These stories highlight public data and research to add context to the discussion of timely issues and equity initiatives. Interactive charts and dashboards help you explore trends, comparisons, and connections. Subscribe to our newsletter to learn when new data stories are published.

UPDATED OCT. 1, 2024 — This data story examines the scope of chronic absenteeism in Massachusetts, how it affects student success, and evidence-based strategies to improve student attendance. Interactive charts break down chronic absenteeism by grade span, student group, and trends by district and school. The story also highlights an example of interventions that are working to reduce chronic absenteeism in the Lowell Public Schools.

JULY 1, 2024 — This data story highlights insights from the Early College Data Dashboard on student participation and college credits earned by semester, school, grade, and student group. It describes the program and its goals and features two Early College partnerships in Worcester and Brockton whose unique programs have put hundreds of students on an accelerated path to postsecondary success.

DEC. 30, 2023 — This annual report presents charts and key findings on student preparedness for workforce and post-secondary education, including graduation rates, MassCore and advanced coursework completion, participation in College and Career Pathways, college attendance and persistence, and wages. 

DEC. 15, 2023 — This data story reports on trends in student and teacher diversity in districts across Massachusetts. Drawing on demographic data at each step of the educator pipeline, it identifies points where gaps exist and potential teachers of color may face barriers. Finally, it identifies state grants and initiatives to promote diversity along the pipeline and shares data from two programs.

OCT. 18, 2023 — This report describes the first-ever initiative in Massachusetts to link participation across state programs serving children birth-to-five and demonstrates its power in producing significant insights, especially related to equity. Charts explore the demographics of children served by WIC, Early Intervention, public preschool, and other programs, showing where they overlap and potential gaps. 

OCT. 2, 2023 — This data story identifies new sources of funding for social and emotional learning (SEL) and mental health in K-12 schools, charts trends in staffing to support student wellness, and highlights resources to better understand and address health and safety issues to improve student success.

OCT. 2, 2023 — A new set of aspirational universal targets will help move public higher education in Massachusetts toward its goal of racial equity over the next decade. This data story describes how and why the targets were established and features an interactive chart to measure the distance from baseline data to universal targets for each student group.