Education






As we emerge from the lowest points of the COVID pandemic, updated data points to potential concerns within the educational sector, including higher rates of school absence, lower enrollment in prekindergarten programs, and lower test performance on some assessments, particularly among students of color and those who are economically disadvantaged.

Educational success hinges upon myriad factors, but important ones include prekindergarten participation, school attendance and the adequacy of school funding. Prekindergarten helps prepare children both socially and academically for school, and can fill in gaps for children exposed to a less rich vocabulary or lacking in other resources. In Essex County in 2021, 30% of 4-year-olds were enrolled in public or private prekindergarten programs, down from 36% in 2002.

School attendance is increasingly measured by the share of students who miss 10% or more of the school year and are deemed “chronically absent.” In 2021, 18% of students were chronically absent in Essex County, an increase of 4 points from 2020 and reflective of a general increase in chronic absenteeism statewide since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Some local districts had rates near or above 30%, including Peabody, Gloucester, Salem, and Haverhill.

School spending in Essex County across public school districts was $18,100 per student in 2021, close to the statewide level of $19,100 and below the level in Middlesex, MA of $19,900. Spending in Essex County has increased 20% since 2008, after adjusting for inflation. The highest spending districts in Essex County were some of the vocational schools, with per-student spending levels at or above $20,000.

Enrollment in higher levels of schooling favors females, with women making up 58% of undergraduate college students and 62% of students in graduate and professional schools in Essex County. These disparities are similar to the state and national levels.

Measures of academic achievement show the majority of students in Essex County are considered proficient in key subjects, but many are not. Disparities in academic achievement remain significant, though some groups have made considerable progress over the last decade.

Third grade is an important milestone, particularly in the development of students’ literacy skills. Through third grade, many students are learning to read; from third grade on, they need to be able to read to learn. In Essex County in 2022, 39% of 3rd graders were considered proficient on the state’s English Language Arts exams, down 5 points from the previous year.

Proficiency was lower among economically disadvantaged students (23%), Hispanic students (20%) and African American students (30%) compared with those who were not disadvantaged (57%) and white and Asian students (53% and 55%, respectively). The passing rates in 2022 show marked declines for some groups, including economically disadvantaged students (down 32 points from 2019), Hispanic students (down 20 points) and African American students (down 14 points).

Similarly, 8th grade is an important benchmark for the development of math skills, as students are studying or will soon move into study of algebra and other high school-level math courses. In 2022, 34% of Essex County 8th graders were considered proficient on the state’s math exam. But on this exam as well, rates were lower among some groups: 19% among economically disadvantaged students and 18% among Hispanic students and 22% among African American students. Here too, 2022 passing rates were far lower for some groups, including economically disadvantaged students (down 29 points from 2017), Hispanic students (down 15 points) and African American students (down 12 points).

Massachusetts requires students to pass 10th grade level state tests in math and English in order to graduate. In 2022, 54% of 10th graders passed the state’s language arts exam and 43% passed the math exam. Disparities were less pronounced on the English exam, with 25% of economically disadvantaged students, 22% of Hispanic students and 25% of African American students passing in 2022. 

High school graduation rates in Essex County have been rising, with 90% of the 2017 cohort graduating in 2021, up 13 percentage points from 2006 and on par with the state graduation rate. Fourteen districts in the county had graduation rates of 95% or higher. The lowest graduation rates were in Salem and Lawrence (both 79%). Lawrence, however, had the largest gain since 2006, with a 38-point increase.

Students from low-income backgrounds graduated at a somewhat lower rate, 83% in 2021, though that was up significantly from 61% in 2006. Hispanic students in the 2017 cohort graduated at a lower rate (83%) in 2021 compared to 95% of Asian students 93% of white students, and 92% of African American students. These disparities were comparable to rates at the state level among the same groups, although Essex County’s rate among African American students was 8 points higher than the state. 

Essex County is a highly educated county in terms of the adult population, with 41% of adults in 2017-21 having at least a bachelor’s degree, up from 31% in 2000. That is above the national rate (34%) but below Massachusetts’ rate of 45% and below the rates in comparison counties: 58% in Middlesex, MA, 51% in Westchester, NY, and 46% in Lake, IL.

Some parts of Essex County and some groups within Essex County had much lower levels of education. In the cities of Lawrence and Lynn, just 14% and 21%, respectively, of adults had at least a bachelor’s. And throughout the county, only 15% of Hispanic residents had a bachelor’s or higher degree.





INDICATORS TREND | ESSEX COUNTY
People 65 or Older Living Alone Decreasing
Early Prenatal Care by Mother's Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Prevalence of Overweight Adults Not Applicable
Preterm Births Increasing
Infant Mortality Rate Maintaining
Children with Elevated Blood Lead Levels Decreasing
Children Living in Poverty Increasing
Children Living in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Disengaged Youth Maintaining
Live Births to Teen Mothers Decreasing
Youth Arrests Decreasing
Arts, Entertainment and Recreation Establishments Maintaining
Arts, Entertainment and Recreation Employment Maintaining
Tourism Spending Increasing
Voter Participation Rate Increasing
Charitable Contributions Maintaining
Protected Land Not Applicable
Days with Good Air Quality Increasing
Beach Contamination Increasing
Daily Water Use per Resident Decreasing
Crimes Against People Maintaining
Crimes Against Property Decreasing
Drug-Related Arrests Maintaining
Reports of Domestic Violence Increasing
Incarceration Rates Decreasing
Recidivism Decreasing
Households Without Vehicles Decreasing
Means of Transportation to Work Not Applicable
Traffic Injuries and Fatalities Maintaining
Households With Internet Access Not Applicable
Change in Total Population Increasing
Change in Population by Age/Sex Not Applicable
People with Disabilities Maintaining
Households by Type Not Applicable
Single-Parent Families by Sex Not Applicable
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Change in Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Foreign-Born Population Increasing
Language Diversity Increasing
Change in Total Jobs Increasing
Change in Jobs by Sector Not Applicable
Change in Average Salary Increasing
Change in Average Salary by Sector Not Applicable
Average Salary by Sector Not Applicable
Median Earnings by Occupation by Gender Not Applicable
People Entering/Leaving County for Work Not Applicable
Employer Size Not Applicable
Self-Employment Revenue Increasing
Business Ownership by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Unemployment Rate Increasing
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Prekindergarten Participation Not Applicable
Female Enrollment in School Not Applicable
Chronically Absent Students Increasing
Per-Student Spending Increasing
Bullying Decreasing
Student Performance on Grade 3 Reading Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 8 Math by Student Group Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 10 English Language Arts Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 10 Math Not Applicable
High School Cohort Graduation Rate Increasing
High School Cohort Graduation Rate by Student Group Not Applicable
Education Levels of Adults Not Applicable
Bachelor's Degree or Higher by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Income in Relation to Poverty Level Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Median Household Income Increasing
Median Household Income by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Median Household Income by Household Type Not Applicable
Living Wage Rate by Household Type Not Applicable
Access to Financial Services, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Households Receiving Temporary Assistance Increasing
Households Receiving Federal Food Assistance Increasing
Participation in Food Assistance by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Earned Income Tax Credit Participation Decreasing
Economically Disadvantaged Students Increasing
Median Home Value Increasing
Cost of Homeownership Increasing
Cost of Renting Increasing
Homeownership Rates Maintaining
Homeownership Rates by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Homeless Persons Maintaining
People Without Health Insurance Decreasing
Medical Care Expenses Increasing
Prevalence of Children with Asthma Maintaining
Prevalence of Overweight Children Maintaining
Diabetes Incidence Decreasing
Chronic Disease Among Older Adults Increasing
Cancer Incidence Decreasing
Cancer Mortality Rate Decreasing
Heart Disease Mortality Rate Decreasing
Mortality Rate Decreasing
People who Smoke Not Applicable
Use of Illegal Drugs Not Applicable
Youth Use of Illegal Drugs Not Applicable
Substance Abuse Treatment Admissions Not Applicable
Drug Overdose Mortality Rate Increasing
Prevalence of Mental Illness Maintaining
Suicide Rate Maintaining
Children Living in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Change in Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 3 Reading Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 8 Math by Student Group Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 10 English Language Arts Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 10 Math Not Applicable
High School Cohort Graduation Rate by Student Group Not Applicable
Bachelor's Degree or Higher by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Median Household Income by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Participation in Food Assistance by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Homeownership Rates by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable