Massachusetts’ North Reading Public School District Ranked 1st in the State
NORTH READING, Mass. - Fifth-grade students from North Reading Public School District in Massachusetts achieved the best test scores in the state on this year’s Massachusetts Common Assessment Program for Science (MCAS). The school district ranks first in the state, considered one of the best in the nation for public education, for elementary science this year. The North Reading Public School District is partnered with KnowAtom, a Massachusetts company and nationwide provider of K-8 Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)-based curricula.
“The commitment of our district's science leaders and educators supported with access to KnowAtom's high quality instructional materials provide amazing learning opportunities for all students. We take great pride in our students' experiences and celebrate their curiosity and ability to utilize science practices to solve real life problems,” said Sean Killeen, North Reading’s Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning.
Students from J. Turner Hood School scored highest on the MCAS of the district’s three elementary schools, with 91% of students meeting or exceeding state proficiency levels and no students ranking in the lowest category of “not meeting expectations.” In all, 87% of the district’s fifth-grade students met or exceeded proficiency expectations, placing it first in the state among districts with 30 or more students tested. Only 44% of Massachusetts students statewide met or exceeded proficiency levels (MCAS Data, 2024). The North Reading Public School District uses KnowAtom’s hands-on science curriculum, which is student and phenomena-driven, designed to meet Massachusetts Science and Technology Engineering Frameworks entirely hands-on screens-off.
"We are once again so proud of our students and teachers for this great achievement in elementary science that is also reflected in our scores in middle and high school,” said Dr. Patrick Daly, Superintendent of North Reading Public Schools. “We dedicate time in our schedule for science, provide educators with high-quality curriculum materials, benefit from tremendous STEM leadership, first-rate educators, and parents who support our students by engaging in science activities and extracurriculars. There is community-wide support for our STEM programs in North Reading and we are very pleased with the outstanding student results."
The district’s 2024 test results represent a 5-point increase over the previous year and a 7-point increase since 2021. In 2024, Consumer Affairs ranked Massachusetts the best in the country for public education, noting that “the state has the best fourth-grade reading and eighth-grade math scores in the country on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) tests” (Consumer Affairs, 2024).
“With a focus on bringing together a team of highly qualified teachers, classroom methods that help create a culture of thinking, and administration that maintains a vision for quality science instruction, the North Reading Public School District has shown exceptional success yet again. We congratulate our long-term partners for ranking first in Massachusetts,” said Francis Vigeant, CEO of KnowAtom. “KnowAtom partner school districts regularly rank top in the country for science. It takes both teaching and administrative excellence to develop top-performing students across multiple schools year after year, and the North Reading teaching community is more than good, they’re exceptional!”
About KnowAtom
KnowAtom makes real science possible in every K-8 classroom. We provide a complete, high-quality K-8 solution designed for mastery of the Next Generation Science Standards: fully designed professional grade curriculum, integrated hands-on material kits, and targeted professional development. Our research-based, classroom-tested tools and techniques bring students' ideas to life with hands-on materials and technology.
Explore more at www.knowatom.com
Source: KnowAtom / North Reading Public Schools / MCAS
