Enrolment

High-needs students

English learners went from 3 to 70; low income was measured three ways and is not one series.

English learners and low income
Low income, free or reduced lunchEconomically disadvantagedLow income, broader definitionEnglish learners
Low income, free or reduced lunchEconomically disadvantagedLow income, broader definitionEnglish learners
FY2008183 childrennot publishednot published3 children
FY2009142 childrennot publishednot published7 children
FY2010156 childrennot publishednot published10 children
FY2011167 childrennot publishednot published8 children
FY2012145 childrennot publishednot published10 children
FY2013221 childrennot publishednot published18 children
FY2014243 childrennot publishednot published27 children
FY2015not published187 childrennot published17 children
FY2016not published230 childrennot published23 children
FY2017not published263 childrennot published26 children
FY2018not published264 childrennot published35 children
FY2019not published276 childrennot published24 children
FY2020not published278 childrennot published18 children
FY2021not published329 childrennot published17 children
FY2022not publishednot published409 children22 children
FY2023not publishednot published389 children35 children
FY2024not publishednot published391 children47 children
FY2025not publishednot published364 children55 children
FY2026not publishednot published395 children70 children

DESE’s counts. The three low-income lines are three definitions and never one series.

1 · The facts

  • 3

    English learners, FY2008

  • 70

    English learners, FY2026

  • 15.5%

    low income, free or reduced lunch, FY2014

  • 187

    economically disadvantaged, FY2015

  • 329

    economically disadvantaged, FY2021

  • 25.6%

    low income, broader definition, FY2022

  • 25.2%

    low income, broader definition, FY2026

  • 584

    high needs, FY2026

  • 37.2%

    of enrolment, FY2026 (our arithmetic)

  • 258

    students with disabilities, FY2026

2 · What it shows

  1. 1

    English learners rose from 3 children in FY2008 to 70 in FY2026.

  2. 2

    Low income is three series, not one: 15.5% in FY2014, 25.2% in FY2026, under three definitions.

  3. 3

    584 children were high needs in FY2026, 37.2% of enrolment.

Groups within enrolment, by year
YearEnglish learnersWith disabilitiesHigh needs
FY202670258584
FY202555248550
FY202447233549
FY202335234548
FY202222227556
FY202117261516
FY202018255467
FY201924277490
FY201835268478
FY201726283476
FY201623299472
FY201517288430
FY201427283472
FY201318295458
FY201210294—
FY20118262—
FY201010259—
FY20097256—
FY20083258—

DESE’s counts. High needs is published from FY2013; a blank is a year DESE did not publish it.

Sources

What changed

Version 15 — updated September 20, 2026