The percentage of students considered proficient on one of the state's 3rd grade English Language Arts test, either the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) or the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC).
Early literacy skills are critical to a successful school experience. Third grade is considered an important milestone in a student's career in terms of reading proficiency and is correlated to whether a student will graduate high school. Up through 3rd grade, students are learning to read; after 3rd grade, they must be able to read in order to learn. There are persistent gaps in academic achievement among students of different races, ethnicities and incomes. Notably, racial gaps persist even among students of similar socioeconomic backgrounds.
In 2025, 37% of Essex County 3rd graders were considered proficient in reading, down 2 percentage points from 2022 and lower than the state proficiency rate of 42%. Among districts, rates were highest in 2025 in Manchester Essex Regional (69%), Marblehead (67%), and Topsfield (65%) and lowest in Hill View Montessori Charter Public (12%), Lynn (17%), and Lawrence (18%).
In Essex County in 2025, proficiency was lower among Hispanic students and low-income students (both 20%), and African American students (23%) compared with students who are not low-income (54%), White (52%) or Asian (51%). Proficiency declined from 2022 among most groups, with the largest decline of 7 percentage points among Black or African American students. The rate among Hispanic students held steady.
Middlesex, MA had a higher proficiency rate in 2025 at 50%. Disparities were similar in both counties.
Studies point to a variety of factors believed to contribute to disparities in test scores and other measures of student achievement. School systems in the United States are highly segregated, and students of color disproportionately attend schools with high proportions of low-income students who may not have benefited from early learning opportunities at the same rate as other students. Schools also have different levels of resources ranging from qualified/experienced teachers to advanced courses to facilities and technology, and schools with large Black and Latino populations often have lower levels. In addition, teachers across all school systems tend to be disproportionately white, and teaching practices and curriculum may not be culturally relevant to students of color.
The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education defines "Low Income" students as those that meet any of the following criteria: identified as participating in state-administered programs (SNAP, TAFDC, MassHealth, or Foster Care), reported by a district as homeless, or a family income of up to 185% of the Federal Poverty Level.
As assessments vary among states, it is not possible to include comparable data for the nation or other areas in this indicator.
| All Students | Asian | Black or African American | Hispanic or Latino | Low Income | Non-Low Income | White | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essex County, MA | 37% | 51% | 23% | 20% | 20% | 54% | 52% |
| Middlesex County, MA | 50% | 63% | 32% | 25% | 25% | 62% | 58% |
| Massachusetts | 42% | 59% | 26% | 23% | 23% | 58% | 52% |
| School Districts in Essex | |||||||
| Amesbury | 45% | 30% | 28% | 57% | 48% | ||
| Andover | 61% | 74% | 33% | 28% | 67% | 63% | |
| Beverly | 56% | 17% | 16% | 24% | 73% | 66% | |
| Boxford | 61% | 38% | 40% | 63% | 64% | ||
| Community Day Charter Public School - Prospect | 40% | 37% | 38% | 46% | |||
| Danvers | 38% | 23% | 28% | 20% | 46% | 40% | |
| Georgetown | 55% | 57% | 55% | ||||
| Gloucester | 28% | 12% | 20% | 34% | 32% | ||
| Hamilton-Wenham | 62% | 42% | 25% | 65% | 63% | ||
| Haverhill | 34% | 45% | 28% | 25% | 27% | 47% | 45% |
| Hill View Montessori Charter Public | 12% | 7% | 17% | 10% | 21% | ||
| Ipswich | 58% | 47% | 34% | 66% | 61% | ||
| KIPP Academy Lynn Charter | 24% | 18% | 19% | 38% | |||
| Lawrence | 18% | 15% | 18% | 17% | 29% | 25% | |
| Lawrence Family Development Charter | 19% | 19% | 17% | 30% | |||
| Lynn | 17% | 21% | 17% | 14% | 14% | 28% | 34% |
| Lynnfield | 62% | 73% | 58% | 39% | 65% | 62% | |
| Manchester Essex Regional | 69% | 50% | 73% | 69% | |||
| Marblehead | 67% | 53% | 41% | 71% | 69% | ||
| Methuen | 30% | 40% | 29% | 24% | 17% | 50% | 41% |
| Middleton | 45% | 17% | 49% | 45% | |||
| Nahant | 47% | 50% | 43% | ||||
| Newburyport | 42% | 14% | 17% | 48% | 43% | ||
| North Andover | 52% | 68% | 42% | 38% | 24% | 62% | 54% |
| Peabody | 35% | 40% | 21% | 23% | 21% | 48% | 42% |
| Pentucket | 51% | 31% | 35% | 54% | 51% | ||
| River Valley Charter | 59% | 61% | 62% | ||||
| Rockport | 50% | 29% | 63% | 50% | |||
| Salem | 30% | 38% | 15% | 19% | 48% | 45% | |
| Saugus | 36% | 60% | 18% | 22% | 25% | 46% | 42% |
| Swampscott | 53% | 35% | 21% | 58% | 57% | ||
| Topsfield | 65% | 68% | 65% | ||||
| Triton | 55% | 33% | 27% | 66% | 55% |
| All Students | Asian | Black or African American | Hispanic or Latino | Low Income | Non-Low Income | White | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essex County, MA | 3,025 | 115 | 63 | 669 | 800 | 2,215 | 1,994 |
| Middlesex County, MA | 7,953 | 1,416 | 301 | 789 | 1,267 | 6,681 | 4,743 |
| Massachusetts | 28,167 | 2,889 | 1,647 | 3,829 | 6,897 | 21,259 | 18,018 |
| School Districts in Essex | |||||||
| Amesbury | 57 | 6 | 15 | 42 | 49 | ||
| Andover | 256 | 51 | 14 | 17 | 239 | 169 | |
| Beverly | 190 | 2 | 7 | 28 | 160 | 171 | |
| Boxford | 64 | 5 | 4 | 60 | 53 | ||
| Community Day Charter Public School - Prospect | 49 | 42 | 38 | 11 | |||
| Danvers | 96 | 3 | 14 | 15 | 81 | 72 | |
| Georgetown | 50 | 49 | 46 | ||||
| Gloucester | 63 | 3 | 20 | 43 | 58 | ||
| Hamilton-Wenham | 95 | 5 | 3 | 92 | 85 | ||
| Haverhill | 196 | 5 | 12 | 69 | 104 | 92 | 106 |
| Hill View Montessori Charter Public | 4 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | ||
| Ipswich | 73 | 7 | 11 | 62 | 63 | ||
| KIPP Academy Lynn Charter | 29 | 17 | 17 | 12 | |||
| Lawrence | 169 | 2 | 156 | 141 | 28 | 6 | |
| Lawrence Family Development Charter | 20 | 20 | 14 | 6 | |||
| Lynn | 199 | 14 | 15 | 122 | 129 | 70 | 43 |
| Lynnfield | 112 | 11 | 7 | 7 | 105 | 86 | |
| Manchester Essex Regional | 52 | 6 | 46 | 50 | |||
| Marblehead | 112 | 9 | 9 | 103 | 96 | ||
| Methuen | 143 | 6 | 10 | 62 | 48 | 95 | 60 |
| Middleton | 45 | 3 | 39 | 37 | |||
| Nahant | 7 | 7 | 6 | ||||
| Newburyport | 59 | 2 | 5 | 54 | 50 | ||
| North Andover | 169 | 13 | 5 | 19 | 20 | 149 | 125 |
| Peabody | 176 | 6 | 6 | 32 | 47 | 129 | 122 |
| Pentucket | 105 | 5 | 14 | 91 | 95 | ||
| River Valley Charter | 19 | 19 | 18 | ||||
| Rockport | 21 | 5 | 15 | 17 | |||
| Salem | 93 | 6 | 20 | 36 | 57 | 62 | |
| Saugus | 71 | 9 | 2 | 13 | 24 | 46 | 44 |
| Swampscott | 79 | 8 | 4 | 75 | 65 | ||
| Topsfield | 59 | 57 | 54 | ||||
| Triton | 93 | 4 | 14 | 79 | 83 |
| All Students | Asian | Black or African American | Hispanic or Latino | Low Income | Non-Low Income | White | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essex County, MA | 39% | 55% | 30% | 20% | 23% | 57% | 53% |
| Middlesex County, MA | 53% | 64% | 32% | 25% | 26% | 66% | 59% |
| Massachusetts | 44% | 62% | 28% | 23% | 26% | 60% | 53% |
| School Districts in Essex | |||||||
| Amesbury | 50% | 18% | 35% | 58% | 55% | ||
| Andover | 67% | 84% | 54% | 50% | 33% | 72% | 66% |
| Beverly | 47% | 13% | 36% | 25% | 61% | 52% | |
| Boxford | 77% | 60% | 79% | 75% | |||
| Community Day Charter Public School - Gateway | 34% | 28% | 25% | 58% | |||
| Community Day Charter Public School - Prospect | 29% | 30% | 29% | 30% | |||
| Community Day Charter Public School - R. Kingman Webster | 43% | 40% | 41% | 50% | |||
| Danvers | 45% | 31% | 31% | 52% | 47% | ||
| Georgetown | 52% | 50% | 53% | 53% | |||
| Gloucester | 51% | 30% | 43% | 59% | 55% | ||
| Hamilton-Wenham | 63% | 29% | 69% | 63% | |||
| Haverhill | 30% | 29% | 19% | 23% | 44% | 41% | |
| Hill View Montessori Charter Public | 41% | 31% | 29% | 50% | 50% | ||
| Ipswich | 67% | 63% | 68% | 66% | |||
| KIPP Academy Lynn Charter | 27% | 41% | 24% | 22% | 43% | 30% | |
| Lawrence | 18% | 42% | 35% | 17% | 17% | 26% | 29% |
| Lawrence Family Development Charter | 40% | 40% | 40% | 42% | |||
| Lynn | 20% | 29% | 25% | 14% | 16% | 33% | 39% |
| Lynnfield | 61% | 79% | 20% | 43% | 64% | 64% | |
| Manchester Essex Regional | 65% | 33% | 71% | 66% | |||
| Marblehead | 57% | 50% | 38% | 60% | 58% | ||
| Methuen | 33% | 47% | 37% | 21% | 23% | 47% | 46% |
| Middleton | 49% | 24% | 54% | 46% | |||
| Nahant | 38% | 42% | |||||
| Newburyport | 61% | 40% | 64% | 63% | |||
| North Andover | 58% | 64% | 40% | 40% | 37% | 64% | 60% |
| Peabody | 34% | 73% | 44% | 15% | 24% | 45% | 37% |
| Pentucket | 54% | 53% | 37% | 58% | 54% | ||
| River Valley Charter | 78% | 85% | 79% | ||||
| Rockport | 45% | 29% | 51% | 45% | |||
| Salem | 28% | 20% | 11% | 15% | 17% | 49% | 47% |
| Saugus | 40% | 31% | 27% | 33% | 50% | 47% | |
| Swampscott | 54% | 20% | 33% | 60% | 56% | ||
| Topsfield | 69% | 70% | 69% | ||||
| Triton | 47% | 38% | 53% | 46% |
| All Students | Asian | Black or African American | Hispanic or Latino | Low Income | Non-Low Income | White | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essex County, MA | 3,151 | 160 | 82 | 603 | 952 | 2,187 | 2,090 |
| Middlesex County, MA | 8,103 | 1,445 | 293 | 643 | 1,344 | 6,753 | 5,075 |
| Massachusetts | 28,404 | 3,077 | 1,639 | 3,411 | 7,800 | 20,595 | 18,623 |
| School Districts in Essex | |||||||
| Amesbury | 54 | 2 | 14 | 40 | 50 | ||
| Andover | 312 | 76 | 7 | 24 | 20 | 292 | 186 |
| Beverly | 172 | 2 | 14 | 35 | 136 | 149 | |
| Boxford | 70 | 6 | 64 | 58 | |||
| Community Day Charter Public School - Gateway | 15 | 11 | 8 | 7 | |||
| Community Day Charter Public School - Prospect | 14 | 14 | 11 | 3 | |||
| Community Day Charter Public School - R. Kingman Webster | 19 | 17 | 14 | 5 | |||
| Danvers | 120 | 10 | 26 | 94 | 101 | ||
| Georgetown | 53 | 9 | 44 | 51 | |||
| Gloucester | 100 | 8 | 45 | 55 | 85 | ||
| Hamilton-Wenham | 81 | 6 | 75 | 69 | |||
| Haverhill | 178 | 12 | 52 | 93 | 85 | 108 | |
| Hill View Montessori Charter Public | 13 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 9 | ||
| Ipswich | 71 | 15 | 56 | 60 | |||
| KIPP Academy Lynn Charter | 33 | 7 | 22 | 20 | 13 | 3 | |
| Lawrence | 166 | 5 | 6 | 147 | 144 | 22 | 7 |
| Lawrence Family Development Charter | 34 | 33 | 29 | 5 | |||
| Lynn | 229 | 28 | 21 | 112 | 150 | 79 | 58 |
| Lynnfield | 104 | 11 | 2 | 10 | 94 | 84 | |
| Manchester Essex Regional | 51 | 4 | 47 | 48 | |||
| Marblehead | 102 | 5 | 10 | 92 | 86 | ||
| Methuen | 158 | 8 | 11 | 50 | 66 | 92 | 85 |
| Middleton | 51 | 4 | 47 | 37 | |||
| Nahant | 5 | 5 | |||||
| Newburyport | 86 | 8 | 78 | 81 | |||
| North Andover | 203 | 18 | 6 | 18 | 32 | 171 | 150 |
| Peabody | 158 | 8 | 8 | 13 | 59 | 99 | 123 |
| Pentucket | 90 | 9 | 10 | 80 | 74 | ||
| River Valley Charter | 25 | 22 | 23 | ||||
| Rockport | 23 | 4 | 19 | 22 | |||
| Salem | 83 | 2 | 2 | 19 | 31 | 52 | 56 |
| Saugus | 75 | 4 | 14 | 32 | 42 | 44 | |
| Swampscott | 74 | 3 | 10 | 64 | 63 | ||
| Topsfield | 56 | 54 | 51 | ||||
| Triton | 73 | 23 | 50 | 64 |
