What does this measure?
The share of students in a school or district missing 10% or more of days in a school year due to absence.
Why is this important?
School attendance is critical to a student's education. Elementary children who do not regularly attend school will miss out on developing key skills, such as reading and arithmetic, critical to future success in school and life. Secondary school children who do not regularly attend school are at higher risk of failing and dropping out, exhibiting delinquent behavior, and engaging in various forms of risky behaviors. School attendance is linked to success in academic and social outcomes both during school years and later in life.
How is our region doing?
In 2023, 19% of students were chronically absent in MetroWest, below the state rate (22%). Many school districts had largely flat trends of absenteeism from 2009-2020, which then jumped in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, elevated 2023 rates should be interpreted with care. It is not yet known whether this pattern will persist or return to pre-pandemic levels.
Rates were above 20% in Boston (39%), Framingham (33%), Marlborough (31%), Dedham (28%), Milford (27%), Waltham (24%) and Worcester (21%). Rates were less than 10% in Weston (5%), Dover-Sherborn (7%), Carlisle, Lexington, Lincoln-Sudbury, Medfield, and Sherborn (all at 8%), and Dover (9%).
Rates in local charter schools ranged from 15-20%, with Francis W. Parker Charter Essential and Innovation Academy Charter at the high end of the range and Foxborough Regional Charter at the low end.
Chronic absence rates increased in all districts since 2009. The Marlborough School District experienced the largest increase (up 19 points), followed by Framingham (up 18 points) and Dedham School District (up 17 points).
Notes about the data
Chronic absence is a different way of looking at school attendance from the more traditional measure of average daily attendance. Increasingly, educators and policymakers are tracking chronic absence as a more telling and insightful indicator. In any school or district, average daily attendance can be seemingly high (90% or higher) even though a small or moderate share of students are missing a lot of school.
| 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | 14% | 14% | 13% | 13% | 13% | 12% | 13% | 12% | 14% | 13% | 13% | 13% | 18% | 28% | 22% |
| Region | 11% | 11% | 11% | 10% | 10% | 10% | 10% | 9% | 10% | 10% | 10% | 11% | 14% | 23% | 19% |
| Middlesex County | 11% | 11% | 10% | 10% | 10% | 10% | 10% | 9% | 10% | 10% | 10% | 11% | 13% | 22% | 18% |
| Norfolk County | 9% | 10% | 9% | 8% | 9% | 8% | 9% | 8% | 9% | 9% | 9% | 10% | 12% | 19% | 16% |
| Worcester County | 12% | 12% | 12% | 11% | 11% | 11% | 12% | 11% | 12% | 12% | 12% | 13% | 18% | 27% | 21% |
| Acton School District | 5% | 8% | 4% | 4% | 4% | 5% | |||||||||
| Acton-Boxborough School District | 8% | 5% | 4% | 5% | 5% | 5% | 5% | 5% | 6% | 6% | 4% | 8% | 4% | 11% | 13% |
| Ashland School District | 10% | 10% | 6% | 5% | 5% | 5% | 6% | 5% | 6% | 6% | 7% | 9% | 16% | 21% | 16% |
| Bedford School District | 10% | 8% | 7% | 6% | 7% | 7% | 6% | 7% | 7% | 7% | 7% | 9% | 5% | 12% | 11% |
| Bellingham School District | 15% | 13% | 11% | 12% | 12% | 11% | 12% | 12% | 13% | 12% | 13% | 14% | 17% | 23% | 20% |
| Boxborough School District | 3% | 5% | 5% | 7% | 6% | 4% | |||||||||
| Carlisle School District | 5% | 4% | 5% | 5% | 5% | 4% | 4% | 5% | 4% | 5% | 5% | 8% | 3% | 10% | 8% |
| Christa McAuliffe Charter Public (District) | 10% | 10% | 9% | 8% | 7% | 6% | 6% | 8% | 8% | 7% | 8% | 28% | 16% | 10% | 12% |
| Concord School District | 4% | 4% | 3% | 3% | 4% | 4% | 4% | 4% | 4% | 4% | 4% | 6% | 10% | 12% | 12% |
| Concord-Carlisle School District | 8% | 11% | 11% | 10% | 9% | 9% | 9% | 9% | 11% | 9% | 11% | 11% | 4% | 15% | 14% |
| Dedham School District | 11% | 14% | 10% | 9% | 12% | 12% | 10% | 9% | 11% | 13% | 11% | 12% | 19% | 27% | 28% |
| Dover School District | 6% | 2% | 3% | 4% | 2% | 3% | 2% | 3% | 4% | 4% | 6% | 5% | 4% | 15% | 9% |
| Dover-Sherborn School District | 5% | 6% | 7% | 5% | 4% | 3% | 5% | 4% | 4% | 4% | 5% | 5% | 5% | 11% | 7% |
| Foxborough Regional Charter | 6% | 6% | 7% | 5% | 4% | 5% | 5% | 6% | 6% | 8% | 8% | 8% | 5% | 23% | 15% |
| Framingham School District | 15% | 13% | 13% | 12% | 11% | 12% | 12% | 12% | 14% | 13% | 14% | 16% | 19% | 40% | 33% |
| Francis W. Parker Charter Essential | 11% | 17% | 15% | 12% | 13% | 11% | 10% | 11% | 11% | 10% | 10% | 15% | 15% | 21% | 20% |
| Franklin School District | 6% | 7% | 6% | 6% | 7% | 8% | 8% | 7% | 8% | 8% | 7% | 9% | 7% | 15% | 13% |
| Harvard School District | 5% | 8% | 9% | 10% | 9% | 8% | 9% | 10% | 8% | 9% | 7% | 8% | 5% | 14% | 15% |
| Holliston School District | 6% | 6% | 6% | 5% | 6% | 6% | 6% | 6% | 6% | 6% | 7% | 9% | 6% | 16% | 17% |
| Hopkinton School District | 4% | 4% | 4% | 4% | 5% | 4% | 4% | 5% | 5% | 6% | 6% | 8% | 6% | 17% | 12% |
| Hudson School District | 11% | 10% | 9% | 9% | 9% | 10% | 12% | 10% | 12% | 12% | 12% | 13% | 23% | 27% | 19% |
| Innovation Academy Charter | 8% | 7% | 8% | 5% | 6% | 7% | 8% | 7% | 7% | 6% | 7% | 9% | 9% | 26% | 20% |
| Lexington School District | 5% | 4% | 4% | 3% | 4% | 3% | 4% | 3% | 3% | 3% | 4% | 6% | 4% | 8% | 8% |
| Lincoln School District | 7% | 8% | 9% | 8% | 11% | 11% | 9% | 9% | 9% | 10% | 10% | 10% | 11% | 24% | 16% |
| Lincoln-Sudbury School District | 5% | 5% | 4% | 5% | 5% | 4% | 4% | 5% | 5% | 5% | 5% | 6% | 4% | 10% | 8% |
| Littleton School District | 7% | 8% | 7% | 7% | 7% | 6% | 6% | 6% | 7% | 7% | 6% | 8% | 5% | 18% | 15% |
| Marlborough School District | 12% | 12% | 11% | 10% | 12% | 15% | 13% | 12% | 14% | 15% | 17% | 17% | 26% | 35% | 31% |
| Maynard School District | 9% | 8% | 7% | 7% | 9% | 10% | 10% | 8% | 9% | 10% | 20% | 14% | 26% | 23% | 18% |
| Medfield School District | 6% | 5% | 4% | 4% | 3% | 4% | 5% | 4% | 4% | 4% | 4% | 4% | 10% | 9% | 8% |
| Medway School District | 8% | 8% | 7% | 4% | 6% | 10% | 8% | 7% | 8% | 8% | 6% | 5% | 10% | 13% | 12% |
| Milford School District | 11% | 12% | 11% | 10% | 11% | 11% | 12% | 11% | 14% | 13% | 15% | 17% | 27% | 32% | 27% |
| Millis School District | 8% | 7% | 5% | 5% | 6% | 4% | 5% | 6% | 6% | 7% | 5% | 8% | 6% | 15% | 15% |
| Nashoba School District | 7% | 8% | 7% | 6% | 6% | 5% | 6% | 7% | 7% | 7% | 7% | 8% | 8% | 18% | 10% |
| Natick School District | 8% | 9% | 8% | 7% | 7% | 6% | 7% | 6% | 6% | 5% | 5% | 6% | 9% | 13% | 12% |
| Needham School District | 3% | 5% | 5% | 6% | 5% | 5% | 5% | 5% | 5% | 6% | 5% | 7% | 4% | 16% | 13% |
| Sherborn School District | 3% | 1% | 1% | 4% | 2% | 3% | 3% | 3% | 5% | 3% | 2% | 4% | 6% | 8% | 8% |
| Southborough School District | 5% | 5% | 5% | 4% | 5% | 5% | 4% | 5% | 4% | 6% | 5% | 7% | 8% | 13% | 16% |
| Sudbury School District | 5% | 5% | 5% | 4% | 5% | 4% | 3% | 4% | 4% | 4% | 4% | 6% | 3% | 10% | 10% |
| Walpole School District | 7% | 6% | 5% | 5% | 6% | 6% | 6% | 5% | 6% | 6% | 7% | 8% | 11% | 13% | 12% |
| Waltham School District | 17% | 16% | 14% | 14% | 15% | 14% | 12% | 11% | 12% | 13% | 14% | 15% | 20% | 26% | 24% |
| Wayland School District | 5% | 5% | 5% | 4% | 4% | 5% | 5% | 4% | 5% | 5% | 3% | 4% | 35% | 11% | 11% |
| Wellesley School District | 6% | 5% | 4% | 5% | 8% | 6% | 9% | 10% | 9% | 11% | 6% | 7% | 2% | 11% | 11% |
| Westborough School District | 5% | 5% | 5% | 5% | 5% | 5% | 5% | 5% | 6% | 7% | 8% | 10% | 19% | 23% | 18% |
| Westford School District | 5% | 4% | 4% | 4% | 5% | 4% | 4% | 4% | 5% | 4% | 5% | 6% | 5% | 13% | 15% |
| Weston School District | 3% | 3% | 5% | 4% | 5% | 7% | 9% | 7% | 6% | 6% | 5% | 6% | 4% | 10% | 5% |
| Westwood School District | 6% | 5% | 4% | 4% | 5% | 4% | 4% | 4% | 4% | 4% | 4% | 5% | 3% | 11% | 10% |
| 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | 132,330 | 133,030 | 128,045 | 119,171 | 121,256 | 117,556 | 123,304 | 117,272 | 128,756 | 125,932 | 122,760 | 123,348 | 161,329 | 252,494 | 202,849 |
| Region | 48,754 | 48,230 | 47,040 | 43,774 | 44,198 | 43,681 | 45,387 | 42,067 | 46,547 | 46,508 | 46,364 | 49,895 | 59,982 | 97,541 | 81,324 |
| Middlesex County | 23,066 | 22,674 | 22,026 | 20,386 | 20,994 | 20,800 | 20,901 | 18,985 | 21,260 | 21,275 | 21,429 | 23,457 | 27,149 | 46,012 | 39,001 |
| Norfolk County | 9,551 | 9,689 | 9,158 | 8,508 | 9,107 | 8,698 | 9,304 | 8,687 | 9,372 | 9,758 | 9,353 | 10,013 | 11,574 | 18,714 | 16,340 |
| Worcester County | 16,138 | 15,867 | 15,857 | 14,880 | 14,097 | 14,183 | 15,182 | 14,395 | 15,915 | 15,476 | 15,583 | 16,425 | 21,259 | 32,815 | 25,983 |
| Acton School District | 115 | 212 | 108 | 88 | 100 | 116 | |||||||||
| Acton-Boxborough School District | 237 | 147 | 127 | 131 | 134 | 145 | 306 | 292 | 313 | 336 | 234 | 411 | 213 | 565 | 647 |
| Ashland School District | 260 | 253 | 152 | 132 | 131 | 132 | 143 | 146 | 149 | 171 | 202 | 259 | 439 | 597 | 468 |
| Bedford School District | 235 | 197 | 174 | 156 | 186 | 185 | 154 | 185 | 175 | 175 | 191 | 237 | 136 | 323 | 284 |
| Bellingham School District | 409 | 350 | 290 | 287 | 295 | 264 | 283 | 275 | 296 | 274 | 278 | 291 | 327 | 463 | 403 |
| Boxborough School District | 16 | 23 | 23 | 32 | 28 | 18 | |||||||||
| Carlisle School District | 32 | 27 | 33 | 30 | 33 | 28 | 26 | 28 | 25 | 30 | 32 | 45 | 16 | 62 | 47 |
| Christa McAuliffe Charter Public (District) | 20 | 20 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 22 | 23 | 33 | 32 | 26 | 31 | 113 | 65 | 40 | 38 |
| Concord School District | 83 | 70 | 66 | 58 | 94 | 81 | 76 | 84 | 86 | 93 | 88 | 116 | 196 | 244 | 239 |
| Concord-Carlisle School District | 99 | 134 | 132 | 122 | 110 | 113 | 112 | 115 | 139 | 117 | 144 | 146 | 53 | 202 | 179 |
| Dedham School District | 311 | 396 | 297 | 266 | 348 | 338 | 272 | 258 | 307 | 356 | 293 | 317 | 483 | 693 | 718 |
| Dover School District | 32 | 14 | 14 | 20 | 11 | 15 | 10 | 15 | 17 | 21 | 29 | 24 | 17 | 71 | 44 |
| Dover-Sherborn School District | 58 | 70 | 75 | 54 | 48 | 37 | 59 | 47 | 48 | 45 | 55 | 57 | 56 | 131 | 82 |
| Foxborough Regional Charter | 63 | 69 | 77 | 58 | 46 | 65 | 62 | 74 | 76 | 110 | 129 | 128 | 77 | 395 | 237 |
| Framingham School District | 1,248 | 1,060 | 1,047 | 997 | 927 | 952 | 987 | 1,017 | 1,205 | 1,171 | 1,270 | 1,463 | 1,642 | 3,521 | 3,051 |
| Francis W. Parker Charter Essential | 43 | 67 | 60 | 48 | 52 | 43 | 39 | 43 | 43 | 40 | 38 | 60 | 59 | 81 | 76 |
| Franklin School District | 382 | 398 | 362 | 369 | 399 | 444 | 456 | 358 | 411 | 407 | 385 | 436 | 314 | 715 | 589 |
| Harvard School District | 60 | 98 | 108 | 130 | 111 | 92 | 99 | 108 | 93 | 102 | 73 | 80 | 54 | 142 | 154 |
| Holliston School District | 165 | 160 | 181 | 139 | 175 | 175 | 175 | 165 | 182 | 183 | 211 | 262 | 151 | 458 | 464 |
| Hopkinton School District | 138 | 148 | 131 | 119 | 164 | 149 | 142 | 184 | 163 | 193 | 221 | 301 | 224 | 689 | 500 |
| Hudson School District | 337 | 319 | 263 | 251 | 249 | 283 | 339 | 290 | 312 | 316 | 308 | 331 | 551 | 626 | 430 |
| Innovation Academy Charter | 30 | 37 | 50 | 31 | 38 | 51 | 61 | 55 | 55 | 49 | 57 | 72 | 74 | 199 | 155 |
| Lexington School District | 318 | 260 | 274 | 205 | 234 | 225 | 237 | 215 | 226 | 239 | 305 | 410 | 297 | 550 | 548 |
| Lincoln School District | 80 | 87 | 97 | 92 | 134 | 139 | 117 | 107 | 110 | 119 | 114 | 108 | 113 | 257 | 163 |
| Lincoln-Sudbury School District | 88 | 76 | 63 | 74 | 71 | 72 | 61 | 72 | 83 | 69 | 79 | 92 | 66 | 144 | 114 |
| Littleton School District | 107 | 122 | 109 | 105 | 107 | 92 | 96 | 101 | 112 | 118 | 98 | 131 | 78 | 294 | 250 |
| Marlborough School District | 525 | 527 | 480 | 464 | 532 | 658 | 586 | 552 | 629 | 700 | 768 | 799 | 1,213 | 1,611 | 1,463 |
| Maynard School District | 121 | 102 | 94 | 98 | 120 | 145 | 135 | 111 | 131 | 144 | 273 | 182 | 302 | 269 | 216 |
| Medfield School District | 168 | 139 | 115 | 100 | 84 | 96 | 129 | 99 | 115 | 95 | 91 | 112 | 249 | 215 | 188 |
| Medway School District | 223 | 218 | 182 | 110 | 149 | 250 | 184 | 175 | 178 | 186 | 127 | 115 | 214 | 266 | 259 |
| Milford School District | 465 | 503 | 456 | 415 | 450 | 452 | 509 | 459 | 590 | 540 | 624 | 727 | 1,127 | 1,387 | 1,215 |
| Millis School District | 110 | 105 | 79 | 67 | 80 | 57 | 72 | 86 | 81 | 92 | 64 | 90 | 71 | 176 | 186 |
| Nashoba School District | 245 | 257 | 231 | 207 | 187 | 168 | 215 | 237 | 242 | 221 | 236 | 254 | 256 | 562 | 305 |
| Natick School District | 382 | 402 | 362 | 341 | 339 | 333 | 365 | 342 | 306 | 292 | 288 | 315 | 452 | 690 | 658 |
| Needham School District | 169 | 250 | 252 | 297 | 268 | 260 | 281 | 251 | 279 | 323 | 309 | 371 | 219 | 893 | 735 |
| Sherborn School District | 15 | 4 | 4 | 15 | 7 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 22 | 13 | 8 | 18 | 22 | 33 | 32 |
| Southborough School District | 78 | 72 | 78 | 56 | 70 | 62 | 49 | 63 | 49 | 75 | 67 | 92 | 101 | 160 | 201 |
| Sudbury School District | 152 | 142 | 145 | 120 | 141 | 105 | 89 | 119 | 107 | 119 | 103 | 149 | 73 | 254 | 243 |
| Walpole School District | 255 | 221 | 214 | 205 | 225 | 224 | 241 | 211 | 224 | 236 | 266 | 283 | 406 | 488 | 431 |
| Waltham School District | 803 | 753 | 662 | 704 | 744 | 722 | 646 | 586 | 666 | 745 | 789 | 878 | 1,107 | 1,412 | 1,349 |
| Wayland School District | 144 | 145 | 137 | 118 | 114 | 121 | 133 | 101 | 127 | 122 | 67 | 100 | 942 | 287 | 289 |
| Wellesley School District | 294 | 248 | 176 | 234 | 386 | 322 | 461 | 482 | 447 | 531 | 278 | 331 | 98 | 472 | 457 |
| Westborough School District | 181 | 190 | 172 | 158 | 179 | 194 | 188 | 176 | 236 | 255 | 302 | 382 | 708 | 883 | 705 |
| Westford School District | 244 | 211 | 190 | 227 | 247 | 218 | 211 | 221 | 276 | 203 | 228 | 291 | 250 | 593 | 711 |
| Weston School District | 82 | 79 | 109 | 97 | 123 | 170 | 192 | 148 | 123 | 135 | 101 | 112 | 76 | 193 | 104 |
| Westwood School District | 175 | 140 | 129 | 115 | 146 | 112 | 115 | 113 | 117 | 128 | 133 | 147 | 94 | 304 | 275 |
| INDICATORS | REGIONAL TREND |
|---|---|
| Prekindergarten Participation | Not Applicable |
| Student Performance on Grade 3 English, by Student Group | Not Applicable |
| School Spending Per Student | Maintaining |
| Student Performance on Grade 8 Math by Student Group | Not Applicable |
| Chronically Absent Students | Increasing |
| High School Cohort Graduation Rate by Student Group | Not Applicable |
| Education Levels of Adults | Not Applicable |
| College Admission Rate, by Race/Ethnicity | Not Applicable |
| Education Levels of Adults, by Race/Ethnicity | Not Applicable |
| Arts Teachers in Public Schools | Increasing |
| Students Taking Arts Courses | Increasing |
| Students Taking Arts Courses, by Grade Level | Not Applicable |
| Students Taking Arts Courses, by Student Group | Not Applicable |
| Students Taking Arts Courses, by Subject | Not Applicable |
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