The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) recently released 2025 graduation and dropout data, and Springfield Public Schools reports improvement in both areas as the district continues its focused efforts to strengthen student outcomes.
According to data released by DESE, 82 percent of Springfield Public Schools students in the Class of 2025 graduated within four years, an increase of 3.4 percentage points from the previous year. Additionally, the district’s dropout rate declined to 3.3 percent, a decrease of 0.6 percentage points from the previous year.
Superintendent of Schools Dr. Sonia Dinnall said the results show early signs of progress while underscoring that more work remains ahead.
“When I stepped into this role, the district’s graduation rate stood at 78.6,” Dinnall said. “One of the first steps I took was directing principals to submit and present strategic, results-driven plans outlining how they would improve graduation outcomes for all graduating students, beginning with the Class of 2025. This year’s data suggests those efforts are beginning to move us in the right direction, but we know we are not where we need to be yet. Our next step is to drill deeper into the data and strengthen the strategies that will help more students cross the graduation stage.”
Dinnall added that despite the gains, Springfield Public Schools remain below the state average four-year graduation rate of 89.3 “That gap reinforces the need for continued urgency and targeted action,” she said.
Mayor Domenic J. Sarno stated: “We are heading in the right direction when it comes to graduation and drop-out rates following a small dip in the wake of COVID-19. When I took over as mayor, our high school graduation rate was hovering around 50 percent, and our dropout rate was as high as 14 percent – just plain unacceptable. We turned it around and brought the graduation rates up as high as 86 percent but saw a small drop again with the world-wide COVID-19 pandemic. Now, we continue to climb toward meeting and exceeding the state average. This is great news, though, there is still more to do. I commend the leadership of Superintendent Dinnall and her continued efforts to support all our students. This positive improvement is a testament to all our partners from administration to teachers, staff, students, families, and our business community. Thank you and congratulations to all. To our students, we believe in you and will continue investing in you and your bright futures.”
“The data makes clear that sustained focus is still required as we collectively formulate a District Strategic Growth Plan that will serve as our roadmap forward,” said Dinnall. “We will continue drilling down into the data at the school level to identify what is working, where barriers still exist, and how we can better support students on the path to graduation.”
Dinnall pointed out that Springfield Central High School, The Springfield Conservatory of the Arts, Roger L. Putnam Vocational-Technical Academy, The Springfield Renaissance School, and John. J. Duggan Academy have four-year graduation rates of 90 percent or higher.
“Our goal is clear,” Dinnall said. “Every student who enters Springfield Public Schools deserves the support needed to cross the graduation stage and move confidently into the next chapter of their lives."