Amherst, Massachusetts
Amherst Schools by the Numbers
Amherst runs two public school districts. The figures here describe the Amherst-Pelham Regional district, which serves the middle and high school students from four towns. Detailed figures come from the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE).
Regional District Snapshot
Sources: Massachusetts DESE, school and district profiles.
High needs is a state count, not a score. It includes every student who is from a low income household, learning English, or receiving special education services, and counts each one only once. The median across all 396 Massachusetts districts is 46.7 percent.
Two Districts, One Superintendent
Amherst students move through two separate districts. The Amherst Public Schools cover preschool through grade six and are governed by the elected Amherst School Committee. The Amherst-Pelham Regional School District covers grades seven through twelve and is shared with Pelham, Leverett, and Shutesbury, governed by a regional committee made up of members from all four towns. One superintendent, E. Xiomara Herman, leads both.
| Regional district | Amherst-Pelham Regional |
| Enrollment (2025-26) | 1,183 |
| Grades | 7 to 12 |
| High school | Amherst Regional High |
Student Population
The regional district enrolls students from four towns. A large share are classified by the state as high needs. For the precise current breakdown, see the DESE district profile.
| English learners | 6.2% |
| High needs | 44.6% |
| Per-pupil spending (FY2024) | $28,232 |
Academic Performance & Context
The regional district’s four-year graduation rate was about 92.6% for the most recent reported cohort, above the state average. MCAS results, graduation rates, and accountability data are published and updated each year by DESE. Because these change annually, this guide links to the live state profile rather than reprinting numbers that quickly go stale.
Sources
MA DESE, Amherst-Pelham Regional Student Profile (code 06050000). Accessed 2026.