff, our hardworking students, and a community that consistently supports educational excellence. We look forward to building on this momentum.” 

However, across the Commonwealth, all tests are still below pre-pandemic levels throughout the Commonwealth. Only 14 districts have returned to or exceeded their pre-pandemic performances. 

Swampscott, though, is overall doing better than the surrounding districts.

Grades 3 to 8, meeting / exceeding expectations:

• English language arts:
  • Swampscott: 47%
  • Lynn: 16%
  • Marblehead: 58%
  • Salem: 30%
  • Revere: 24%
  • Peabody: 29%
  • Saugus: 27%
• Math:
  • Swampscott: 46%
  • Lynn: 14%
  • Marblehead: 60%
  • Salem: 25%
  • Revere: 28%
  • Peabody: 30%
  • Saugus: 32%
• Grades 5 and 8 Science and Technology:
  • Swampscott: 55%
  • Lynn: 15%
  • Marblehead: 63%
  • Salem: 30%
  • Revere: 23%
  • Peabody: 28%
  • Saugus: 32%

Grades 10, meeting / exceeding expectations:

• English language arts:
  • Swampscott: 59%
  • Lynn: 23%
  • Marblehead: 48%
  • Salem: 32%
  • Revere: 28%
  • Peabody: 26%
  • Saugus: 27%
• Math:
  • Swampscott: 61%
  • Lynn: 17%
  • Marblehead: 57%
  • Salem: 33%
  • Revere: 20%
  • Peabody: 22%
  • Saugus: 29%
• Science and Technology:
  • Swampscott: 71%
  • Lynn: 16%
  • Marblehead: 51%
  • Salem: 30%
  • Revere: 26%
  • Peabody: 24%
  • Saugus: 29%

And a look at each grade in Swampscott:

Grade 3

Third grade averaged a scaled score of 501 in English language arts and 500 in math. Compared with last year, scores have remained relatively flat. Math is 3% higher than pre-pandemic levels.

Grade 4

Fourth graders did not do as well at English as last year, but the student growth percentile was 45. The average scaled scores for both English language arts and math was 495.

Grade 5

Fifth graders have been pretty consistent in English language arts over the last three years. Both English and math are still below pre-pandemic levels, but they have risen over 10% since the major 2022 dip.  

Science and technology, on the other hand, is just 1% below pre-pandemic levels, with 57% of students meeting or exceeding expectations. The average scaled score was 500.

Grade 6

Sixth grade had seen a major dip in 2024 in English language arts, and the grade has recovered to 2022 levels, with a 51 student growth percentile. Math is slowly increasing, with a 1% increase in those meeting or exceeding expectations.

Grade 7

Only 36% of seventh-grade students met or exceeded expectations in English language arts, though that is just 7% below pre-pandemic numbers and a 5% increase from the major 2023 dip.

Grade 8

Eighth graders posted relatively consistent results across the four tests, with average scaled scores of 501 in English language arts, 500 in math, 499 in science and technology, and 509 in civics.

Grade 10

Tenth grade had its second-highest percentage of students meeting or exceeding expectations, at 71%. The grade also rebounded from a dip the previous year in mathematics and English language arts.