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Palmer High

Public Grades 7-12
265th
SchoolDigger Rank ?
of 353 Massachusetts High Schools
Better than 25% of Massachusetts high schools
Summary

Palmer High is a public school in Palmer, Massachusetts, serving grades 7–12 with 416 students, and it is the high school for the Palmer district, which ranks 296th of 351 districts statewide (16th percentile, 1 star). The school itself ranked 265th of 353 in 2025–2026 (25th percentile, 1 star), placing it in the bottom third of Massachusetts. Its rank history is volatile: it reached the 44th percentile in both 2024–2025 and 2022–2023, but fell to the 13th percentile in 2023–2024 and 25th percentile in 2025–2026, and it has not exceeded the 44th percentile in any year provided.

Academically, 2025–2026 MCAS results are below state levels. Tenth-grade science is the sharpest gap: 12.0% proficient versus 40.5% statewide, the lowest among nearby schools with reported results, below John J Duggan Academy (16.88%) and Quaboag Regional High (23.88%), and far below Belchertown High (67.94%). Tenth-grade ELA was 29.03% versus 45.48% statewide, ahead locally of only Ware Junior/Senior High School (23.64%) and Quaboag. Math is comparatively stronger: 10th-grade math was 35.48%, tying Pathfinder Vocational Technical and beating Monson High School, Ware, Quaboag, and Duggan. Seventh-grade math was 35.71%, within about 2 points of the 37.48% state figure — the closest Palmer comes to state performance.

Completion outcomes are the clearest bright spot. In 2024–2025, Palmer posted a 96.1% graduation rate and a 0.0% dropout rate, stronger than Ludlow Senior High, Belchertown, and Minnechaug Regional High, and matched only by Granby Junior Senior High School. These figures have been volatile, though (85.2% graduation and 4.9% dropout in 2023–2024). Palmer's student-teacher ratio of 8.8 is lower than most nearby schools, while per-student spending of $17,532 is mid-range. Because Palmer serves grades 7–12, 10th-grade results are the fairest comparison to neighboring 9–12 high schools. The biggest priority the data points to is improving high school science proficiency while sustaining recent graduation gains.

416
Students ?
8.8
Student/teacher ratio ?
$24,284
Per pupil spending ?
36.7%
Free/discounted lunch ?
 4105 Main Street
       Palmer, MA  01069-1868

(413) 283-6511

District: Palmer


Feeder schools for Palmer High:

Elementary:    Old Mill Pond
Racial breakdown:

White:
70.0%
Hispanic:
17.5%
Two or more races:
5.3%
more
 See top rated Massachusetts high schools

 Compare Palmer High to nearby high schools!
At a glance
▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 30th percentile in 2016 → 25th in 2026
Strengths
✓96% graduate within 4 years
✓Small classes — about 9 students per teacher
Worth a look
!Test scores below the Massachusetts average (25% vs 41% meeting standards)
!In the lower quartile statewide (25th percentile)
!Ranking has slipped — down 5 percentile points since 2016
Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?
This school25%
District avg26%
Massachusetts avg41%
Middle school
333rd of 478
Massachusetts public middle schools ?
Bottom 30%▲ up 17 pts since 2016
From bottom 13% (2016) to bottom 30% (2026)
See the entire ranking list of Massachusetts Middle Schools →
★★★★★
SchoolDigger rating ?
High school
265th of 353
Massachusetts public high schools ?
Bottom 25%▼ down 5 pts since 2016
From bottom 30% (2016) to bottom 25% (2026)
See the entire ranking list of Massachusetts High Schools →
★★★★★
SchoolDigger rating ?
296th of 351Palmer 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)
Middle school ranking
Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankMassachusetts percentileRating
202628.5333 of 47830.3%★★☆☆☆
202540.2270 of 48444.2%★★☆☆☆
202430.9325 of 49334.1%★★☆☆☆
202336.1305 of 50139.1%★★☆☆☆
202226.9363 of 49727.0%★☆☆☆☆
202133.3324 of 50135.3%★★☆☆☆
201931.7343 of 49831.1%★★☆☆☆
201838.2302 of 48437.6%★★☆☆☆
201722.2383 of 48721.4%★☆☆☆☆
201615.6420 of 48212.9%★☆☆☆☆
201535.6297 of 44132.7%★★☆☆☆
201433.9321 of 45529.5%★☆☆☆☆
201325.7353 of 45522.4%★☆☆☆☆
201248.1262 of 45542.4%★★☆☆☆
201137.6311 of 44930.7%★★☆☆☆
201029.6328 of 43424.4%★☆☆☆☆
200943.3262 of 40935.9%★★☆☆☆
200831.7293 of 40728.0%★☆☆☆☆
200745.0248 of 39937.8%★★☆☆☆
200640.8261 of 39934.6%★★☆☆☆

Disabled

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankMassachusetts percentileRating
202237.4238 of 44546.5%★★☆☆☆
202135.2260 of 43139.7%★★☆☆☆
201924.3338 of 42420.3%★☆☆☆☆
201820.1380 of 4178.9%☆☆☆☆☆

Female

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankMassachusetts percentileRating
202631.1313 of 46833.1%★★☆☆☆
202541.5256 of 47345.9%★★☆☆☆
202431.5320 of 48133.5%★★☆☆☆
202335.5308 of 48937.0%★★☆☆☆
202222.3385 of 49422.1%★☆☆☆☆
202130.8329 of 48331.9%★★☆☆☆
201927.9360 of 47824.7%★☆☆☆☆
201834.9319 of 46331.1%★★☆☆☆

Hispanic

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankMassachusetts percentileRating
202625.8308 of 38319.6%★☆☆☆☆
202527.0289 of 37623.1%★☆☆☆☆
202429.1271 of 37828.3%★☆☆☆☆
202340.3186 of 36448.9%★★☆☆☆
202225.2298 of 36819.0%★☆☆☆☆
202148.6144 of 33557.0%★★★☆☆
201953.3131 of 32259.3%★★★☆☆
201850.5132 of 30957.3%★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankMassachusetts percentileRating
202625.5366 of 46120.6%★☆☆☆☆
202540.3263 of 46443.3%★★☆☆☆
202426.9354 of 46924.5%★☆☆☆☆
202337.6300 of 48137.6%★★☆☆☆
202223.6402 of 48917.8%★☆☆☆☆
202138.6285 of 46238.3%★★☆☆☆
201940.6277 of 45238.7%★★☆☆☆
201851.8208 of 43852.5%★★★☆☆

Male

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankMassachusetts percentileRating
202625.8350 of 47025.5%★☆☆☆☆
202537.4271 of 47342.7%★★☆☆☆
202430.4322 of 48333.3%★★☆☆☆
202336.0296 of 48939.5%★★☆☆☆
202231.8329 of 49733.8%★★☆☆☆
202135.8302 of 48537.7%★★☆☆☆
201933.7321 of 47832.8%★★☆☆☆
201840.6279 of 46640.1%★★☆☆☆

Special Education

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankMassachusetts percentileRating
202623.2363 of 43616.7%★☆☆☆☆
202530.9289 of 43533.6%★★☆☆☆
202416.6431 of 4412.3%☆☆☆☆☆
202326.2336 of 44424.3%★☆☆☆☆
202223.9414 of 50317.7%★☆☆☆☆
202137.0301 of 48938.4%★★☆☆☆
201937.0315 of 48434.9%★★☆☆☆
201846.0239 of 46748.8%★★☆☆☆

Tested In Person

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankMassachusetts percentileRating
202135.6310 of 49136.9%★★☆☆☆

Tested Remotely

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankMassachusetts percentileRating
202134.8214 of 33936.9%★★☆☆☆

White

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankMassachusetts percentileRating
202617.8332 of 39315.5%★☆☆☆☆
202526.4285 of 38626.2%★☆☆☆☆
202417.9339 of 39213.5%★☆☆☆☆
202321.8320 of 40320.6%★☆☆☆☆
202216.6358 of 40411.4%★☆☆☆☆
202121.7323 of 40119.5%★☆☆☆☆
201918.5342 of 39613.6%★☆☆☆☆
201822.7321 of 39518.7%★☆☆☆☆
High school ranking
Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankMassachusetts percentileRating
202626.3265 of 35324.9%★☆☆☆☆
202546.1197 of 34943.6%★★☆☆☆
202414.8302 of 34813.2%★☆☆☆☆
202346.6195 of 34743.8%★★☆☆☆
202231.4240 of 34229.8%★★☆☆☆
202142.2191 of 28533.0%★★☆☆☆
201947.9213 of 35139.3%★★☆☆☆
201839.5256 of 34525.8%★☆☆☆☆
201745.7242 of 34830.5%★★☆☆☆
201644.3247 of 35129.6%★☆☆☆☆
201553.1212 of 35440.1%★★☆☆☆
201461.6176 of 34749.3%★★☆☆☆
201361.6161 of 34453.2%★★★☆☆
201250.8218 of 34035.9%★★☆☆☆
201154.0202 of 34040.6%★★☆☆☆
201060.0172 of 33548.7%★★☆☆☆
200938.3235 of 32227.0%★☆☆☆☆
200841.6218 of 31931.7%★★☆☆☆
200762.5130 of 31658.9%★★★☆☆
200633.5224 of 31428.7%★☆☆☆☆
200561.5148 of 31152.4%★★★☆☆
200463.5129 of 30758.0%★★★☆☆
200343.8181 of 30440.5%★★☆☆☆

Disabled

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankMassachusetts percentileRating
202217.8259 of 29512.2%★☆☆☆☆
201823.6237 of 29920.7%★☆☆☆☆

Female

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankMassachusetts percentileRating
202628.3243 of 34028.5%★☆☆☆☆
202559.4141 of 33758.2%★★★☆☆
202415.5291 of 34214.9%★☆☆☆☆
202332.3242 of 33928.6%★☆☆☆☆
202233.0236 of 34030.6%★★☆☆☆
202142.0183 of 28134.9%★★☆☆☆
201939.1230 of 34232.7%★★☆☆☆
201852.9211 of 33937.8%★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankMassachusetts percentileRating
202628.0258 of 34024.1%★☆☆☆☆
202548.1155 of 33453.6%★★★☆☆
202416.6297 of 33812.1%★☆☆☆☆
202351.2167 of 33850.6%★★★☆☆
202227.6243 of 33226.8%★☆☆☆☆
202140.6156 of 25338.3%★★☆☆☆
201952.8167 of 33049.4%★★☆☆☆
201833.6244 of 33026.1%★☆☆☆☆

Male

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankMassachusetts percentileRating
202617.6293 of 34414.8%★☆☆☆☆
202531.9228 of 33932.7%★★☆☆☆
202413.3295 of 34213.7%★☆☆☆☆
202357.0147 of 34357.1%★★★☆☆
202230.3241 of 33928.9%★☆☆☆☆
202143.1178 of 28136.7%★★☆☆☆
201956.0171 of 34650.6%★★★☆☆
201827.0277 of 34319.2%★☆☆☆☆

Special Education

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankMassachusetts percentileRating
202325.2226 of 30124.9%★☆☆☆☆
202230.0246 of 33927.4%★☆☆☆☆
202138.4172 of 26835.8%★★☆☆☆
201943.2206 of 34840.8%★★☆☆☆
201829.6267 of 34422.4%★☆☆☆☆

White

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankMassachusetts percentileRating
202616.1263 of 30212.9%★☆☆☆☆
202534.0197 of 29833.9%★★☆☆☆
20242.4298 of 3021.3%☆☆☆☆☆
202344.4167 of 30144.5%★★☆☆☆
202224.0239 of 30020.3%★☆☆☆☆
202130.4198 of 24920.5%★☆☆☆☆
201933.3217 of 30228.1%★☆☆☆☆
201824.6261 of 30313.9%★☆☆☆☆
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)
Middle school
Disabled (2022)47th percentile+20 vs school
Tested Remotely (2021)37th percentile~ school
Tested In Person (2021)37th percentile~ school
Female (2026)33rd percentile+3 vs school
Male (2026)26th percentile-5 vs school
Low Socio Economic Status (2026)21st percentile-10 vs school
Hispanic (2026)20th percentile-11 vs school
Special Education (2026)17th percentile-14 vs school
White (2026)16th percentile-15 vs school
High school
Female (2026)29th percentile+4 vs school
Special Education (2023)25th percentile-19 vs school
Low Socio Economic Status (2026)24th percentile~ school
Male (2026)15th percentile-10 vs school
White (2026)13th percentile-12 vs school
Disabled (2022)12th percentile-18 vs school
By subject vs Massachusetts (2025-2026) ?
Mathematics32%-9 vs state
English Language Arts22%-18 vs state
Civics22%-18 vs state
Science22%-19 vs state

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Schools Near Palmer High

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Frequently Asked Questions about Palmer High

Palmer High ranks in the bottom 24.9% of Massachusetts high schools.

Students at Palmer High are 70% White, 18% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races, 4% Asian, 3% African American.

Palmer High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Old Mill Pond

In the 2024-25 school year, 416 students attended Palmer High.

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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.

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