WASHINGTON — New government numbers offer a mixed snapshot of progress for the nation’s schoolchildren — with worrisome figures on how many students miss school, stubborn disparities on discipline, but encouraging strides in cutting the overall number of suspensions.

The Education Department report found 6.5 million students nationwide were chronically absent in the 2013-14 school year. That’s more than one out of every 10 students missing at least three full weeks of school. It’s the first time the department has collected student absenteeism data.

On a positive note, the survey found a significant drop in school suspensions for K-12 students, down nearly 20 percent from the previous reporting period. But, the report also suggests sharp disparities between how black and white students are disciplined in school as well as the types of advanced coursework offered in high school to black and Latino children.

“A systemic failure to educate some groups of children as well as others tears at the moral fabric of the nation,” Education Secretary John King Jr., said in a phone call with reporters. “What sets the U.S. apart from any other country is the idea that opportunity is universal. These data show that we still fall far short of that ideal.”

“One of the very worrying data points is that 13 percent of all students are chronically absent,” King said. “Even the best teacher can’t be successful with a student who’s not in school.”

The rates were higher for high school students. More than 3 million were chronically absent — nearly one in five high school students.

The department defines chronically absent as missing 15 or more days during the school year, a pattern that increases a student’s chances of falling behind and dropping out.

Black and Latino high school students had about the same rate of absenteeism, 22 percent and 20 percent, respectively. Rates for white students were not provided in the initial release of numbers from the department’s Civil Rights Data Collection.

The Obama administration began a program last fall, called Every Student, Every Day, It partners with states and local groups in 30 communities around the country to identify mentors to help chronically absent students get back on track.

Across the country, 2.8 million K-12 students received one or more out-of-school suspensions.