Of the 1,186 students who took part in the English Language Arts portion of the MCAS, 73.9% scored below proficiency in the 2022-23 school year, according to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
In comparison, 23.4% met the subject benchmarks and 2.6% exceeded them.
The number of Gardner Public Schools District students who failed their English Language Arts assessments rose by 8% from the previous school year.
Gardner Public Schools District roughly covers schools within Worcester County and has a main office in Gardner.
In the 2022-23 school year, 467,444 students took the English Language Arts test in Massachusetts with 55.3% failing the exam, 1.8% less than the year before.
Massachusetts spends more money on K-12 education per pupil than most other states, ranking fifth in the nation, according to a 2025 report. The state allocates over $24,000 per pupil, totaling $22.5 billion annually.
| School Name | Students who did not meet standards (%) |
|---|---|
| Gardner Elementary School | 78.9% |
| Gardner High School | 63.1% |
| Gardner Middle School | 77.8% |
