Massachusetts public-school staff missed average of 12 days in 2024-25, report concludes 

Public schools nationwide are still wrestling with high chronic student absenteeism after the COVID-19 pandemic – but what happens when staffers also skip attending?

It may affect student learning in ways not yet studied, officials warned in a “first-of-its-kind staff absence” report released Nov. 18, the Milford Daily News wrote.

“The 160,000 school administrators, teachers, assistants and other staff who worked in Bay State schools last academic year had a 93.4% attendance rate,” journalists explained. 

“Among administrators, it was 94.5% while among teachers it was 93.5%. That number is similar to student absenteeism numbers, at 93.2%.” 

Officials at the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) cautioned their report needs more nuance than student absentee rates, as it doesn’t account for excused leaves of absence or differing contractual schedules. 

However, they encouraged superintendents to examine how these findings could shape long-term classroom experiences. 

“If you think about a typical 180-day school year, and you have students missing an average 12 days a year, and you have teachers missing an average 12 days a year, for example … In your 180-day school year where students have access to our amazing teachers for high-quality instruction, that number of school days comes down,” said Rob Curtin, DESE chief data officer. 

‘Let’s understand what it is first’ 

Pedro Martinez, DESE commissioner, acknowledged the report was “not popular” with some stakeholders but emphasized its potential for the state’s schools to make important changes. 

“We want our districts to really look at this data,” Martinez said. “And, by the way, celebrate it if you’re seeing you’re well below the average, because I see some of those that are close to zero. … And then let’s understand the stories of when the numbers are above the average.” 

On one end of the spectrum, the Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School in Northampton reported a 76.7% administrative staff attendance rate for the 2024-25 academic year. However, the school’s teacher attendance rate was higher at 93.7%. 

“Among the districts with the highest staff attendance rate, Medford and Wellfleet reported 100%, followed by Brewster and Orleans with 99.9% and 99.8% of staff present at work every day,” the Milford Daily News noted. 

Martinez urged districts to “have ownership of the data” as this report will become part of the department’s annual research routine. 

“I always tell superintendents, lead with empathy,” he said of staff absenteeism rates. “Let’s understand what it is first, and then also understand the impact it might be having on your student achievement.”