The 2025 MCAS results for Norwood Public Schools show a notable increase in the percentage of students falling into the “Not Meeting Expectations” (NME) category.
Based upon the preliminary results from the 2025 Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) exams and the district’s initial accountability rankings, the NME’s have increased particularly at the high school level.
For example, in a single year, the percentage of high schoolers not proficient in the English Language Arts (ELA) nearly doubled from 13% to 22%. This level of increase indicates a significant surge in students lacking foundational literacy skills necessary for high school graduation and post-secondary success. Similarly, the 20% NME rate in high school math is double the rate seen just two years ago which was 10% in 2023.
Some argue the staggering chronic absenteeism data is contributing to the rise in NME’s. Norwood High School reports an absenteeism rate of 26.8% according to the Norwood Public Schools State Data Overview PowerPoint produced for the School Committee meeting on October 8th. This means over one-quarter of the student body missed 10% or more of school days, directly corresponding with the surge in the “Not Meeting Expectations” rates at the high school.
Coakley Middle School has a 24.6% chronic absenteeism rate and is struggling with one of the lowest subject proficiency rates (34% in Math) according to the same report. Common sense would suggest students who are not in the classroom cannot receive the instruction needed to succeed on the MCAS.
When one-fifth to one-quarter of students across various grade levels are consistently failing to meet expectations, and nearly the same proportion are chronically absent, one would assume the district will recognize attendance as a primary barrier to academic success.
Critics argue the persistence and growth of the NME population directly influence the overall school accountability. Coakley Middle School and Balch Elementary, with NME percentages in the 20’s for Grades 3-8 ELA and Math, hold the two lowest Accountability Percentiles in the district (27 and 23, respectively). The inability to move these consistently struggling students out of the “Not Meeting” and “Partially Meeting” categories will most likely keep school ratings low. One must wonder at what point do these numbers jeopardize future funding and status.
When compared to the overall state averages, Norwood schools generally lag slightly behind in English Language Arts (ELA) and Math, though often by small margins. For instance, in Grade 3 Math, the district was 4 percentage points lower than the state average in overall achievement.
However, the district notably performed better than the state average in a few key areas, particularly in Grade 8 Math, where Norwood scored 51% proficiency compared to the state’s 50%. Other highlights included outperforming the state in Grade 8 Science and Technology overall by 3 percent.
In the end, the data suggests that for the most challenged students, the long-term impact of pandemic-era learning disruption is not a static challenge, but a deepening crisis that demands immediate and targeted intervention. -RD