Of the 2,370 students who took part in the English Language Arts portion of the MCAS, 89.7% scored below proficiency in the 2023-24 school year, according to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
In comparison, 10% met the subject benchmarks and 0.3% exceeded them.
The number of Holyoke Public Schools District students who failed their English Language Arts assessments fell by 1.9% from the previous school year.
Holyoke Public Schools District roughly covers schools within Hampden County and has a main office in Holyoke.
In the 2023-24 school year, 464,640 students took the English Language Arts test in Massachusetts with 58.2% failing the exam, 4.6% 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.
| School Name | Students who did not meet standards (%) |
|---|---|
| E. N. White Elementary School | 78.6% |
| H. B. Lawrence School | 88.2% |
| Holyoke High School | 78.1% |
| Holyoke STEM Academy | 97.1% |
| Joseph Metcalf School | 93.6% |
| Kelly Elementary School | 98.2% |
| Lt. Clayre Sullivan Elementary School | 91.8% |
| Lt. Elmer J. McMahon Elementary School | 86% |
| Maurice A. Donahue Elementary School | 92.9% |
| Morgan Full Service Community School | 93.7% |
