BOSTON, Mass. (WWLP)-- The state has named its top ten 2024 Attendance All-Stars schools, and four are in western Massachusetts. The Healey-Driscoll Administration has been visiting the ten 2024 Attendance All-Stars schools throughout the summer and fall to drop off a golden basketball signed by 2024 World Champion Boston Celtics. UMass Amherst announces ‘Accelerate: The Campaign for UMass Amherst’ fundraiser To receive the honor, the schools must show reductions their chronic absenteeism rates between March 2023 and March 2024. The chronic absenteeism rate is defined as the percent of students who missed 10 percent or more of the school year, or at least 18 days.  The initiative is part of the state's effort to reduce chronic absenteeism and help students attend school regularly, and have access to many support resources, including free school meals and mental health services. “What a positive way to start the new school year – taking a moment to celebrate these 10 schools for doing the hard work and drastically reducing chronic absenteeism rates in such a short period of time,” said Governor Maura Healey. “We know how important school attendance is for learning, socialization, access to healthy food and so much more. It takes a lot of effort from everybody – families, principals, teachers, guidance counselors, support staff – and these communities are proof that hard work pays off.”  “Reducing chronic absenteeism has been a focus for our administration and will continue again this year,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “While we still have a ways to go, attendance has improved, and with help from the Celtics, we can celebrate these gains while also continuing the work in this area.”  “Good things happen when you show up, no more so than students in school! The Celtics feel privileged to help lift the importance of daily attendance and recognize schools who are making strides in that regard,” said Senior Vice President of Community Engagement for the Boston Celtics David Hoffman.  The 2024 Attendance All-Stars schools are (drop-in chronic absenteeism rate in percentage points):  Royalston Community School, Athol-Royalston Regional School District: 20.2%  Bryn Mawr Elementary School, Auburn Public Schools: 17.7%  Pakachoag Elementary School, Auburn Public Schools: 19.3%  Hugh Roe O’Donnell Elementary School, Boston Public Schools: 18.7%  Lillie B. Merrill Elementary School (in Raynham), Bridgewater-Raynham Regional School District: 18.6%  James Tansey Elementary School, Fall River Public Schools: 21.6%  MLK Jr. Charter School of Excellence (in Springfield): 21.6%  Colegrove Park Elementary School, North Adams Public Schools: 18.0%  Shutesbury Elementary School, Shutesbury Public Schools: 19.3%  Anne T. Dunphy School, Williamsburg School District: 18.7%  To determine the top 10 schools, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) looked at schools with at least 100 students and those where the chronic absenteeism rate was less than 20 percent (the statewide rate) as of March 1, 2024. Within that group of schools, DESE reviewed the difference in chronic absenteeism rates between March 1, 2023 and March 1, 2024.