Chelsea Public Schools has good news to share. In the state's 2026 accountability results, the district earned a rating of "substantial progress toward targets," the district announced Oct. 6. The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) also classified Chelsea as not requiring assistance or intervention.

District leaders credit teachers, paraprofessionals, school leaders and staff for the gains. They note the progress came after years of pandemic disruption, enrollment shifts and budget cuts.

What the 52% means

The headline number is the district's annual accountability score. It rose six points, from 46% in 2025 to 52% in 2026.

That number is easy to misread. It is not the share of students who are proficient or passing.

Instead, it's a state score from 0 to 100 that rolls several measures into one: test results, student growth, high school completion, English learner progress, advanced coursework and chronic absenteeism. That's according to the state's official accountability report for Chelsea.

To meet its targets, a district needs 75% or higher on a cumulative version of the score, which blends two years of results. Chelsea's cumulative score is 50%. The state calls that "substantial progress toward targets."

Math led the way

The biggest gains came in math for grades 3 through 8. Chelsea's average math score rose 1.7 points, enough to meet the state's target.

That stands out. Statewide, the share of students in those grades meeting or exceeding expectations in math didn't budge. It held at 41%.

Several groups of students improved, too. Chelsea's lowest-performing students raised their average math score by nearly 7 points, beating their target. Students with disabilities gained 2.3 points, meeting theirs. Current and former English learners gained 2 points.

Reading held steady

In English language arts, scores for grades 3 through 8 were flat. That's not a gain, but Chelsea avoided the slide seen across Massachusetts, where the share of students meeting or exceeding expectations fell 2 points, to 40%.

A few schools stood out. At the Hooks Elementary School, 32% of students met or exceeded expectations in English language arts. The Berkowitz Elementary School came in at 27%, and the Wright Science & Technology Academy at 26%.

Where the work remains

High school is a different story. Scores declined in English language arts, math and science.

Attendance is a concern, too. Chronic absenteeism among high school students rose from 54.6% to 58.1%. In the lower grades, it went the other way, falling from 25.8% to 23.6% and beating the target.

Results also vary by school. Four elementary schools, Berkowitz, Hooks, Kelly and Sokolowski, were classified as not requiring assistance. Five schools were classified as requiring assistance or intervention: Chelsea High, Chelsea Opportunity Academy, Clark Avenue, Wright and Browne.

Superintendent Dr. Almi G. Abeyta acknowledged that important work remains, especially in literacy and in the upper grades. Still, Abeyta said, "this year's results demonstrate that our strategies are gaining traction."

For families

In 2026, for the first time, families could see their own child's preliminary results online through the state's new MCAS Family Portal.