Top-achieving 8th grades by district

This chart show how school systems performed overall on the 8th-grade MCAS exams given in the spring of 2010. Boston.com ranked them by adding together the percentage of students who scored either "advanced" or "proficient" in English, Math, and Science. 300 is the highest possible score.

2010 rank District name Number tested Score 1 Up-Island Regional, Vineyard Haven 43 261 2 Edward Brooke Charter, Roslindale 24 260 2 Hilltown Cooperative Charter, Haydenville 15 260 4 Westford Public Schools 417 259 5 Excel Academy Charter School, East Boston 50 258 6 Wayland Public Schools 205 257 7 Harvard Public Schools 101 254 8 Winchester Public Schools 309 253 9 Community Day Charter, Lawrence 35 252 9 Lexington Public Schools 501 252 11 Belmont Public Schools 294 251 12 Advanced Math and Science Academy Charter, Marlborough 143 250 13 Dover-Sherborn Regional 167 248 13 Sudbury Public Schools 370 248 15 Acton-Boxborough Regional 508 247 15 Carlisle Public Schools 85 247 15 Longmeadow Public Schools 236 247 15 Weston Public Schools 227 247 19 Masconomet Regional, Topsfield 392 246 20 Medfield Public Schools 260 242 21 Groton-Dunstable Regional 230 239 21 Needham Public Schools 355 239 23 Hopkinton Public Schools 293 236 24 Concord Public Schools 224 235 24 Marblehead Public Schools 254 235 24 Norwell Public Schools 174 235 24 Westborough Public Schools 295 235 28 Ipswich Public Schools 183 234 28 Nashoba Regional, Bolton 244 234 30 Andover Public Schools 493 233 30 Cohasset Public Schools 110 233 30 River Valley Charter, Newburyport 31 233 33 Manchester Essex Regional 110 232 33 Newton Public Schools 846 232 35 Hamilton-Wenham Regional 173 231 35 Hingham Public Schools 290 231 37 Easton Public Schools 324 230 38 Northborough Public Schools 224 229 38 Rising Tide Charter, Plymouth 61 229 38 Sharon Public Schools 295 229 41 Oak Bluffs Public Schools 44 228 41 Shrewsbury Public Schools 442 228 43 Nauset Regional, Orleans 187 226 44 Arlington Public Schools 341 225 45 Lincoln Public Schools 106 224 45 Natick Public Schools 344 224 45 Newburyport Public Schools 152 224 45 Reading Public Schools 350 224 45 Sutton Public Schools 133 224 45 Tisbury Public Schools 25 224 51 Brookline Public Schools 396 223 51 Pentucket Regional, West Newbury 261 223 53 West Bridgewater Public Schools 118 222 54 Westwood Public Schools 215 221 55 Grafton Public Schools 229 220 55 Holliston Public Schools 211 220 57 Bedford Public Schools 190 219 57 Medway Public Schools 207 219 57 Swampscott Public Schools 191 219 60 Lynnfield Public Schools 176 218 61 Canton Public Schools 225 217 61 Wachusett Regional, Jefferson 579 217 63 Chelmsford Public Schools 397 216 63 Duxbury Public Schools 233 216 63 Old Rochester Regional, Mattapoisett 210 216 66 Amherst-Pelham Regional 232 215 66 Benjamin Franklin Charter, Franklin 43 215 66 Scituate Public Schools 216 215 66 Wellesley Public Schools 387 215 70 Rockport Public Schools 80 214 70 Roxbury Preparatory Charter 56 214 72 Franklin Public Schools 509 213 73 Francis W Parker Charter, Devens 72 212 74 Berlin-Boylston Regional 83 211 75 Hampden-Wilbraham Regional 310 210 75 Southborough Public Schools 179 210 77 Braintree Public Schools 422 209 78 Cape Cod Lighthouse Charter, Orleans 76 208 78 Chatham Public Schools 56 208 80 Milton Public Schools 274 206 81 Foxborough Public Schools 218 204 81 Mendon-Upton Regional 238 204 83 Hadley Public Schools 53 203 83 Southwick-Tolland Regional 142 203 83 Walpole Public Schools 285 203 86 Ashburnham-Westminster Regional 177 202 86 Lenox Public Schools 68 202 88 Hanover Public Schools 233 201 88 North Andover Public Schools 357 201 90 Dartmouth Public Schools 378 200 91 Auburn Public Schools 199 199 91 North Attleborough Public Schools 398 199 93 Burlington Public Schools 300 198 93 Marshfield Public Schools 377 198 95 King Philip Regional, Wrentham 397 197 96 Mansfield Public Schools 411 196 96 Pembroke Public Schools 280 196 96 Sandwich Public Schools 308 196 96 Wakefield Public Schools 242 196 100 Ashland Public Schools 210 195 100 Carver Public Schools 157 195 100 Edgartown Public Schools 32 195 100 Mystic Valley Regional Charter, Malden 101 195 100 Richmond Public Schools 22 195 105 Boston Collegiate Charter 60 194 105 Bourne Public Schools 190 194 105 Christa McAuliffe Regional Charter, Framingham 76 194 105 East Bridgewater Public Schools 235 194 105 Granby Public Schools 90 194 105 KIPP Academy Lynn Charter, Lynn 70 194 105 Plymouth Public Schools 588 194 112 Lunenburg Public Schools 141 193 112 Marblehead Community Charter 45 193 112 Silver Lake Regional, Kingston 307 193 115 Pioneer Charter School of Science, Everett 61 192 115 Wilmington Public Schools 309 192 117 North Reading Public Schools 238 191 117 West Boylston Public Schools 84 191 119 Nantucket Public Schools 89 190 120 North Middlesex Regional, Townsend 343 189 120 Tyngsborough Public Schools 169 189 122 Atlantis Charter, Fall River 80 188 122 Freetown-Lakeville Regional 297 188 122 Leicester Public Schools 154 188 125 Milford Public Schools 337 187 125 Prospect Hill Academy Charter, Somerville 75 187 125 Quabbin Regional, Barre 250 187 125 Tantasqua Regional, Fiskdale 260 187 129 Dudley-Charlton Regional 340 185 129 Triton Regional, Byfield 227 185 131 Dighton-Rehoboth Regional 257 183 131 Stoneham Public Schools 216 183 133 Hopedale Public Schools 99 182 133 North Brookfield Public Schools 52 182 133 Whitman-Hanson Regional, Whitman 371 182 136 Adams-Cheshire Regional 129 181 136 Barnstable Public Schools 420 181 136 Boston Preparatory Charter, Hyde Park 71 181 136 Littleton Public Schools 122 181 140 Berkshire Hills Regional, Stockbridge 100 180 140 Billerica Public Schools 521 180 140 Stoughton Public Schools 269 180 143 Clarksburg Public Schools 14 179 143 East Longmeadow Public Schools 214 179 143 Hudson Public Schools 251 179 143 South Shore Charter, Hull 42 179 143 Westport Community Public Schools 178 179 148 Innovation Academy Charter, Chelmsford 99 178 148 Mount Greylock Regional, Williamstown 121 178 148 Seekonk Public Schools 202 178 151 Hampshire Regional, Westhampton 157 177 151 Northbridge Public Schools 201 177 151 Somerset Public Schools 222 177 154 Amesbury Public Schools 198 176 154 Narragansett Regional, Baldwinville 148 176 154 South Hadley Public Schools 170 176 157 Bellingham Public Schools 191 175 157 Frontier Regional, Deerfield 136 175 157 Norton Public Schools 249 175 160 Berkley Public Schools 94 174 161 Beverly Public Schools 330 173 161 Danvers Public Schools 293 173 161 Melrose Public Schools 308 173 164 Four Rivers Charter School, Greenfield 35 172 164 Foxborough Regional Charter 98 172 164 Martha's Vineyard Charter, West Tisbury 18 172 164 Neighborhood House Charter, Dorchester 33 172 168 Acushnet Public Schools 122 171 168 Harwich Public Schools 98 171 168 Pioneer Valley Performing Arts Charter, Hadley 67 171 171 Dedham Public Schools 248 170 171 Hull Public Schools 89 170 171 Peabody Public Schools 523 170 174 Avon Public Schools 66 169 174 Northampton Public Schools 196 169 176 Georgetown Public Schools 135 168 176 Maynard Public Schools 97 168 176 Southern Berkshire Regional, Sheffield 63 168 179 Ayer Public Schools 66 167 179 Norwood Public Schools 289 167 181 Belchertown Public Schools 235 165 181 Framingham Public Schools 595 165 181 Millbury Public Schools 135 165 181 Quincy Public Schools 626 165 185 Bridgewater-Raynham Regional 478 164 185 Ware Public Schools 106 164 185 West Springfield Public Schools 286 164 188 Attleboro Public Schools 478 163 188 Tewksbury Public Schools 364 163 188 Waltham Public Schools 345 163 188 Woburn Public Schools 329 163 192 Salem Academy Charter, Salem 60 162 193 Swansea Public Schools 175 161 193 Weymouth Public Schools 516 161 195 Abby Kelley Foster Charter, Worcester 116 160 196 Academy of the Pacific Rim Charter, Hyde Park 64 159 197 Pittsfield Public Schools 478 157 198 Agawam Public Schools 377 156 198 Central Berkshire Regional, Dalton 163 156 198 Millis Public Schools 126 156 201 Douglas Public Schools 157 155 201 Hatfield Public Schools 35 155 203 Cambridge Public Schools 388 154 203 Falmouth Public Schools 275 154 203 Medford Public Schools 376 154 203 Revere Public Schools 439 154 207 Abington Public Schools 187 153 207 Dennis-Yarmouth Regional 269 153 207 North Central Charter, Fitchburg 75 153 207 Uxbridge Public Schools 158 153 211 Lawrence Family Development Charter 46 152 211 Mashpee Public Schools 128 152 213 Monson Public Schools 99 151 214 Westfield Public Schools 532 150 215 Leominster Public Schools 465 149 215 Marlborough Public Schools 349 149 215 Quaboag Regional, Warre 101 149 215 Sabis International Charter, Springfield 123 149 219 Shirley Public Schools 56 148 220 Watertown Public Schools 202 147 221 Blackstone-Millville Regional 195 146 221 Clinton Public Schools 135 146 223 Easthampton Public Schools 129 145 223 Malden Public Schools 481 145 225 Middleborough Public Schools 288 144 225 Oxford Public Schools 168 144 227 Gloucester Public Schools 269 142 228 Community Charter School of Cambridge 40 141 228 Gardner Public Schools 200 141 228 Rockland Public Schools 197 141 231 Global Learning Charter, New Bedford 59 139 231 Pioneer Valley Regional, Northfield 101 139 233 Robert M. Hughes Academy Charter, Springfield 16 138 233 Taunton Public Schools 664 138 233 Winchendon Public Schools 127 138 236 Haverhill Public Schools 604 137 236 Methuen Public Schools 624 137 236 Mohawk Trail Regional, Shelburne Falls 107 137 239 Gateway Regional, Huntington 104 136 239 Lee Public Schools 76 136 239 Randolph Public Schools 256 136 242 Fairhaven Public Schools 174 135 242 Florida Public Schools 14 135 242 Winthrop Public Schools 156 135 245 Gill-Montague Regional 79 134 245 Spencer-East Brookfield Regional 163 134 247 Athol-Royalston Regional 130 132 247 Dracut Public Schools 393 132 247 Palmer Public Schools 167 132 250 Berkshire Arts & Technology Charter, Adams 44 128 250 Ralph Mahar Regional, Orange 148 128 252 Chicopee Public Schools 534 126 253 Ludlow Public Schools 264 125 254 Saugus Public Schools 232 124 255 Wareham Public Schools 261 123 256 Fall River Public Schools 723 121 257 Holbrook Public Schools 102 120 258 Granville Public Schools 21 119 259 Worcester Public Schools 1,519 118 260 Seven Hills Charter, Worcester 62 115 261 Somerville Public Schools 315 114 262 Lowell Public Schools 1,125 113 262 Salem Public Schools 296 113 262 Southbridge Public Schools 175 113 265 Brockton Public Schools 1,239 112 266 Chelsea Public Schools 376 109 266 Hampden Charter School of Science, Chicopee 47 109 268 Everett Public Schools 401 108 269 Holyoke Community Charter 43 106 269 Lynn Public Schools 910 106 271 Greenfield Public Schools 116 105 272 Boston Public Schools 3,829 102 273 Lowell Community Charter 56 98 274 Webster Public Schools 163 97 275 New Leadership Academy Charter, Springfield 78 96 276 Fitchburg Public Schools 358 95 277 Smith Leadership Academy Charter, Boston 65 90 278 North Adams Public Schools 118 86 279 New Bedford Public Schools 958 85 280 Provincetown Public Schools 14 78 281 Lawrence Public Schools 1,017 76 282 Springfield Public Schools 1,687 73 283 Holyoke Public Schools 472 70