Is Athol High a good school?

Athol High ranks in the bottom 11.5% of Massachusetts high schools.

How many students attend Athol High?

In the 2023-24 school year, 414 students attended Athol High.

What is the racial makeup of Athol High?

Students at Athol High are 72% White, 20% Hispanic, 4% African American, 2% Asian, 2% Two or more races.

What schools feed into Athol High?

Athol High is fed by the following schools: Elementary : Athol Community Elementary School Elementary : Royalston Community School Middle : Athol-Royalston Middle School

Athol High

Summary:

Athol High is a public high school located in Athol, Massachusetts, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 404 students. The school is part of the Athol-Royalston District, which is ranked 313 out of 351 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Athol High has consistently ranked in the bottom quarter of Massachusetts high schools, ranking between 264 and 308 out of 342-351 schools over the past several years. Its four-year graduation rate has fluctuated between 72.4% and 85.9% over the past five years, which is lower than the state average, and its dropout rate has also been higher than the state average, ranging from 4.9% to 10.9% during the same period. Academically, Athol High's performance on MCAS assessments is significantly below the state averages in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science, with only 37.78% of 10th-grade students proficient or better in ELA, 19.1% in Mathematics, and 13.95% in Science, compared to the state averages of 56.86%, 48.47%, and 49.26%, respectively.

Compared to nearby schools such as Pioneer Valley Regional, Franklin County Technical, Oakmont Regional High School, and Narragansett Regional High, Athol High's performance is generally lower, with these schools tending to have higher statewide rankings, better graduation rates, and stronger academic performance on MCAS assessments. Despite the school's consistently low performance, there is little evidence of significant improvement over the years, suggesting a need for more substantial interventions and support to address the underlying challenges.

Detail:

Public 9-12

2363 Main Street
Athol, MA 01331

(978) 249-2435

District: Athol-Royalston

SchoolDigger Rank:
308^th of 348 Massachusetts High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $17,358

Feeder schools for Athol High:

Elementary:	Athol Community Elementary School
	Royalston Community School
Middle:	Athol-Royalston Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 12.8

Number of students: 414

Racial breakdown:

White:

72.2%

Hispanic:

19.6%

African American:

4.1%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 57.3%

See top rated Massachusetts high schools

Compare Athol High to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Athol High ranks worse than 88.5% of high schools in Massachusetts. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 13.02. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Athol High who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (72.2%), Hispanic (19.6%), African American (4.1%). (See more...)

Compare Details

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Athol High is 12.8. (See more...)

Compare Athol High employs 32.1 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Athol High is $17,358.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Athol High:

SchoolDigger ranks Athol High 308^th of 348 Massachusetts public high schools. (See Athol High in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Athol-Royalston:

SchoolDigger ranks Athol-Royalston 313^th of 351 Massachusetts school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Your rating for Athol High?

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Rank History for Athol High

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Rank History for all students at Athol High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MA State Percentile
2003	46.30	179^th	304	41.1%
2004	42.86	199^th	307	35.2%
2005	23.10	248^th	311	20.3%
2006	32.48	229^th	314	27.1%
2007	55.56	160^th	316	49.4%
2008	58.41	163^rd	319	48.9%
2009	55.05	182^nd	322	43.5%
2010	44.08	225^th	335	32.8%
2011	41.56	244^th	340	28.2%
2012	38.93	257^th	340	24.4%
2013	50.12	232^nd	344	32.6%
2014	24.54	284^th	347	18.2%
2015	23.63	293^rd	354	17.2%
2016	22.50	296^th	351	15.7%
2017	14.58	305^th	348	12.4%
2018	29.03	279^th	345	19.1%
2019	27.69	276^th	351	21.4%
2022	25.14	264^th	342	22.8%
2023	22.26	278^th	347	19.9%
2024	13.02	308^th	348	11.5%

See the entire list of Massachusetts High School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Athol High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MA State Percentile
2018	22.66	296^th	344	14.0%
2019	29.04	275^th	348	21.0%
2022	24.69	263^rd	339	22.4%
2023	12.45	298^th	301	1.0%
2024	31.46	185^th	289	36.0%

See the entire list of Best Massachusetts High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Athol High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MA State Percentile
2018	19.15	291^st	330	11.8%
2019	29.69	253^rd	330	23.3%
2022	22.21	265^th	332	20.2%
2023	20.20	274^th	338	18.9%
2024	16.17	300^th	338	11.2%

See the entire list of Best Massachusetts High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Athol High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MA State Percentile
2018	19.86	290^th	339	14.5%
2019	51.97	194^th	342	43.3%
2022	22.88	268^th	340	21.2%
2023	15.69	290^th	339	14.5%
2024	9.49	313^th	342	8.5%

See the entire list of Best Massachusetts High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Athol High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MA State Percentile
2018	7.37	285^th	299	4.7%
2019	16.27	266^th	299	11.0%
2022	27.74	207^th	295	29.8%

See the entire list of Best Massachusetts High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Athol High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MA State Percentile
2018	29.80	271^st	343	21.0%
2019	9.88	313^th	346	9.5%
2022	27.87	248^th	339	26.8%
2023	25.53	262^nd	343	23.6%
2024	14.40	292^nd	342	14.6%

See the entire list of Best Massachusetts High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Athol High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MA State Percentile
2022	13.98	194^th	217	10.6%
2023	35.57	159^th	241	34.0%
2024	24.54	181^st	249	27.3%

See the entire list of Best Massachusetts High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Athol High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MA State Percentile
2018	7.99	293^rd	303	3.3%
2019	11.38	284^th	302	6.0%
2022	19.16	249^th	300	17.0%
2023	8.04	285^th	301	5.3%
2024	1.67	300^th	302	0.7%

See the entire list of Best Massachusetts High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

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Enrollment information for Athol High

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	579	6	3	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	588
1989	553	5	3	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	561
1990	546	5	1	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	554
1991	521	2	4	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	529
1992	538	3	8	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	554
1993	554	2	8	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	572
1994	571	2	7	10	2	n/a	n/a	0	592
1995	550	8	10	12	0	n/a	n/a	0	580
1996	550	8	10	12	0	n/a	n/a	0	580
1997	516	5	8	9	0	n/a	n/a	0	538
1998	505	4	7	8	19	n/a	n/a	0	543
1999	567	5	4	9	0	n/a	n/a	0	585
2000	583	9	3	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	595
2001	570	8	5	12	2	n/a	n/a	0	597
2002	553	7	6	15	0	n/a	n/a	0	581
2003	553	7	6	15	0	n/a	n/a	0	581
2004	585	5	4	13	0	n/a	n/a	0	607
2005	596	5	5	14	1	n/a	n/a	0	621
2006	501	7	4	23	3	n/a	n/a	19	557
2007	486	3	2	27	3	n/a	n/a	18	539
2008	484	5	11	3	3	n/a	n/a	17	523
2009	420	4	6	11	3	1	11	0	456
2010	422	4	6	20	2	1	10	0	465
2011	410	4	4	22	1	1	9	0	451
2012	355	8	3	15	0	1	8	0	390
2013	353	11	0	16	1	0	8	0	389
2014	353	7	0	11	0	0	7	0	378
2015	354	9	2	15	1	0	5	0	386
2016	328	8	2	17	0	0	3	0	358
2017	321	10	3	20	0	0	4	0	358
2018	320	8	3	30	0	0	7	0	368
2019	296	6	3	24	0	0	10	0	339
2020	288	4	1	22	0	0	13	0	328
2021	282	5	2	42	0	0	15	0	346
2022	278	10	7	63	1	0	12	0	371
2023	292	15	8	78	1	0	10	0	404
2024	299	17	8	81	1	0	8	0	414

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Athol High

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	588	n/a	n/a	n/a
1989	561	n/a	n/a	n/a
1990	554	n/a	n/a	n/a
1991	529	n/a	n/a	n/a
1992	554	n/a	n/a	n/a
1993	572	n/a	0.0	n/a
1994	592	n/a	n/a	n/a
1995	580	n/a	0.0	n/a
1996	580	n/a	0.0	n/a
1997	538	n/a	0.0	n/a
1998	543	n/a	0.0	n/a
1999	585	n/a	0.0	0
2000	595	n/a	0.0	13.6
2001	597	n/a	0.0	13.4
2002	581	n/a	n/a	18.9
2003	581	n/a	n/a	18.9
2004	607	44.1	13.8	22.2
2005	621	43.9	14.1	28.3
2006	557	44.0	12.7	25.8
2007	539	44.0	12.3	26.7
2008	523	38.4	13.6	35.2
2009	456	39.4	11.6	37.1
2010	465	38.9	11.9	48.4
2011	451	36.5	12.3	49.2
2012	390	32.4	12.0	51.8
2013	389	32.0	12.1	51.9
2014	378	31.7	11.8	53.4
2015	386	30.0	12.8	57.3
2016	358	29.0	12.3	n/a
2017	358	28.8	12.4	n/a
2018	368	30.3	12.1	n/a
2019	339	29.1	11.6	n/a
2020	328	29.9	10.9	n/a
2021	346	28.8	11.9	n/a
2022	371	27.9	13.2	n/a
2023	404	30.0	13.4	n/a
2024	414	32.1	12.8	n/a

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Athol High

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	588	n/a	n/a	n/a
1989	561	n/a	n/a	n/a
1990	554	n/a	n/a	n/a
1991	529	n/a	n/a	n/a
1992	554	n/a	n/a	n/a
1993	572	n/a	0.0	n/a
1994	592	n/a	n/a	n/a
1995	580	n/a	0.0	n/a
1996	580	n/a	0.0	n/a
1997	538	n/a	0.0	n/a
1998	543	n/a	0.0	n/a
1999	585	n/a	0.0	0
2000	595	n/a	0.0	13.6
2001	597	n/a	0.0	13.4
2002	581	n/a	n/a	18.9
2003	581	n/a	n/a	18.9
2004	607	44.1	13.8	22.2
2005	621	43.9	14.1	28.3
2006	557	44.0	12.7	25.8
2007	539	44.0	12.3	26.7
2008	523	38.4	13.6	35.2
2009	456	39.4	11.6	37.1
2010	465	38.9	11.9	48.4
2011	451	36.5	12.3	49.2
2012	390	32.4	12.0	51.8
2013	389	32.0	12.1	51.9
2014	378	31.7	11.8	53.4
2015	386	30.0	12.8	57.3
2016	358	29.0	12.3	n/a
2017	358	28.8	12.4	n/a
2018	368	30.3	12.1	n/a
2019	339	29.1	11.6	n/a
2020	328	29.9	10.9	n/a
2021	346	28.8	11.9	n/a
2022	371	27.9	13.2	n/a
2023	404	30.0	13.4	n/a
2024	414	32.1	12.8	n/a

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Athol High

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$962 (5.9%)	$15,362 (94.1%)	$16,323
2020	$652 (3.6%)	$17,225 (96.4%)	$17,877
2021	$1,440 (8.3%)	$15,918 (91.7%)	$17,358

Data source: Massachusetts Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Athol High

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 276^th of 351 High schools	Ranks 278^th of 347 High schools	1.5%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
10th Grade English Language Arts (Athol High)	45	39	6%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Athol-Royalston)	44	37.4	6.6%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Massachusetts)	61	58.2	2.8%
10th Grade Mathematics (Athol High)	36	28.3	7.7%
10th Grade Mathematics (Athol-Royalston)	34	26.2	7.8%
10th Grade Mathematics (Massachusetts)	58	49.7	8.3%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	339	404	19.2%
African American	6	15	150%
American Indian	0	1
Asian	3	8	166.7%
Hispanic	24	78	225%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	296	292	1.4%
Two or More Races	10	10

Schools Near Athol High

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				MCAS Next Generation English Language Arts (2024)				MCAS Next Generation Mathematics (2024)				MCAS Next Generation Science (2024)			MCAS Next Generation Biology (2024)	MCAS Next Generation Physics (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2021)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	MCAS Next Generation English Language Arts 7th Grade	MCAS Next Generation English Language Arts 8th Grade	MCAS Next Generation English Language Arts 10th Grade	MCAS Next Generation English Language Arts All Grades	MCAS Next Generation Mathematics 7th Grade	MCAS Next Generation Mathematics 8th Grade	MCAS Next Generation Mathematics 10th Grade	MCAS Next Generation Mathematics All Grades	MCAS Next Generation Science 8th Grade	MCAS Next Generation Science 10th Grade	MCAS Next Generation Science All Grades	MCAS Next Generation Biology All Grades	MCAS Next Generation Physics All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Athol High	Public	9-12	2363 Main Street	Athol	01331	Worcester County	Athol-Royalston	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 249-2435	414	32	12.8		299 (72.2%)	17 (4.1%)	81 (19.6%)	8 (1.9%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (1.9%)	13	308^th of 348 public high schools	11.5%		22.3	278^th of 347 public high schools	19.9%	30			37.8				19.1			14.0		17.5		$17,358	$1,440	$15,919
Ralph C Mahar Regional	Public	7-12	507 South Main Street	Orange	01364	Franklin County	Ralph C Mahar	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 544-2542	504	60	8.4		419 (83.1%)	9 (1.8%)	46 (9.1%)	4 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (4.0%)	8.3	324^th of 348 public high schools	6.9%		28.2	262^nd of 347 public high schools	24.5%	62	17.0	18.9	30.1	17.9	17.9	30.8	13.8	23.9	34.1	11.0	34.1		34.9	$18,470	$693	$17,777
Narragansett Regional High	Public	8-12	464 Baldwinville Rd	Baldwinville	01436	Worcester County	Narragansett	No	No	No	No	(978) 939-5388	475	36	13.1		390 (82.1%)	6 (1.3%)	46 (9.7%)	5 (1.1%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	20 (4.2%)	42.4	220^th of 348 public high schools	36.8%		48.2	189^th of 347 public high schools	45.5%	31		31.2	59.3	31.2		23.2	43.5	23.2	36.8	31.3	36.8	34.4		$16,029	$505	$15,524
Murdock Academy for Success	Public	9-12	175 Grove St	Winchendon	01475	Worcester County	Winchendon	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 297-1256	20	0	74.0		15 (75.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (15.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (5.0%)								(n/a)														$10,526	$983	$9,543
Gardner Academy for Learning and Technology	Public	9-12	160 Elm Street	Gardner	01440	Worcester County	Gardner	No	No	No	No	(978) 632-1673	127	6	23.0		78 (61.4%)	10 (7.9%)	26 (20.5%)	1 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (8.7%)								(n/a)			33.3				9.1							$14,319	$1,176	$13,143
Gardner High	Public	8-12	200 Catherine Street	Gardner	01440	Worcester County	Gardner	No	No	No	No	(978) 632-1600	809	51	15.7		468 (57.8%)	37 (4.6%)	216 (26.7%)	13 (1.6%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	61 (7.5%)	26	269^th of 348 public high schools	22.7%		21.8	281^st of 347 public high schools	19.0%	12		20.4	41.1	20.4		13.6	35.6	13.6	17.9	28.8	17.9	24.3		$14,661	$1,176	$13,485
Murdock High School	Public	9-12	3 Memorial Drive	Winchendon	01475	Worcester County	Winchendon	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 297-1256	252	22	11.2		204 (81.0%)	5 (2.0%)	28 (11.1%)	6 (2.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	6 (2.4%)	25.6	271^st of 348 public high schools	22.1%		31	249^th of 347 public high schools	28.2%	22			35.3				23.5			45.2		36.2		$16,266	$983	$15,283
Quabbin Regional High School	Public	9-12	800 South Street	Barre	01005	Worcester County	Quabbin	No	No	No	No	(978) 355-4651	567	44	12.9		503 (88.7%)	3 (0.5%)	42 (7.4%)	8 (1.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (1.8%)	48.6	196^th of 348 public high schools	43.7%		70.5	111^th of 347 public high schools	68.0%	85			55.7				41.5			49.1		42.0		$17,290	$651	$16,640
Oakmont Regional High School	Public	9-12	9 Oakmont Drive	Ashburnham	01430	Worcester County	Ashburnham-Westminster	No	No	No	No	(978) 827-5907	634	47	13.5		529 (83.4%)	9 (1.4%)	53 (8.4%)	9 (1.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (3.5%)	60.5	151^st of 348 public high schools	56.6%		53.2	169^th of 347 public high schools	51.3%	18			62.0				56.3			48.4		58.2		$15,487	$503	$14,984
Pioneer Valley Regional	Public	7-12	97 F Sumner Turner Rd	Northfield	01360	Franklin County	Pioneer Valley	No	No	No	No	(413) 498-2931	241	24	10.1		223 (92.5%)	1 (0.4%)	3 (1.2%)	2 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (3.3%)	53.6	180^th of 348 public high schools	48.3%		73.5	104^th of 347 public high schools	70.0%	76	39.7	25.9	75.0	33.0	32.2	22.6	50.0	27.7	32.7	23.1	32.7	25.0		$25,682	$3,090	$22,592

Athol High

Athol High:

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Athol-Royalston:

What do you think?

Rank History for Athol High

Rank History for all students at Athol High

Rank History for Special Education students at Athol High

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