Youth And Education
High School Cohort Graduation Rate, by Student Group
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Source: Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education

What does this measure?

The number of students graduating after four years of high school, expressed as a percentage of their cohort. A cohort is a class of ninth-graders beginning high school in the same academic year.

Why is this important?

High school graduation is the culmination of a successful K-12 education and the gateway to college or employment. Students who do not graduate face the prospect of unemployment or low-paying jobs. There are persistent gaps in academic achievement among students of different races, ethnicities and incomes.

How is our county performing?

In 2022, 91% of the 2018-19 academic cohort graduated in Worcester County. Students from low-income backgrounds graduated at a lower rate, 85%, though that was up significantly from 64% in 2006. Hispanic or Latino students in the cohort graduated at a lower rate (84%) in 2022 compared to 97% of Asian students, 93% of White students and 90% of Black or African American students. These disparities were comparable to rates at the state level, although Worcester County's graduation rate among Black students was four points higher than the state.

Why do these disparities exist?

Studies point to a variety of factors believed to contribute to disparities in graduation rates and other measures of student achievement. Most school systems in the United States are highly segregated, and Black and Latino students disproportionally attend schools with high proportions of low-income students and lower levels of resources such as access to early learning opportunities, experienced teachers, advanced courses, and modern technology and facilities. In addition, teachers across all school systems in the nation tend to be disproportionately White, and the cultural relevance of teaching practices and curriculum may vary.

Notes about the data

Students are included in the cohort based on the year they entered Grade 9. Students are transferred in or out of cohorts if they transfer schools. Students who earn a GED or Certificate of Attainment are not counted as graduates. Students are considered economically disadvantaged if their family participates in one or more of the following state-administered programs: the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP); the Transitional Assistance for Families with Dependent Children (TAFDC); the Department of Children and Families' (DCF) foster care program; or MassHealth (Medicaid).

High School Cohort Graduation Rate, by Student Group, 2022
All StudentsAsianBlack or African AmericanHispanic or LatinoLow IncomeWhite
Worcester School District88%96%90%84%87%91%
Worcester County91%97%90%84%85%93%
Athol-Royalston School District85%88%80%86%
Clinton School District94%100%90%93%96%
Fitchburg School District85%82%93%87%84%80%
Gardner School District80%100%64%75%76%82%
Northbridge School District86%75%75%87%
Southbridge School District71%83%69%69%74%
Spencer-East Brookfield School District72%33%62%78%
Webster School District73%86%67%62%65%77%
Westborough School District95%98%89%83%83%96%
Massachusetts90%96%86%81%83%93%
Additional Worcester County school districts
Quabbin School District84%57%74%86%
Ma Academy For Math And Science100%100%100%
Abby Kelley Foster Charter Public District97%100%98%90%97%100%
The Sizer School: A North Central Charter Essential District87%100%78%80%90%
Ashburnham-Westminster School District95%50%90%95%
Auburn School District96%100%100%100%95%95%
Berlin-Boylston School District99%95%99%
Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical100%100%100%100%100%100%
Blackstone-Millville School District90%56%87%93%
Douglas School District92%88%93%
Dudley-Charlton Regional School District94%100%90%100%85%93%
Southern Worcester County Regional Vocational Technical,98%100%100%98%98%
Sutton School District92%71%91%
Uxbridge School District83%75%72%87%
Wachusett School District94%100%100%93%86%93%
Quaboag Regional School District84%89%77%84%
West Boylston School District96%100%94%96%
Winchendon School District76%86%78%70%79%
Grafton School District95%96%83%91%96%
Harvard School District98%94%100%100%99%
Hopedale School District95%75%86%97%
Leicester School District94%100%83%92%86%95%
Leominster School District93%100%88%90%91%95%
Lunenburg School District96%100%93%88%96%
Mendon-Upton School District98%100%100%96%98%
Milford School District85%100%90%77%77%89%
Millbury School District88%100%80%80%88%
Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical96%100%89%94%94%97%
Narragansett School District91%86%83%92%
Nashoba School District96%100%86%82%90%97%
North Brookfield School District73%67%74%
Northborough-Southborough School District98%100%100%91%93%98%
Oxford School District87%100%92%82%88%
Shrewsbury School District98%100%100%89%91%98%

Source: Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education
Notes: Years denote 12th grade year for cohort.




Number of Students Graduating from High School, by Student Group, 2022
All StudentsAsianBlack or African AmericanHispanic or LatinoLow IncomeWhite
Worcester School District1,6431472647081,310461
Worcester County8,8675304431,6504,0715,783
Athol-Royalston School District7074461
Clinton School District1078376664
Fitchburg School District3311826158272102
Gardner School District1517727106105
Northbridge School District132952109
Southbridge School District935628225
Spencer-East Brookfield School District4932939
Webster School District8666215648
Westborough School District2838782063161
Massachusetts66,5854,7985,90912,62330,19240,766
Additional Worcester County school districts
Quabbin School District143857129
Ma Academy For Math And Science402612
Abby Kelley Foster Charter Public District91651176517
The Sizer School: A North Central Charter Essential District39672026
Ashburnham-Westminster School District124335117
Auburn School District167661574136
Berlin-Boylston School District741866
Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical296861859264
Blackstone-Millville School District10254190
Douglas School District822275
Dudley-Charlton Regional School District2391191872211
Southern Worcester County Regional Vocational Technical,273627119235
Sutton School District892081
Uxbridge School District10093483
Wachusett School District4591482794400
Quaboag Regional School District7384462
West Boylston School District8183265
Winchendon School District55673245
Grafton School District228261050180
Harvard School District921561267
Hopedale School District8061871
Leicester School District130651247108
Leominster School District4351936143270222
Lunenburg School District1148132291
Mendon-Upton School District1686724155
Milford School District2729972144177
Millbury School District918123763
Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical3216851157245
Narragansett School District6763458
Nashoba School District24196937219
North Brookfield School District241220
Northborough-Southborough School District3213361949251
Oxford School District836124464
Shrewsbury School District454125939100262

Source: Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education
Notes: Years denote 12th grade year for cohort.







INDICATORS TREND
Arts, Entertainment and Recreation Establishments 1
Increasing
Average Charitable Contribution 0
Maintaining
Households With Internet Access 1
Increasing
Protected Land 10 Not Applicable*
Voter Participation Rate -1
Decreasing
Voter Registration Rate 0
Maintaining
Arrest Rate by Race/Ethnicity -1
Decreasing
Change in Total Population 1
Increasing
Change in Population by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Foreign-Born Population 1
Increasing
Language Diversity 1
Increasing
Population by Age -1
Decreasing
Households by Type 0
Maintaining
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity -1
Decreasing
Median Household Income 0
Maintaining
Household Income by Race/Ethnicity 0
Maintaining
80/20 Income Ratio 0
Maintaining
Income in Relation to Poverty Level 0
Maintaining
People Living in Poverty 0
Maintaining
People Living in Poverty, by Education Level 1
Increasing
People Living in Poverty, by Age 1
Increasing
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Homeownership Rates, by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Overall Housing Cost Burden -1
Decreasing
Cost of Rent, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Median Home Value by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Homelessness 10 Not Applicable*
Households Receiving SNAP by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Household Receiving Temporary Assistance 0
Maintaining
Households Without Vehicles 0
Maintaining
Education Levels of Adults by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Change in Employment by Sector 10 Not Applicable*
Change in Average Salary by Sector 10 Not Applicable*
Female to Male Earnings Ratio 0
Maintaining
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity -1
Decreasing
Employer Size 1
Increasing
Business Ownership, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Self-Employment Revenue 0
Maintaining
People Entering/Leaving County for Work 1
Increasing
Early Prenatal Care by Mother's Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Preterm Births 10 Not Applicable*
Infant Mortality by Mother's Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Children with Elevated Blood Lead Levels -1
Decreasing
Prevalence of Children with Asthma 1
Increasing
People with Disabilities 1
Increasing
People Without Health Insurance -1
Decreasing
Cancer Incidence 0
Maintaining
Diabetes Incidence -1
Decreasing
Substance Abuse Treatment Admissions 1
Increasing
Opioid Overdose Mortality Rate 1
Increasing
Children Living in Poverty 0
Maintaining
Children Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity -1
Decreasing
Economically Disadvantaged Students 1
Increasing
Disengaged Youth -1
Decreasing
Prekindergarten Participation -1
Decreasing
Student Performance on Grade 3 English, by Student Subgroup -1
Decreasing
Student Performance on Grade 8 Math, by Student Subgroup -1
Decreasing
Student Performance on Grade 10 English, by Student Subgroup -1
Decreasing
Student Performance on Grade 10 Math, by Student Subgroup -1
Decreasing
High School Cohort Graduation Rate, by Student Group 1
Increasing
Arrest Rate by Race/Ethnicity -1
Decreasing
Change in Population by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity -1
Decreasing
Household Income by Race/Ethnicity 0
Maintaining
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Homeownership Rates, by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Cost of Rent, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Median Home Value by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Households Receiving SNAP by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Education Levels of Adults by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity -1
Decreasing
Business Ownership, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Early Prenatal Care by Mother's Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Infant Mortality by Mother's Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Children Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity -1
Decreasing
Student Performance on Grade 3 English, by Student Subgroup -1
Decreasing
Student Performance on Grade 8 Math, by Student Subgroup -1
Decreasing
Student Performance on Grade 10 English, by Student Subgroup -1
Decreasing
Student Performance on Grade 10 Math, by Student Subgroup -1
Decreasing
High School Cohort Graduation Rate, by Student Group 1
Increasing





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