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Massachusetts public elementary school

Gardner Elementary School

Gardner school district

C-
overall grade

Ranks #781 of 895 Massachusetts elementary schools.

Overall rank
#781
of 895 schools
ELA · 2024–2026
27%
MA average 42%
Math · 2024–2026
19%
MA average 43%
Avg class size
22
1,140 students

ELA and Math show the share of 3rd graders meeting or exceeding expectations on the MCAS, averaged over 2024–2026.

How it compares

What stands out
  • Best of its categories: Teacher quality, in the bottom 27% statewide. 100% of teachers are licensed and 58.6% are experienced.
  • Trend: Chronic absence has fallen from 44.2% in 2022 to 25.6% in 2025.
  • Trend: ELA is up 7 points since 2023 (22% to 29%).
Where it stands among 895 Massachusetts elementary schools
Bottom of MATop of MA
Overall
Below averagebottom 13% · #781
ELA
Below averagebottom 23% · #697
Math
Below averagebottom 14% · #776
Attendance
Below averagebottom 15% · #765
Teacher quality
Below averagebottom 27% · #662

MCAS standings use the 2024–2026 average of grade 3 results, so one unusual year doesn't swing a school's ranking. Scores in the sections below are from 2026.

Test scores

Both ELA and Math have been below the state average every year since 2018.

Share of 3rd graders meeting or exceeding expectations on the MCAS. There was no test in 2020.

English Language Arts29%in 2026 · state 43%
14 points below the state
0%50%100%This school29%State43%20172019202120232026
Math19%in 2026 · state 42%
23 points below the state
0%50%100%This school19%State42%20172019202120232026
Detailed scores
Average scaled score, ELA (500+ = meeting expectations)485
Average scaled score, Math (500+ = meeting expectations)479
Achievement percentile vs. MA schools (ELA · Math)18th · 12th

Students & classrooms

Classrooms
Students1,140
Average class size22MA avg 18
Students per teacher15MA avg 12.1
Who attends
White
53.3%
Hispanic/Latino
31.5%
Multi-Race
8%
Black/African American
5.6%
Asian
1.4%
American Indian/Alaska Native
0.3%

45.4% girls · 54.7% boys

Student needs
Low incomeHigher than average
This school
65.6%
MA avg
42.8%
English learnersLower than average
This school
14.7%
MA avg
17.2%
Students with disabilitiesHigher than average
This school
26.8%
MA avg
22.3%

Teachers

Licensed teachersAbout average
This school
100%
MA avg
98.4%
Experienced teachersWorse than average
This school
58.6%
MA avg
73.2%
Teaching in their fieldAbout average
This school
98.6%
MA avg
92.4%
Stayed from last yearAbout average
This school
83.3%
MA avg
82.7%
More staffing details
Teachers (full-time equivalent)72.5
Principal retention100%
General education teachers85.6%
Special education teachers8.9%
English learner teachers5.5%

Attendance & safety

Attendance rateWorse than average
This school
92.5%
MA avg
94.1%
Chronically absentmissed 10%+ of daysWorse than average
This school
25.6%
MA avg
15.6%

12.2 days absent per student (MA avg 10.3) · Suspensions: Not reported

About Gardner

Worcester County · Central Massachusetts
Avg single-family home value$367KMA median $588K
Avg property tax bill$5,052MA median $6,814
Tax rate$13.80 per $1,000MA median $12.40
Income per person$26,354MA median $47,872
Local kids in public school69.7%
Town bond ratingAA-
Free cash reserves2.6% of budget

Gardner district profile · What could you afford here? · All towns A–Z

Town figures are FY2026 averages for single-family homes from the Massachusetts Department of Revenue. Assessed values usually run below recent sale prices. "MA median" is the median of the state's 351 towns.

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