Mississippi lawmakers have revised school attendance policies, including establishing that students must attend at least 66% of the school day to be considered present, according to legislation adopted unanimously by both chambers.
The bill, SB 2103, also prevents schools from counting students as absent when they participate in school activities or events, such as athletic competitions and club meetings. Senate Education Chairman Dennis DeBar (R) said students missing 33% or more of the day will be marked absent.
Current law defines a school day as between five and a half and eight hours of actual teaching. Under the new rules, absences exceeding three days will require a written excuse from a medical provider or a valid reason from a parent. Schools will be limited to five excused absences per semester, with exceptions for extenuating circumstances. Once a student misses 10% of school days, attendance officers will implement tiered intervention efforts, including parent notifications and personalized attendance plans.
To combat chronic absenteeism, districts are required to adopt locally developed attendance policies by August 1. These policies must include engagement strategies such as regular communication with families, community partnerships, and staff training on culturally responsive practices. Schools with a chronic absenteeism rate over 10% for any subgroup will need to create and publish a reduction plan outlining evidence-based practices, timelines, and metrics.
The legislation also allocates funds to increase the salary for school attendance officers by $5,000 annually. To attract more qualified personnel, new requirements specify that officers hold a bachelor’s degree in behavior science or a related field, or equivalent experience. The starting salary for attendance officers will be $29,528, with local districts able to provide additional supplements.
The bill states the state will fund one attendance officer for every 4,000 enrolled students of compulsory age. Governor Tate Reeves (R) has the option to sign the legislation into law, veto it, or let it become law without his signature.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
