Massachusetts Schools Are Still #1—But Warning Lights Are Flashing

By Michael Phillips | NYBayNews

For decades, Massachusetts has worn its reputation as America’s education gold standard with pride. The state pioneered universal public education, invested heavily in schools, and built a rigorous accountability system that produced the so-called “Massachusetts Miracle.” Today, it still ranks first on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), the nation’s most trusted academic benchmark.

But as a recent Boston Globe analysis makes clear, that dominance is no longer secure.

Still Leading, But Losing Ground

On paper, Massachusetts remains number one in Grade 4 and Grade 8 reading and math. Yet the margins are shrinking fast. In some subjects, the state’s advantage over the national average has been cut in half since before the pandemic. Scores have been flat or declining for nearly a decade, and Massachusetts has recovered more slowly than many peer states since COVID disruptions.

Even more concerning: no demographic group in the state—low-income students, Black students, Latino students, or English learners—has fully rebounded to pre-pandemic performance levels. In earlier years, these students in Massachusetts often outperformed similar peers nationwide. That edge has largely disappeared.

When scores are adjusted for income and parental education, Massachusetts drops several spots in national rankings, revealing how much the state’s raw success depends on its unusually affluent population rather than systemic gains across all communities.

Accountability Drift and Policy Reversals

From a center-right perspective, this moment looks less like a mystery and more like a consequence of policy drift.

The landmark 1993 Education Reform Act paired major funding increases with strong accountability—high standards, clear assessments, and consequences for failure. That balance drove Massachusetts’ rise. Over time, however, elements of that framework were weakened or abandoned.

The most notable recent example came in 2024, when voters eliminated the MCAS exam as a high school graduation requirement. While well-intentioned, the move removed a statewide signal that mastery matters. Historically, clear standards helped protect disadvantaged students by ensuring expectations didn’t quietly slip. Without them, gaps often widen behind a façade of local discretion.

Governor Maura Healey opposed the repeal but now faces the challenge of rebuilding a credible replacement—one that maintains rigor without simply rebranding the old system.

Literacy Reform Meets Union Resistance

One area where the warning signs are hardest to ignore is early literacy. Elementary reading scores have declined sharply since 2015, and research overwhelmingly points to the same solution: structured, phonics-based instruction known as the “science of reading.”

The Massachusetts House passed a literacy reform bill in 2025 requiring evidence-based curricula, early screening, and teacher training. Similar reforms helped states like Mississippi dramatically improve reading outcomes, especially for low-income students.

Yet the bill has stalled amid opposition from the Massachusetts Teachers Association, which argues the state should focus on funding and local control rather than mandates. Critics counter that Massachusetts already spends among the highest amounts per pupil in the nation—and that money without accountability has not stopped the slide.

Spending More Isn’t the Same as Spending Smart

Massachusetts’ education challenges come despite billions in new revenue, including funds from the state’s “millionaire tax.” Administrative growth, rising special-education costs, and hold-harmless funding rules have left some districts bloated while classrooms struggle.

Meanwhile, federal pandemic aid that once supported tutoring and mental health services has dried up, exposing how fragile recent gains really were.

The uncomfortable reality is this: high spending alone does not guarantee excellence. Standards, oversight, and results still matter.

A Test of Political Will

Healey insists Massachusetts will not give up its top ranking. But holding that line will require more than rhetoric. It means pushing literacy reform through despite political resistance, restoring meaningful graduation standards, and confronting the influence of powerful interest groups that benefit from the status quo.

Massachusetts still has world-class universities, talented educators, and engaged families. But leadership in education is never permanent. Other states are moving aggressively, learning from evidence, and closing the gap.

The question facing the Commonwealth is whether it will recommit to the principles that once made it exceptional—or slowly discover that past success is no guarantee of future leadership.

For a state that built its identity on educational excellence, the stakes could not be higher.