Ranks #120 of 335 Massachusetts high schools — top 36%.
Overall rank
#120
of 335 schools
Average SAT
1099
MA average 1091
Graduation rate
97%
MA average 92%
Plan on college
86%+14 vs MA
MA average 72%
SAT is the average total score of test takers. Graduation is the four-year rate. College is the share of graduates who report plans to attend a 2- or 4-year college.
Ayer and Shirley are adjacent small towns in north-central Massachusetts, about 35 miles northwest of Boston near the New Hampshire border. The area has a notable military history, with Fort Devens (now Devens Regional Enterprise Zone) having been a major Army installation for nearly a century. The twin towns retain a rural character while offering relatively affordable housing compared to communities closer to Boston, attracting families seeking a quieter lifestyle with reasonable commuting access to the metro area.
How it compares
What stands out
+Strongest area: ELA MCAS, in the top 29% statewide. 58% of 10th graders met or exceeded expectations in 2026, vs 45% statewide.
!Area to watch: SAT scores rank in the bottom 46% statewide.
↓Trend: Chronic absence has fallen from 31.5% in 2022 to 13.1% in 2025.
↑Trend: The share of graduates planning on college has risen from 75.7% in 2022 to 86.2% in 2025.
Where it stands among 335 Massachusetts high schools
Bottom of MATop of MA
Overall
Averagetop 36% · #120
SAT
Averagebottom 46% · #185
ELA MCAS
Above averagetop 29% · #94
Math MCAS
Averagetop 42% · #136
AP results
Averagebottom 46% · #174
Graduation
Above averagetop 29% · #95
College plans
Above averagetop 31% · #102
The overall rank weighs SAT (30%), MCAS (25%), AP results (20%), and graduates' college plans (25%). Categories rank only the schools with data for them. How we rank
SAT
Average total score1099in 2025 · MA avg 1091
About the same as the MA avg
By section (out of 800)
Reading & writingBetter than average
This school
580
MA avg
556
MathWorse than average
This school
519
MA avg
535
73 students took the SAT.
"MA avg" is the average of the 335 high schools we rank. Only students who choose to take the SAT are counted.
MCAS (10th grade)
Share of 10th graders meeting or exceeding expectations. Statewide results dropped after 2024, when passing the MCAS stopped being a graduation requirement. There was no test in 2020.
English Language Arts58%in 2026 · state 45%
13 points above the state
Math45%in 2026 · state 44%
1 point above the state
Biologyhigh school science, 2026Better than average
This school
66%
State
38%
Detailed scores
Average scaled score, ELA · Math · Science (500+ = meeting expectations)502 · 495 · 509
Achievement percentile vs. MA schools (ELA · Math)68th · 55th
Student growth percentile, ELA · Math (50 = typical growth)56 · 50
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.
Similar schools elsewhere
Schools with similar test results, demographics, and college plans.