Massachusetts Districts With the Most Chronic Absence Overlap Heavily With Those Serving the Most Hispanic Students
In Worcester, Worcester County, Massachusetts, state Education Commissioner Pedro Martinez discussed chronic absenteeism during an October 30 visit to the Worcester Dual Language Magnet School. According to state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education data for the 2025-26 school year, 32 of the 50 districts with the highest chronic absence rates (among districts with at least 1,000 students) are also among the 50 districts with the highest shares of Hispanic or Latino students.
The state defines a student as chronically absent if they miss at least 10% of the school year — at least 18 days in a 180-day year. Holyoke Public Schools had the state's highest chronic absence rate last year at 44%, and its Hispanic student share of 81% ranked third statewide. Chelsea ranked second in both chronic absence and Hispanic student share, while Fitchburg ranked third in absence and tenth in Hispanic share.
Martinez said the state is working with districts to spread practices that work, including home visits, partnering with parents and incentives for good attendance, with state grants available to support the effort. He added that the biggest factor in keeping students in school is making sure they have established relationships with adults in the building.
Worcester Public Schools was cited as a bright spot: nearly half its students are Hispanic, and its chronic absence rate for Hispanic students has fallen from 38% in 2022 to 32% in 2026. Earlier this school year, Worcester's Columbus Park Elementary School, whose students are nearly 60% Hispanic, was recognized by the state for dramatic improvement in attendance and test scores. The district said in a statement that daily attendance is considered foundational to student achievement and has been an urgent priority for years. Educators note that absenteeism affects test scores, reading levels and graduation rates.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：伍斯特市政厅。Terageorge摄，CC BY-SA 3.0，经Wikimedia Commons。 / Worcester City Hall in Massachusetts. Photo by Terageorge, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
