Best Public Schools in Gardner, MA

The city of Gardner, Massachusetts has 4 schools, including 1 elementary school, 1 middle school, and 2 high schools (one of which is an alternative school). The data reveals a mix of strengths and challenges across the district, with the high schools showing some promising performance but the elementary and middle schools facing significant academic hurdles.

Gardner High School stands out as the top-performing school in the district, ranking 235 out of 349 Massachusetts high schools and maintaining a relatively high 4-year graduation rate of 85.9% and a dropout rate of 8.2%. In contrast, Gardner Academy for Learning and Technology, an alternative high school, has a lower ranking but still manages to maintain similar graduation and dropout rates as the larger Gardner High School.

The elementary and middle schools in Gardner, however, face more significant challenges. Gardner Elementary School and Gardner Middle School both rank in the bottom 10-15% of Massachusetts schools in their respective categories, with MCAS Next Generation proficiency rates well below the state averages, particularly in mathematics. Despite the district's relatively high spending per student, ranging from $14,319 to $15,847 per student, the data suggests that these resources have not yet translated into significantly improved academic outcomes for the elementary and middle school students.