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Gardner Middle School

Public Grades 5-7

414^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 484 Massachusetts Middle Schools

Better than 14% of Massachusetts middle schools

Summary

Gardner Middle School is a public middle school serving grades 5-7 in Gardner, MA, with a student population of 483. The school is part of the Gardner school district, which is ranked 304 out of 348 districts in Massachusetts and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Gardner Middle School consistently performs below the state average on MCAS Next Generation assessments across all grades and subjects. In 2024-2025, only 13.38% of students were proficient or better in ELA, compared to the state average of 41.53%, and only 19.49% were proficient or better in math, compared to 40.74% statewide. The school also struggles to support certain student subgroups, ranking in the bottom quartile for English Language Learners and students with disabilities. Overall, Gardner Middle School has consistently ranked in the bottom quartile of Massachusetts middle schools, with a ranking of 414 out of 484 in 2024-2025.

When compared to nearby middle schools, Gardner Middle School consistently underperforms. For example, Overlook Middle School in Ashburnham-Westminster has significantly higher proficiency rates, with 43.39% of students proficient or better in ELA and 38.41% in math in 2024-2025. Despite the relatively low student-teacher ratio at Gardner Middle School, its per-student spending is on par with or higher than nearby schools, suggesting that resources may not be effectively allocated to support student learning.

514

Students ?

13.2

Student/teacher ratio ?

$18,864

Per pupil spending ?

59.4%

Free/discounted lunch ?

297 Catherine Street
Gardner, MA 01440

(978) 632-1603

District: Gardner

Students who attend Gardner Middle School usually attend:

High:

Gardner High

Feeder schools for Gardner Middle School:

Elementary:

Gardner Elementary School

Racial breakdown:

White:

57.0%

Hispanic:

31.7%

Two or more races:

5.3%

See top rated Massachusetts middle schools

Compare Gardner Middle School to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 21st percentile in 2015 → 14th in 2025

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Massachusetts average (18% vs 41% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (14th percentile)

!Ranking has slipped — down 7 percentile points since 2015

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school18%

District avg20%

Massachusetts avg41%

414^th of 484

Massachusetts public middle schools ?

Bottom 14%▼ down 6 pts since 2015

From bottom 21% (2015) to bottom 14% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Massachusetts Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

304^th of 348Gardner among Massachusetts districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2025	16.2	414 of 484	14.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	29.8	331 of 493	32.9%	★★☆☆☆
2023	23.1	381 of 501	24.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	24.6	380 of 497	23.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	22.9	383 of 501	23.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	14.3	430 of 498	13.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	17.2	403 of 484	16.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	11.3	441 of 487	9.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2016	13.8	429 of 482	11.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	22.8	350 of 441	20.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	19.2	373 of 455	18.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	24.7	356 of 455	21.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	24.9	352 of 455	22.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	40.2	294 of 449	34.5%	★★☆☆☆
2010	40.9	282 of 434	35.0%	★★☆☆☆
2009	46.6	241 of 409	41.1%	★★☆☆☆
2008	42.2	259 of 407	36.4%	★★☆☆☆
2007	45.1	247 of 399	38.1%	★★☆☆☆
2006	21.3	321 of 399	19.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2005	21.1	294 of 356	17.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2004	18.2	295 of 344	14.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2003	17.1	290 of 339	14.5%	★☆☆☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2022	34.8	261 of 445	41.3%	★★☆☆☆
2021	27.2	321 of 431	25.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	25.1	333 of 424	21.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	27.9	310 of 417	25.7%	★☆☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2025	36.9	120 of 181	33.7%	★★☆☆☆
2022	62.3	15 of 154	90.3%	★★★★★

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2025	15.0	411 of 473	13.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	33.6	304 of 481	36.8%	★★☆☆☆
2023	22.6	379 of 489	22.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	27.9	358 of 494	27.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	23.4	377 of 483	21.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	10.8	441 of 478	7.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	23.6	364 of 463	21.4%	★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2025	16.1	356 of 376	5.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	34.1	235 of 378	37.8%	★★☆☆☆
2023	29.0	266 of 364	26.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	42.9	189 of 368	48.6%	★★☆☆☆
2021	35.0	215 of 335	35.8%	★★☆☆☆
2019	16.9	296 of 322	8.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	33.8	214 of 309	30.7%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2025	20.1	400 of 464	13.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	40.6	260 of 469	44.6%	★★☆☆☆
2023	32.5	343 of 481	28.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	27.4	374 of 489	23.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	30.7	341 of 462	26.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	16.0	411 of 452	9.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	18.7	393 of 438	10.3%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2025	19.5	389 of 473	17.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	25.3	356 of 483	26.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	23.8	371 of 489	24.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	22.4	392 of 497	21.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	24.6	361 of 485	25.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	17.8	402 of 478	15.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	11.6	422 of 466	9.4%	☆☆☆☆☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2022	20.5	84 of 102	17.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	20.2	78 of 92	15.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	8.6	84 of 87	3.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	14.1	70 of 84	16.7%	★☆☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2025	29.4	305 of 435	29.9%	★★☆☆☆
2024	31.1	285 of 441	35.4%	★★☆☆☆
2023	31.6	288 of 444	35.1%	★★☆☆☆
2022	27.5	389 of 503	22.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	27.8	378 of 489	22.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	17.1	436 of 484	9.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	18.5	421 of 467	9.9%	★☆☆☆☆

Tested In Person

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2021	24.2	368 of 491	25.1%	★☆☆☆☆

Tested Remotely

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2021	26.5	252 of 339	25.7%	★☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Massachusetts percentile	Rating
2025	11.7	355 of 386	8.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	22.1	306 of 392	21.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	16.3	351 of 403	12.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	13.8	367 of 404	9.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	13.4	363 of 401	9.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	7.5	380 of 396	4.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	7.8	376 of 395	4.8%	☆☆☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Disabled (2022)41st percentile+18 vs school

English Language Learner (2025)34th percentile+19 vs school

Special Education (2025)30th percentile+15 vs school

Tested Remotely (2021)26th percentile~ school

Tested In Person (2021)25th percentile~ school

Male (2025)18th percentile+3 vs school

Multi-racial (2022)18th percentile-6 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)14th percentile~ school

Female (2025)13th percentile~ school

White (2025)8th percentile-6 vs school

Hispanic (2025)5th percentile-9 vs school

By subject vs Massachusetts (2024-2025) ?

Science24%-17 vs state

Mathematics19%-21 vs state

English Language Arts13%-28 vs state

★

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Schools Near Gardner Middle School

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				MCAS Next Generation English Language Arts (2025)					MCAS Next Generation Mathematics (2025)					MCAS Next Generation Science (2025)			MCAS Next Generation Civics (2025)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	MCAS Next Generation English Language Arts 5th Grade	MCAS Next Generation English Language Arts 6th Grade	MCAS Next Generation English Language Arts 7th Grade	MCAS Next Generation English Language Arts 8th Grade	MCAS Next Generation English Language Arts All Grades	MCAS Next Generation Mathematics 5th Grade	MCAS Next Generation Mathematics 6th Grade	MCAS Next Generation Mathematics 7th Grade	MCAS Next Generation Mathematics 8th Grade	MCAS Next Generation Mathematics All Grades	MCAS Next Generation Science 5th Grade	MCAS Next Generation Science 8th Grade	MCAS Next Generation Science All Grades	MCAS Next Generation Civics 8th Grade	Total
Gardner Middle School	Public	5-7	297 Catherine Street	Gardner	01440	Worcester County	Gardner	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 632-1603	514	39	13.2		293 (57.0%)	22 (4.3%)	163 (31.7%)	6 (1.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (5.3%)	16.2	414^th of 484 public middle schools	14.5%		29.8	331^st of 493 public middle schools	32.9%	83	11.6	12.0	16.8		13.4	17.2	20.8	20.8		19.5	24.1		24.1		$18,864
Overlook Middle School	Public	6-8	10 Oakmont Drive	Ashburnham	01430	Worcester County	Ashburnham-Westminster	No	No	No	No	(978) 827-1425	576	39	14.7		497 (86.3%)	11 (1.9%)	48 (8.3%)	5 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (2.6%)	56.3	190^th of 484 public middle schools	60.7%		59.8	181^st of 493 public middle schools	63.3%	9		27.2	52.5	53.7	43.4		42.7	42.1	29.6	38.4		40.9	40.9	44.8	$16,097
Narragansett Middle	Public	5-7	460 Baldwinville Rd	Baldwinville	01436	Worcester County	Narragansett	No	No	No	No	(978) 939-5928	366	25	14.4		304 (83.1%)	7 (1.9%)	40 (10.9%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (3.6%)	34.1	297^th of 484 public middle schools	38.6%		34.7	305^th of 493 public middle schools	38.1%	8	19.1	29.1	29.5		26.0	13.3	35.7	25.9		25.4	29.2		29.2		$16,659
Murdock Middle School	Public	6-8	3 Memorial Drive	Winchendon	01475	Worcester County	Winchendon	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 297-1256	281	19	14.5		230 (81.9%)	6 (2.1%)	28 (10.0%)	5 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	9 (3.2%)	30.8	322^nd of 484 public middle schools	33.5%		25.5	358^th of 493 public middle schools	27.4%	36		20.9	10.2	35.6	22.2		13.1	20.5	31.0	21.5		40.7	40.7	35.8	$16,923
Memorial Middle School	Public	6-8	615 Rollstone Street	Fitchburg	01420	Worcester County	Fitchburg	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 345-3295	601	46	13.0		163 (27.1%)	35 (5.8%)	334 (55.6%)	24 (4.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	45 (7.5%)	33.4	306^th of 484 public middle schools	36.8%		41.8	267^th of 493 public middle schools	45.8%	39		29.7	44.5	41.3	37.7		25.0	24.2	21.1	23.6		22.2	22.2	22.0	$21,176
Arthur M Longsjo Middle School	Public	6-8	98 Academy Street	Fitchburg	01420	Worcester County	Fitchburg	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 343-2146	614	54	11.3		111 (18.1%)	59 (9.6%)	379 (61.7%)	19 (3.1%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	44 (7.2%)	16.2	413^th of 484 public middle schools	14.7%		17.8	408^th of 493 public middle schools	17.2%	5		18.4	17.8	21.9	19.4		22.3	14.4	13.3	16.8		14.5	14.5	14.5	$22,390
Athol-Royalston Middle School	Public	5-8	1062 Pleasant Street	Athol	01331	Worcester County	Athol-Royalston	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 249-2430	446	35	12.9		321 (72.0%)	14 (3.1%)	89 (20.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (4.7%)	22.4	373^rd of 484 public middle schools	22.9%		23.6	367^th of 493 public middle schools	25.6%	6	4.1	30.2	20.8	21.5	20.4	2.8	18.5	24.5	24.0	18.9	8.7	14.9	12.6	19.2	$17,365
Samoset School	Public	6-8	100 DeCicco Dr	Leominster	01453	Worcester County	Leominster	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 534-7725	495	42	11.7		200 (40.4%)	53 (10.7%)	205 (41.4%)	17 (3.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (4.0%)	41.4	260^th of 484 public middle schools	46.3%		39.7	280^th of 493 public middle schools	43.2%	20		30.9	37.1	39.5	35.7		29.1	34.8	31.5	31.8		24.8	24.8	38.4	$19,473
Lunenburg Middle School	Public	6-8	1079 Massachusetts Avenue	Lunenburg	01462	Worcester County	Lunenburg	No	No	No	No	(978) 582-4710	382	25	15.2		306 (80.1%)	18 (4.7%)	39 (10.2%)	6 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	12 (3.1%)	71.3	123^rd of 484 public middle schools	74.6%		67.2	142^nd of 493 public middle schools	71.2%	19		46.7	51.9	55.3	50.8		50.7	47.2	41.7	46.9		47.8	47.8	59.1	$17,054
Sky View Middle School	Public	6-8	500 Kennedy Way	Leominster	01453	Worcester County	Leominster	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 534-7780	869	56	15.4		328 (37.7%)	84 (9.7%)	389 (44.8%)	28 (3.2%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	38 (4.4%)	47.2	224^th of 484 public middle schools	53.7%		43.4	253^rd of 493 public middle schools	48.7%	29		38.3	39.2	39.4	38.9		27.6	34.6	43.8	35.1		25.0	25.0	43.4	$17,200

Frequently Asked Questions about Gardner Middle School

How many students attend Gardner Middle School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 514 students attended Gardner Middle School.

Is Gardner Middle School a good school?

Gardner Middle School ranks in the bottom 14.5% of Massachusetts middle schools.

What high school do graduates of Gardner Middle School attend?

Students who attend Gardner Middle School usually go on to attend Gardner High

What district is Gardner Middle School in?

Gardner

What is the racial makeup of Gardner Middle School?

Students at Gardner Middle School are 57% White, 32% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races, 4% African American, 1% Asian.

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Latest Massachusetts data All new data »

2024–25 dropout rates & graduation ratesMar 5, 2026

2024–25 MCAS Next Generation test scoresSep 29, 2025

2023–24 school spending dataMay 8, 2025

2023–24 dropout rates & graduation ratesMay 1, 2025

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.