Summary
Smith Vocational and Agricultural High is a public high school in Northampton, MA, serving 587 students in grades 9–12 as part of the Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural district. In 2025–2026 it ranked 300th of 353 Massachusetts high schools (15th percentile, 1 star), while the district ranked 334th of 351 (5th percentile, 0 stars). Its 2024–2025 graduation rate was 96.6%, dropout rate 1.4%, student-teacher ratio 9, and per-pupil spending $23,303 in 2020–2021.
Academic proficiency is among the lowest in the local group. In 2025–2026 10th-grade MCAS, proficiency was 17.57% in English Language Arts vs. 45.48% statewide, 23.81% in Math vs. 43.73%, and 16.91% in Science vs. 40.5%. End-of-course results were also low: Biology 20.22% vs. 37.68% statewide, and Physics 9.43% vs. 46.58%. Nearby Holyoke High was lower in math and science but close in ELA, while Northampton High —only 0.52 miles away—ranked 32nd of 353 (91st percentile, 5 stars) with ELA 68.6%, Math 75%, and Science 77.61%. Most other nearby schools, including Amherst Regional High and Easthampton High, also scored higher.
Completion outcomes are a strength: graduation rose from 92.1% in 2022–2023 to 98.4% in 2023–2024, then 96.6% in 2024–2025, with a 1.4% dropout rate. That is stronger than Holyoke High, South Hadley High, Amherst Regional High, Pioneer Valley Performing Arts Charter Public School, Easthampton High, Smith Academy, Hopkins Academy, and Northampton High; only Granby Junior Senior High School and Hampshire Regional High were stronger. Still, MCAS fell sharply since 2023–2024: ELA from 40.54% to 17.57%, Science from 45.59% to 16.91%, Biology from 44.87% to 20.22%, and Physics from 46.88% to 9.43%. High spending and small classes have not translated into high test scores. Special education is the relatively strongest subgroup (25th percentile in 2025–2026) but has declined, and low-income subgroup ranks are also low. Free/reduced-lunch data were not available.
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