Overview
- DESE reported averages of 11.7 missed days for teachers, 11.3 for administrators, and 11.9 for all staff, roughly matching students’ 11.9 missed days and attendance rates near 93%–94%.
- A presentation highlighted that when teacher and student absences do not overlap, a student’s time with their teacher could drop to roughly 156 of 180 days.
- Commissioner Pedro Martinez said the release was "not popular" with some stakeholders and signaled annual reporting alongside clarifications on how leave and multi-school assignments are counted.
- Union leaders from the Massachusetts Teachers Association and AFT Massachusetts urged using the figures to direct supports such as health care, family leave, and student mental health resources rather than to punish educators.
- Results varied widely by district, with Boston teachers averaging 10.7 missed days and students averaging 17.2 missed days with 33% chronically absent, and one district’s administrators averaging 57.9 missed days.