Last spring, eighth graders across the state sat for the first-ever MCAS exam on civics, and only 39% met or exceeded expectations.
The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System test was designed to be a benchmark showcasing how well school districts are implementing the civics curriculum required by “An act to promote and enhance civic engagement,” which was passed by state legislators in 2018. The regulation includes sections requiring schools to expand social studies and civics education, and requiring eighth graders to complete at least one non-partisan civics project.
In Franklin County, 26% of students met or exceeded expectations in civics, with only Pioneer Valley Regional School surpassing the state average.
Frontier
For the civics exam, one-quarter of eighth graders at Frontier Regional School met or exceeded expectations, the third highest rate when compared to other Franklin County eighth graders.
Of the four subject exams, the civics MCAS marked the lowest percentage of Frontier eighth graders meeting or exceeding expectations, with math coming in the closest at 33%, followed by 36% for English and 42% for science, their best subject.
“While our scores were lower than in other, more established MCAS subjects, we’re approaching the results cautiously,” Superintendent Darius Modestow wrote in an email on Monday. “Without any baseline data, it’s difficult to draw meaningful conclusions. For now, we’re focusing less on the raw numbers and more on understanding the assessment itself and how it aligns with our curriculum moving forward.”
Gill-Montague
The Gill-Montague Regional School District saw the lowest number of students meet or exceed expectations in civics in the county. Only 18% of students met expectations and none exceeded them.
The majority of the 71 students who sat for the test, 58%, partially met expectations, and 24% of students did not meet expectations.
Greenfield
In Greenfield, 21% of eighth grade students who took the civics exam in the 2024-2025 school year met or exceeded expectations — 18% lower than the state average.
Of the 78 students who participated in the exam, none exceeded expectations.
Mahar
The Ralph C. Mahar School District has 19% of students meeting or exceeding expectations in civics, 20% less than the state average.
Only 1% of Mahar students exceeded expectations, and the majority of students, 57%, only partially met expectations.
Mohawk Trail
Twenty-four percent of students at Mohawk Trail Regional School met or exceeded expectations in civics, 15% less than the state average.
At Mohawk Trail, the majority of eighth grade students, 44%, did not meet expectations. Thirty-two percent of students partially met expectations, 19% met expectations and 5% exceeded expectations.
Pioneer
Pioneer Valley Regional School eighth graders surpassed the state average, with 49% of students meeting or exceeding expectations, the highest in Franklin County.
The majority of Pioneer students, 44%, met expectations, while 36% partially met expectations. Fifteen percent did not meet expectations and 5% exceeded expectations.
“We are incredibly proud of our eighth graders,” Superintendent Patricia Kinsella said. “We feel really proud of those results. It’s the first year of the state implementing this test and our students did 10 percentage points higher than the state average.”
Staff Writer Aalianna Marietta contributed reporting.