A column published by Magnolia Tribune urged immediate action after chronic absenteeism in Mississippi surged following the COVID-19 pandemic. The column said more than 27% of Mississippi students — roughly 100,000 children — missed more than 10% of the school year last year, and that only about 25% of schools are likely to meet a target of a 15% or lower chronic absenteeism rate.
The column said schools are forming Attendance Teams of teachers, School Attendance Officers and staff to monitor daily attendance and that every unexcused absence should prompt a school contact with a parent or responsible adult. It added that Mississippi currently ranks 16th in academic testing and must create welcoming environments and mentoring for students who struggle with attendance, the column said.
The column warned of long-term consequences tied to chronic absence, including lower lifetime earnings, fewer job opportunities, greater reliance on public assistance, health challenges and higher risk of involvement with the criminal justice system. It said nationally more than two-thirds of state prison inmates entered prison without a high school diploma, citing those statistics in the column.
The column described recent legislative steps, saying the Legislature increased salaries for School Attendance Officers and added positions this year and that the author plans to propose further increases next year. It said a special session two weeks ago appointed additional chancellors to focus on youth issues and that Senate Bill 2001 gives enforcement of Mississippi’s Compulsory School Attendance Law to those chancellors and youth courts. Under current law, the column noted, 12 unlawful absences can be a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail and a $1,000 fine for a parent of a child under 17.
The column called on faith-based groups, businesses, nonprofits, cities, counties and neighbors to join the state Department of Education’s “2 Days a Month” campaign in September to encourage attendance. The column concluded that regular school attendance is a top predictor of both a child’s future and Mississippi’s future, Magnolia Tribune reported.
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
