Of the 2,347 students who took part in the English Language Arts portion of the MCAS, 70.3% scored below proficiency in the 2023-24 school year, according to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
In comparison, 26.2% met the subject benchmarks and 3.5% exceeded them.
The number of Barnstable Public Schools District students who failed their English Language Arts assessments rose by 7.5% from the previous school year.
Barnstable Public Schools District roughly covers schools within Barnstable County and has a main office in Hyannis.
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 (%) |
|---|---|
| Barnstable Community Innovation School | 50.7% |
| Barnstable High School | 65.9% |
| Barnstable Intermediate School | 78.5% |
| Barnstable United Elementary School | 73.4% |
| Centerville Elementary School | 40.4% |
| Hyannis West Elementary School | 78% |
| West Barnstable Elementary School | 65% |
| West Villages Elementary School | 46.1% |
