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School district comparison · MCAS 2026 · other data 2024-25

Frontier vs Mohawk Trail Schools

How the two districts, about 13 miles apart, compare on test scores, high school results, classrooms, spending and housing.

Frontier
#107 of 328 districts
B
Serves Conway, Deerfield, Sunderland and Whately
1 high school · 4 elementary schools
Full district profile →
vs
Mohawk Trail
#211 of 328 districts
C+
Serves Ashfield, Buckland, Charlemont, Colrain, Hawley, Heath, Plainfield and Shelburne
1 high school · 3 elementary schools
Full district profile →

The short answer

  • Overall: Frontier ranks higher, #107 to Mohawk Trail's #211 of 328 Massachusetts districts.
  • MCAS 2026: Frontier students score higher: ELA 43% vs 32%, Math 45% vs 31% met expectations. Statewide: 41% and 41%.
  • SAT: Frontier averages 118 points higher (1226 vs 1108).
  • Spending: Mohawk Trail spends $3,685 more per student ($26,521 vs $22,836).
  • Homes: Homes cost more in Frontier: single-family homes average $459K vs $315K. The average tax bill is $6,104 in Frontier and $5,094 in Mohawk Trail.

MCAS results, 2026

Share of students meeting or exceeding expectations, all tested grades combined. Both districts test grades 3–10; "State" is the statewide figure for the same grades.

English Language ArtsFrontier ahead
Frontier
43%
Mohawk Trail
32%
State
41%
MathFrontier ahead
Frontier
45%
Mohawk Trail
31%
State
41%
ELA by year
YearFrontierMohawk TrailState
202643%32%41%
202545%36%42%
202439%30%42%
202345%40%44%
202248%35%43%
202155%45%48%
Math by year
YearFrontierMohawk TrailState
202645%31%41%
202548%26%41%
202447%23%42%
202346%29%42%
202244%31%40%
202140%25%36%

No test in 2020. Statewide 10th-grade results dropped after 2024, when passing the MCAS stopped being a graduation requirement.

High school results

Average SATFrontier ahead
Frontier
1226
Mohawk Trail
1108
MA avg
1113
AP exams scored 3+Frontier ahead
Frontier
87.7%
Mohawk Trail
64.8%
MA avg
69.1%
Four-year graduation rateMohawk Trail ahead
Frontier
89%
Mohawk Trail
91.7%
MA avg
92.4%

Averages of each district's ranked high schools. "MA avg" is the average of all districts with high school data.

Classrooms, teachers & spending

Average class sizeHigher in Frontier
Frontier
11.1
Mohawk Trail
10.4
MA avg
17.3
Attendance rateSame
Frontier
93.2%
Mohawk Trail
93.2%
MA avg
93.7%
Chronically absentmissed 10%+ of daysLower in Frontier
Frontier
15.1%
Mohawk Trail
18%
MA avg
16.9%
Teachers who stayedfrom last yearFrontier ahead
Frontier
94.4%
Mohawk Trail
88.8%
MA avg
84.7%
Spending per studentHigher in Mohawk Trail
Frontier
$22,836
Mohawk Trail
$26,521
MA median
$21,765
Average teacher salaryHigher in Mohawk Trail
Frontier
$78,317
Mohawk Trail
$86,280
MA median
$91,393

Spending is total per-pupil expenditure from all sources in FY2024. Class size is the average across all classes in the district.

Students

FrontierMohawk Trail
Students in classes592806
English learners0.5%0.6%
Students with disabilities21.1%25.4%
White82.5%89.6%
Asian1.9%0.4%
Hispanic/Latino8.4%5.4%
Black/African American2%0.8%
Multi-race5.2%3.7%

Homes & taxes

Average single-family home valueHigher in Frontier
Frontier
$459K
Mohawk Trail
$315K
MA median
$588K
Average property tax billHigher in Frontier
Frontier
$6,104
Mohawk Trail
$5,094
MA median
$6,814
Conway
Franklin County · Western Massachusetts
Avg single-family home value$444KMA median $588K
Avg property tax bill$6,335MA median $6,814
Tax rate$14.30 per $1,000MA median $12.40
Income per person$77,069MA median $47,872
Local kids in public school87%
Free cash reserves10.8% of budget
Deerfield
Franklin County · Western Massachusetts
Avg single-family home value$467KMA median $588K
Avg property tax bill$6,283MA median $6,814
Tax rate$13.50 per $1,000MA median $12.40
Income per person$49,737MA median $47,872
Local kids in public school82.9%
Free cash reserves10.9% of budget
Sunderland
Franklin County · Western Massachusetts
Avg single-family home value$478KMA median $588K
Avg property tax bill$5,947MA median $6,814
Tax rate$12.40 per $1,000MA median $12.40
Income per person$33,627MA median $47,872
Local kids in public school90.9%
Town bond ratingAA
Free cash reserves5% of budget
Whately
Franklin County · Western Massachusetts
Avg single-family home value$448KMA median $588K
Avg property tax bill$5,850MA median $6,814
Tax rate$13.10 per $1,000MA median $12.40
Income per person$24,708MA median $47,872
Local kids in public school92.8%
Free cash reserves10.6% of budget
Ashfield
Franklin County · Western Massachusetts
Avg single-family home value$388KMA median $588K
Avg property tax bill$5,518MA median $6,814
Tax rate$14.20 per $1,000MA median $12.40
Income per person$34,046MA median $47,872
Free cash reserves14.7% of budget
Buckland
Franklin County · Western Massachusetts
Avg single-family home value$347KMA median $588K
Avg property tax bill$5,804MA median $6,814
Tax rate$16.70 per $1,000MA median $12.40
Income per person$25,960MA median $47,872
Town bond ratingAA
Free cash reserves5.4% of budget
Charlemont
Franklin County · Western Massachusetts
Avg single-family home value$296KMA median $588K
Avg property tax bill$4,976MA median $6,814
Tax rate$16.80 per $1,000MA median $12.40
Income per person$37,868MA median $47,872
Colrain
Franklin County · Western Massachusetts
Avg single-family home value$269KMA median $588K
Avg property tax bill$4,791MA median $6,814
Tax rate$17.80 per $1,000MA median $12.40
Income per person$32,443MA median $47,872
Town bond ratingAA-
Free cash reserves5.7% of budget
Hawley
Franklin County · Western Massachusetts
Avg single-family home value$287KMA median $588K
Avg property tax bill$4,648MA median $6,814
Tax rate$16.20 per $1,000MA median $12.40
Income per person$21,708MA median $47,872
Heath
Franklin County · Western Massachusetts
Avg single-family home value$261KMA median $588K
Avg property tax bill$5,067MA median $6,814
Tax rate$19.40 per $1,000MA median $12.40
Income per person$17,146MA median $47,872
Free cash reserves8% of budget
Plainfield
Hampshire County · Western Massachusetts
Avg single-family home value$273KMA median $588K
Avg property tax bill$4,801MA median $6,814
Tax rate$17.60 per $1,000MA median $12.40
Income per person$29,436MA median $47,872
Free cash reserves6% of budget
Shelburne
Franklin County · Western Massachusetts
Avg single-family home value$402KMA median $588K
Avg property tax bill$5,146MA median $6,814
Tax rate$12.80 per $1,000MA median $12.40
Income per person$26,054MA median $47,872
Free cash reserves6.6% of budget

What could you afford in either town?

FY2026 averages for single-family homes from the Massachusetts Department of Revenue; for a district with several towns, the comparison uses the average of its towns. Assessed values usually run below recent sale prices.

The schools