This dataset contains student responses to each item on the Views of Climate and Learning (VOCAL) survey since 2018. These responses are aggregated at the state level by grade and student group to protect student privacy.

The VOCAL survey is designed to provide information on student perceptions of school climate. There are two reports with different types of data: responses to individual items and aggregate index scaled scores that combine item responses. For more information about the VOCAL survey, please visit the VOCAL home page.

This dataset is one of two containing the same data that is also published in the VOCAL state dashboard:
VOCAL Index Scaled Scores and Favorability
VOCAL Item Response Scores

Engagement - Cultural Competence

• ENGCLC1: Adults working at this school treat all students respectfully, regardless of a student's race, culture, family income, religion, sex, or sexual orientation.
• ENGCLC2: Teachers at this school accept me for who I am.
• ENGCLC3: My textbooks or class materials include people and examples that reflect my race, cultural background and/or identity.
• ENGCLC4: Within school, I am encouraged to take upper level courses (honors, AP).
• ENGCLC5: Students from different backgrounds respect each other in our school, regardless of their race, culture, family income, religion, sex, or sexual orientation.
• ENGCLC6: Students like to have friends who are different from themselves (for example, boys and girls, rich and poor, or classmates of different color).
• ENGCLC7: Students are open to having friends who come from different backgrounds (for example, friends from different races, cultures, family incomes, or religions, or friends of a different sex, or sexual orientation).
• ENGCLC8: I read books in class that include people who are similar to me (for example, we look the same, speak the same, or live in similar neighborhoods).
• ENGCLC9: Adults working at this school treat all students with respect.
• ENGCLC10: In my academic classes, I work with groups of students who are from different backgrounds (for example, students from different races, cultures, family incomes, or religions, or students of a different sex or sexual orientation).

Engagement - Participation

• ENGPAR1: I get the chance to take part in school events (for example, science fairs, art or music shows).
• ENGPAR2: My parents feel respected when they participate at our school (e.g., at parent-teacher conferences, open houses).
• ENGPAR3: I feel welcome to participate in extra-curricular activities offered through my school, such as, school clubs or organizations, musical groups, sports teams, student council, or any other extra-curricular activities.
• ENGPAR4: My teachers use my ideas to help my classmates learn.
• ENGPAR5: I have a choice in how I show my learning (e.g., write a paper, prepare a presentation, make a video).
• ENGPAR6: My teachers will explain things in different ways until I understand.
• ENGPAR7: When I need help, my teachers use my interests to help me learn.
• ENGPAR8: My teachers ask me to share what I have learned in a lesson.
• ENGPAR9: When I am stuck, my teachers want me to try again before they help me

This report shows the number and rate of Massachusetts public school students in grades 11 and 12 who completed advanced coursework since 2018.

Advanced coursework includes the following: Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, Project Lead the Way, dual enrollment courses, Chapter 74-approved vocational/technical secondary cooperative education programs, and other selected rigorous courses. For a full list of advanced coursework, please see the List of Advanced Courses for Accountability Reporting on the Accountability Lists, Materials, and Tools website.

Economically Disadvantaged was used 2015-2021. Low Income was used prior to 2015, and a different version of Low Income has been used since 2022. Please see the DESE Researcher's Guide for more information.

This dataset contains the same data that is also published on our DESE Profiles site:
Advanced Course Completion Report

This dataset contains state-level index scores and their favorability distributions from the Views of Climate and Learning (VOCAL) survey since 2018. These scores are composite measures that summarize student responses across several content-related items.

The VOCAL survey is designed to provide information on student perceptions of school climate. There are two reports with different types of data: responses to individual items and aggregate index scaled scores that combine item responses. For more information about the VOCAL survey, please visit the VOCAL home page.

Favorability data and average topic scores are reported at the state level, and are not disaggregated by student group.

This dataset is one of two containing the same data that is also published in the VOCAL state dashboard:
VOCAL Index Scaled Scores and Favorability
VOCAL Item Response Scores

List of Indices

• Overall School Climate
• Engagement Dimension
  • Participation Topic (state-level)
• Safety Dimension
  • Bullying Topic (state-level)
• Environment Dimension
  • Instructional Environment Topic (state-level)

This report includes indicators that reflect attendance data for students in Massachusetts public schools since 2018. Because the information collected has changed over time, not all indicators are available across all years.

Attendance indicators are calculated for students enrolled in grades PK-12 with at least 20 days in membership. For more information, please view the Profiles Help - About the Data page.

Massachusetts defines chronically absent as missing at least 10 percent of days enrolled (for instance, 18 days absent if enrolled for a typical school year of 180 days), regardless of the reason for the absence. Being chronically absent can have a significant impact on a student's academic progress and their ability to access the variety of academic and non-academic supports that schools provide.

Chronic absenteeism grew during the COVID-19 pandemic and, as of the 2022-23 school year, had not returned to pre-pandemic rates. For more information about chronic absence, visit the Chronic Absence and Student Attendance page.

Economically Disadvantaged was used 2015-2021. Low Income was used prior to 2015, and a different version of Low Income has been used since 2022. Please see the DESE Researcher's Guide for more information.

This dataset contains the same data that is also published on our DESE Profiles site:
Student Attendance Report

School and district report cards are designed to show parents and community members how a school or district is doing in different areas over multiple years. Report cards highlight a school or district's strengths as well as any challenges that need to be addressed in order to make sure the needs of all students are being met. For more information, visit the School and District Report Cards homepage.

Students

• Student Enrollment
• Student Demographics

Teachers

• Teacher Workforce
• Teacher Qualifications

Access to Broad and Challenging Coursework

• Access to the Arts
• Access to Digital Literacy and Computer Science Courses
• Advanced Coursework Completion
• Grade 9 Course-Passing
• MassCore Completion

Student Attendance and Discipline

• Attendance Rate
• Chronic Absenteeism Rate
• Average Number of Days Absent

Student Discipline

• Suspensions and Expulsions
• Other Incidents

High School Outcomes

• Graduation Rates
• Annual Dropout Rate

Post-Secondary Enrollment

• College-Going Rates

Student Performance on MCAS

• Student Achievement on MCAS
• Student Progress on MCAS

Finance - Dollars Spent per Student

Accountability Information

This dataset contains the number and percentage of Massachusetts public school students completing at least one arts course in grades K-12 since 2018. Arts courses are reported in the Student Course Schedule (SCS) system and align with the Massachusetts Arts Curriculum Framework. For a full list of courses and subjects, see the Arts Course List.

Beginning with the 2019-2020 school year, the arts course list was updated the "Media Arts" category. In addition, a number of arts courses were reclassified from the "General Arts" category to "Visual Arts" to more closely align to the industry standard. Since 2022, courses are no longer assigned to the "General" category.

Economically Disadvantaged was used 2015-2021. Low Income was used prior to 2015, and a different version of Low Income has been used since 2022. Please see the DESE Researcher's Guide for more information.

This dataset contains the same data that is also published on our DESE Profiles site:
Arts Coursetaking Report

This is a companion dataset to the main Special Education Indicators dataset. The waterfall data shows a cohort of high school students and their progression through high school graduation, college enrollment and persistence in higher education to a second year or college completion.

It contains two indicators published separately from the main dataset since the data are in a different format: "Student progression from high school through second year of postsecondary education" and "Student progression from high school through postsecondary degree completion". For all other special education indicators, please visit the main Special Education Indicators dataset.

Resource Allocation and District Action Reports (RADAR) enable district leaders to compare their staffing, class size, special education services, school performance, and per-pupil spending data with similar districts. They are intended to support districts in making effective strategic decisions as they develop district plans and budgets.

This dataset is one of five containing the same data that is also published in the RADAR Special Education Dashboard:
Special Education Program Characteristics and Student Demographics
Special Education Placement Trajectory
Students Moving In and Out of Special Education Services
Special Education Indicators
Special Education Student Progression from High School through Postsecondary Education

This dataset shows the percentage of students who graduated from Massachusetts public schools with a regular high school diploma within 4 or 5 years. It is a long file that contains multiple rows for each school and district, with rows for different years and different student groups.

Note: Data is currently available at the school level only, as well as the state overall. For district-level graduation rates, please see the Graduation Rates report on our DESE Profiles site.

For more data about student experiences and outcomes in high school and beyond, please see the main DART: Success After High School dataset and dashboard.

This dataset contains data about students identified for special education services or no longer receiving special education services by grade since 2018. It contains multiple rows for each district, with rows for different years and grades, and columns indicating the number and percentage of students moving in and out of services. For details on how students are identified as receiving services or moving off of services, please visit the RADAR Special Education Dashboard.

Resource Allocation and District Action Reports (RADAR) enable district leaders to compare their staffing, class size, special education services, school performance, and per-pupil spending data with similar districts. They are intended to support districts in making effective strategic decisions as they develop district plans and budgets.

This dataset is one of five containing the same data that is also published in the RADAR Special Education Dashboard:
Special Education Program Characteristics and Student Demographics
Special Education Placement Trajectory
Students Moving In and Out of Special Education Services
Special Education Indicators
Special Education Student Progression from High School through Postsecondary Education

This dataset contains the number and percentage of Massachusetts public school students who were retained in each grade since 2018. Student retention is defined as repeating the grade in which a student was enrolled during the previous school year.

Economically Disadvantaged was used 2015-2021. Low Income was used prior to 2015, and a different version of Low Income has been used since 2022. Please see the DESE Researcher's Guide for more information.

This dataset contains the same data that is also published on our DESE Profiles site:
Student Retention Report