Prestige vs. Performance: How We Decode School District Value in Greater Boston

Our Value-Add Index uses Massachusetts' official accountability metrics—CPTIT and Student Growth Percentiles—to distinguish districts that accelerate learning from those that simply enroll high-achieving students. This methodology reveals that some 'elite' districts (like Arlington High School) are resting on reputation, while others (like Acton-Boxborough) deliver genuine institutional value-add.

Families evaluating school districts, homebuyers comparing towns, education policy researchers, and anyone confused by conflicting school rankings.

• •CPTIT (Cumulative Progress Toward Improvement Targets) is Massachusetts' official district 'report card'
• •Student Growth Percentile (SGP) measures whether schools accelerate learning or just enroll smart kids
• •Arlington High School shows 47.8 SGP—below average growth despite high achievement
• •Acton-Boxborough achieves 64.0 SGP in high school ELA—true value-add
• •Boston Public Schools shows 57.8 SGP in high school Math—strong relative growth
• •The methodology is accepted by world-class education research PhDs