Did Merriam School students succeed or flounder in their 2023-24 science tests?

Of the 67 students of Merriam School who took part in the science portion of the MCAS in the 2023-24 school year, 33 met the testing standard (49.3%), while seven exceeded expectations (10.4%), according to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

The students' overall success rate in the subject dropped by 1.2% in the 2023-24 school year from the previous school year.

Acton-Boxborough Regional School District, which Merriam School is part of, reached an average proficiency rate of 77.2% in science during the 2023-24 school year.

Meanwhile, 54.7% of Merriam School students hit the ELA benchmarks, and 58.7% were considered proficient in math.

At the time, 199,813 students took the science test in Massachusetts, with 88,716 students passing (44.4%) — 1.3% more than the year before.

Massachusetts spends more money on K-12 education per pupil than most other states, ranking fifth in the nation, according to a 2025 report. The state allocates over $24,000 per pupil, totaling $22.5 billion annually.

Subject	Number of Students Tested	Number of Students Passing	Proficiency Rate (%)	Change from Previous Year (%)
Math	252	148	58.7%	-1.7%
ELA	256	140	54.7%	-9.7%
Science	67	40	59.7%	-1.2%