October 29, 2025 Provided by the Hingham Public Schools
During Monday evening’s school committee meeting, HPS Interim Assistant Superintendent Erica Pollard presented the district’s results for Spring 2025 MCAS and provided context for local and state-wide trends in English Language Arts (ELA), Mathematics, Science, and Civics.
Pollard highlighted significant strengths for Hingham Public Schools (HPS) when compared to both state averages and results of comparable districts. Of particular note were the district’s Grades 3-8 ELA MCAS results, ranking 3rd in the state for the percentage of students meeting or exceeding expectations. This success is attributed to efforts by the district to bolster the district’s Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) and the implementation of the recent elementary curriculum adoption of the Into Reading program. Pollard noted a decline in Grade 10 ELA, attributed in part to the recent vote by Massachusetts citizens to no longer include MCAS as a competency determination necessary for a high school diploma. Districts across the Commonwealth reported a decline in student engagement and focus on the high school test due to the removal of the high-stakes nature of the exam.
In mathematics, HPS demonstrated strong and consistent performance across grades, tying for 20th in the state for Grades 3–8. The district’s overall percentage of students meeting or exceeding expectations was 70%, maintaining steady growth since 2021 and nearing pre-pandemic levels. A particular highlight in mathematics was the performance of Grade 3-8 Special Education (SPED) students, who have been ranked 1st or 2nd among benchmark districts for the past five years. Hingham ranked 3rd among benchmark districts for grades 3-5 and 4th for grades 3-8. A decline was noted for Grade 10 Mathematics with the most significant decreases seen among students with disabilities. General education student performance remained consistent. Pollard emphasized that this data will help identify areas for targeted instructional support, particularly in geometry and algebraic concepts.
In Science, HPS students showed particular strength in Grade 5 science, with 86% of students achieving proficiency compared to 46% across the state. High school biology was also an area of strength, with Hingham ranking 13th in the state among districts administering the MCAS Biology assessment. Grade 8 science was an area for growth, and Pollard noted that the Grade 8 science test format will be changing in Spring of 2026 to an inquiry based assessment which is more aligned with the district’s Open Sci Ed Curriculum. The Spring 2025 Grade 8 Civics MCAS was also formally offered for the first time this year after a pilot offering in Spring 2024.
With regard to Grade 8 MCAS results, Pollard noted the impact of testing fatigue, explaining that Grade 8 students complete eight testing sessions—two days each for ELA, Math, Science, and Civics—at the end of the academic year. She also shared that the district will explore adjustments to the middle school schedule and MTSS model to enhance engagement and intervention strategies moving forward.