Academic Achievement

MCAS (Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System) is an annual test required at the state and federal level for public school students. The assessments are one measure of student progress towards grade level standards. Students in grades 3-8, and 10 take ELA and Math. The STE (science, technology, and engineering) assessments are taken in grades 5, 8, and 9 or 10. In Watertown, most high school students take the Physics MCAS in 9^th grade, while some students take Biology in 10^th grade. The Civics MCAS assessment is given to 8^th graders. This was a new test in 2025.

Watertown Public Schools uses the results from MCAS assessments to analyze programs, curriculum, and student supports. At the state level, MCAS data is used in the school accountability system. 

• For more information about MCAS visit the DESE MCAS Information page
• For more MCAS results, visit the DESE School and District Profiles page

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) identifies districts that are most similar to each other for the purposes of comparing progress (DARTs = District Analysis Review Tools). The districts are chosen for having similar enrollment and demographics (percentages of students with disabilities, low-income, and English learners). 

When compared to our DARTs, Watertown Public Schools did very well on MCAS in 2025, ranking 1^st in most achievement categories, and 3^rd in high school ELA and 4^th in high school Science.

The SAT is a high school assessment administered by the College Board for students who are interesting in attending college. Not all colleges require the assessment. 

In 2025, 43% of our 11^th graders and 20% of our 12^th graders took the SAT. Their total scores were in the 69^th percentile nationally – this means that our student’s average scores were higher than 69 out of 100 students across the country.