Education
Chronically Absent Students


Chronically Absent Students

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 county doing?

In 2021, 18% of students were chronically absent in Essex County. This is 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% in 2021, including Peabody, Gloucester, Salem, and Haverhill. Chronic absence was very low at the Boxford School District (2%) and Topsfield School District (3%).

The largest increase in chronic absence rates from 2020 to 2021 was at Kipp Academy Lynn Charter (up 24 points), followed by the Peabody School District (up 18 points). The greatest decrease was in Rockport (down 28 percentage points) followed by Georgetown (down 6 points).

How do we compare to similar counties?

Essex County's rate was higher than the rate in Middlesex, MA of 13%. Data was not available for Lake, IL or Westchester, NY.

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.

Chronically Absent Students
2009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021
Essex County, MA14%14%13%13%13%12%13%13%15%15%15%14%18%
Middlesex County, MA11%11%10%10%10%10%10%9%10%10%10%11%13%
Massachusetts14%14%13%13%13%12%13%12%14%13%13%13%18%
School Districts in Essex
Amesbury10%11%11%11%11%10%11%13%13%14%11%11%16%
Amesbury Academy Charter Public40%41%40%38%38%67%57%
Andover6%6%6%6%6%6%7%6%7%8%6%8%7%
Beverly12%13%12%11%10%11%12%11%12%13%12%12%20%
Boxford2%3%3%2%3%3%2%3%4%3%3%4%2%
Community Day Charter Public School - Gateway9%2%4%2%3%4%6%6%11%
Community Day Charter Public School - Prospect6%4%2%3%4%3%7%4%7%6%7%8%8%
Community Day Charter Public School - R. Kingman Webster11%5%6%2%4%5%6%9%13%
Danvers12%14%12%12%13%10%12%12%10%11%12%11%13%
Essex Agricultural Technical10%6%6%4%6%6%10%8%12%17%12%6%10%
Georgetown9%11%9%9%10%9%9%8%8%11%7%11%5%
Gloucester20%20%19%19%17%17%17%16%14%16%17%15%32%
Greater Lawrence Regional Vocational Technical15%13%10%6%7%7%7%7%8%11%10%12%21%
Hamilton-Wenham5%7%5%5%6%5%7%5%7%6%6%6%9%
Haverhill25%24%23%22%21%20%22%19%21%23%20%19%29%
Hill View Montessori Charter Public6%9%6%3%6%3%4%2%5%5%4%11%7%
Ipswich8%9%6%6%6%5%6%6%6%6%5%6%4%
KIPP Academy Lynn Charter2%3%1%6%6%5%9%11%13%12%11%11%35%
Lawrence23%22%22%19%20%18%20%19%23%25%24%20%17%
Lawrence Family Development Charter3%2%2%1%1%1%1%1%2%0%1%2%8%
Lynn22%21%21%20%20%19%19%20%19%20%19%17%23%
Lynnfield6%5%5%4%5%4%4%3%4%4%4%5%4%
Manchester Essex Regional4%5%3%3%6%5%7%6%5%6%7%8%8%
Marblehead7%8%7%8%8%8%7%6%7%7%8%8%13%
Marblehead Community Charter Public7%2%5%6%3%4%6%3%5%7%6%9%4%
Masconomet6%3%4%4%5%6%7%8%10%8%8%8%6%
Methuen13%16%15%14%14%13%14%14%20%18%19%15%17%
Middleton3%3%1%3%3%3%4%4%5%5%5%5%7%
Nahant8%12%7%13%9%5%6%7%5%4%4%12%9%
Newburyport7%7%7%7%8%6%7%7%7%7%7%8%5%
North Andover10%9%9%8%9%8%8%8%9%10%10%9%10%
North Shore Regional Vocational Technical13%14%15%15%13%13%
Peabody16%14%13%13%13%13%15%16%18%18%18%16%34%
Pentucket6%8%7%7%6%6%8%9%9%8%9%9%6%
River Valley Charter6%7%4%6%5%7%7%4%4%5%4%4%7%
Rockport10%11%9%10%11%10%11%9%27%15%18%35%7%
Salem22%20%20%19%21%20%21%21%24%23%25%24%31%
Salem Academy Charter7%10%7%13%9%11%7%10%7%7%7%8%14%
Saugus14%16%13%11%12%12%14%16%18%19%16%15%16%
Silver Hill Horace Mann Charter11%11%10%7%6%5%7%5%6%6%
Swampscott10%10%6%7%9%7%9%9%12%10%12%10%19%
Topsfield4%4%4%3%3%2%3%3%3%3%3%3%3%
Triton10%12%10%9%11%10%10%11%13%13%13%13%17%
Whittier Regional Vocational Technical5%5%4%4%3%2%3%3%3%3%5%8%13%

Source: Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education




Number of Chronically Absent Students
2009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021
Essex County, MA16,10915,95915,16314,33714,89714,07015,41014,82716,73317,37516,75215,64819,633
Middlesex County, MA23,06622,67422,02620,38620,99420,80020,90118,98521,26021,27521,42923,45727,149
Massachusetts132,330133,030128,045119,171121,256117,556123,304117,272128,756125,932122,760123,348161,329
School Districts in Essex
Amesbury248274260245255223258299269309222225302
Amesbury Academy Charter Public20202019183126
Andover367364352341374342425389397474357463407
Beverly489572489459447489522484552563557559927
Boxford20302216262216202624213216
Community Day Charter Public School - Gateway11385914202346
Community Day Charter Public School - Prospect211389141030172625273032
Community Day Charter Public School - R. Kingman Webster1381251017213650
Danvers430496440423471346420419345378421366427
Essex Agricultural Technical4529271930271099816123416288152
Georgetown15018215413715413112912312015210214862
Gloucester693671596593525508510460422456494439880
Greater Lawrence Regional Vocational Technical17615911775899889101124158151186343
Hamilton-Wenham10613489106121851219711810599108145
Haverhill1,6891,6221,5791,5221,4461,4441,6001,3701,5801,7251,6341,5562,269
Hill View Montessori Charter Public13251781891371514113321
Ipswich1671901201201251051131011141089210161
KIPP Academy Lynn Charter79429313872112151166159173562
Lawrence2,8352,6532,8122,4902,5632,4852,8062,5973,1593,4893,2642,6562,209
Lawrence Family Development Charter161098678811191459
Lynn2,8942,8482,8452,6782,8562,7462,8852,9592,9373,0572,9452,7193,632
Lynnfield1441181048910482886577989511776
Manchester Essex Regional58705246876999887176101112106
Marblehead241262237241270254230205230217238237338
Marblehead Community Charter Public1651213610146121613198
Masconomet122678491111131128146189142145141106
Methuen9901,1211,0539589958959739631,3451,2621,2811,0351,077
Middleton27281123241926303532383249
Nahant20271626161010117671913
Newburyport167160152152183147162154158161150185113
North Andover437411399394410360374367434466458397456
North Shore Regional Vocational Technical596470706261
Peabody1,0188357848048188179209341,0601,0641,0519291,952
Pentucket187248210221183171209217227205210213131
River Valley Charter18191217151920101215131220
Rockport95110879599991038225113415929653
Salem9788779278759148508787839028649338831,139
Salem Academy Charter21322239324125433333363870
Saugus413461373309342334387435476481407378374
Silver Hill Horace Mann Charter62635743363239283634
Swampscott235228139159210165198205257221254222411
Topsfield26292321191317221817211915
Triton327365309255302277270293314326315311361
Whittier Regional Vocational Technical595954463826343945406099164

Source: Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education




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