What percentage of students in Massachusetts are proficient in math?
Refreshed intermittently
About 51% of 4th graders and 37% of 8th graders in Massachusetts were considered proficient in math in 2024, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). The NAEP, also known as the Nation's Report Card, assesses 4th and 8th graders' progress in reading and math approximately every two years. Students in public, private, and charter schools are included in NAEP testing.
51%
of Massachusetts 4th graders were proficient in math in 2024
37%
of Massachusetts 8th graders were proficient in math in 2024
The NAEP uses a scale of 0-500 points to group 4th and 8th grade students into three achievement levels (basic, proficient, or advanced). "Proficient" is the benchmark used to describe students who demonstrate competency with challenging subject matter. However, NAEP proficiency is not the same as being on "grade level," which is often assessed by other state and district tests. More information on NAEP skill expectations at each grade level is available here.
In 2024, 15% of 4th graders in Massachusetts were advanced in math and 36% were proficient, which means that about 1 out of 2 (49%) scored at basic or below. Sixty-three percent of 8th graders scored at basic or below.
Massachusetts 4th graders in 2024 were higher than the US average in math proficiency. 8th grade proficiency was also higher than the US.
In 2024, the percentage of Massachusetts 4th graders at a proficient or advanced math level was higher than the US average.
Percentage of students at each NAEP achievement level in 4th and 8th grade in 2024 in Massachusetts and the US
How has math proficiency changed over time?
From this point onward, “proficiency” includes students who were at or above proficient in math (proficient and advanced students).
Among 4th graders, math proficiency was higher in Massachusetts than the US in every test year since 2003. Among 8th graders, math proficiency was higher in Massachusetts than the US in every test year since 2003.
Massachusetts 4th graders had higher math proficiency than the US in every test year
Percentage of 4th and 8th graders who were proficient in math in Massachusetts and the US, 1992–2024
Math proficiency has also varied over time for students of varying demographics. This is often referred to as the achievement gap.
Get weekly insights
Subscribe for data-driven insights. No spin, just the facts.
Among 4th graders in 2024, multiracial students had the highest rate of math proficiency.
Among 8th graders in 2024, Asian/Pacific Islander students had the highest rate of math proficiency.
The math proficiency rate for multiracial students in 4th grade is 3.0 times higher than the group with the lowest (Hispanic students) in 2024.
Percentage of 4th and 8th graders who were proficient in math in Massachusetts, by race/ethnicity, 1992–2024
Does math proficiency differ by gender?
In 2024, male students had higher math proficiency than female students in 4th grade (55% and 48%, respectively). However, among 8th graders, female students had similar proficiency compared to male students (35% and 39%, respectively).
How do Massachusetts students compare to other states in math proficiency?
Massachusetts had the highest 4th grade math proficiency rate in the US in 2024. This is 5 percentage points higher than the state with the next highest proficiency, Wyoming. For 8th graders, Massachusetts was the highest in math proficiency.
Massachusetts is the highest in 4th grade math proficiency and the highest in 8th grade
Percentage of 4th and 8th graders in each state who were proficient in math in 2024
How do Boston Public Schools students compare to other districts in math proficiency?
The NAEP collected data in a subset of the nation's largest urban school districts (26 total) in 2024. One of these districts is in Massachusetts - Boston Public Schools.
4th grade students in Boston Public Schools had a math proficiency of 33% in 2024. This is lower than both the Massachusetts and US averages.
8th grade students in Boston Public Schools had a math proficiency of 24% in 2024. This is lower than both the Massachusetts and US averages.
Among the districts that participated, Boston Public Schools had the 13th lowest math proficiency rate in 4th grade, and the sixth highest in 8th grade.
The math proficiency rate for Boston Public Schools 4th graders was lower than the US average
Percentage of 4th and 8th grade students in each district who were proficient in math in 2024
Keep exploring
Methodology
USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.
Page sources
USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.
