SALEM, MA — Salem Public Schools has cut chronic absenteeism over the past four years, according to new data released by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
Districtwide, the rate fell from 34.0 percent of students in 2022-23 to 19.2 percent in 2025-26, a 14.8 percentage point decrease.
The district now has the third-lowest chronic absenteeism rate among the state's 26 Gateway cities, behind Quincy at 15.6 percent and Attleboro at 17.8 percent. Salem ranked 18th among Gateway cities in 2022, according to the district.
Chronic absenteeism is defined as students missing 10 percent or more of school days in an academic year.
Salem's current rate is 0.4 percentage points below the state rate of 18.8 percent. The district reported that all but two schools showed significant progress over the four-year period.
Pre-K and kindergarten attendance rates do not count toward schools' chronic absenteeism rates.
"The latest chronic absenteeism data for Salem Public Schools reflects the hard work of our educators and the deep commitment of our students," said Mayor and School Committee Chair Dominick Pangallo. "Together, we're making Salem schools more engaging, and children are thriving as a result. While these numbers are encouraging, though, we also know that we have more work to do.
"We want every student in our city to feel joy, enthusiasm, and belonging when they step into a Salem classroom."
The district also reported improvement in several student groups. Among multilingual learning students, chronic absenteeism dropped from 43.3 percent in 2022-23 to 19.7 percent in 2025-26, placing Salem second among Gateway cities behind Quincy.
For students with disabilities, the rate fell from 43.4 percent to 26.8 percent.
Among economically disadvantaged students, it dropped from 43.1 percent to 25.0 percent, which ranked fourth among Gateway cities.
"When families feel supported, students show up," said Ellen Wingard, Executive Director of Student Supports. "By deepening our connection with our community and reaching out the moment a family needs help, we've built a network of care that ensures every child has the opportunity to attend school every day."
Five of Salem's six elementary schools, along with Salem High School and Collins Middle School, are now below both the district average of 19.2 percent and the state average of 18.8 percent. Bentley Academy Innovation School improved from 34.4 percent to 15.4 percent. Collins Middle School dropped from 35.5 percent to 17.4 percent, and Salem High School fell from 34.4 percent to 17.4 percent.
"The improvement in chronic absenteeism over the last four years here at Salem was one of the key factors that attracted me to the superintendent's role," said first-year Superintendent Tommy Welch. "These figures make it clear that our District is moving in the right direction and are emblematic of the effort and commitment from our staff and educators to our students.
"Strong attendance lays the foundation for strong academic achievement."
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