Schools, communities encouraged to recognize September as Attendance Awareness Month and be informed about updated attendance law

JANS – The Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) is encouraging all education stakeholders to recognize September as Attendance Awareness Month and to understand key points of the state’s updated Mississippi Compulsory School Attendance Law (SB 2103), which became effective July 1, 2026. 

September is recognized nationally as Attendance Awareness Month. Schools, districts, and local organizations are urged to promote the benefits of students maintaining regular attendance at school and reducing chronic absenteeism. Mississippi’s latest chronic absenteeism rate is 27.6% from 2024-25, which is an increase from 24.4% in 2023-24. MDE began reporting chronic absence data in 2016. The lowest rate of 13% was in 2018-19. 

Chronic absenteeism is defined as missing 10% (18 days) of the school year for any reason, including excused and unexcused absences and suspensions. Students who miss two days of school each month of a school year are considered chronically absent. Research shows that students absent 2-4 days in September go on to miss nearly a month of school.

Details about the updated attendance law are available online (https://msachieves.mdek12.org/). Key changes include:

Active monitoring of chronic absenteeism

Required parent notification beginning at three (excused or unexcused) absences

Required tiered intervention strategies for students at risk of chronic absenteeism

New attendance reporting expectations

Referrals to School Attendance Officers (SAO) at required unlawful absence thresholds. An unlawful absence occurs if a student misses at least 33% of the student’s school day or all day and does not turn in a valid excuse by the school district’s timeframe.

Requirement that unlawful absences be reported to the SAO by the end of the next business day after they become unlawful, in accordance with district policy

MDE’s Office of Compulsory School Attendance Enforcement and Dropout Prevention is tasked with ensuring all Mississippi public school students attend school. School Attendance Officers work out of this office to connect with families and help them eliminate barriers to school attendance. 

MDE will host the Mississippi Attendance Leadership Summit Sept. 30 – Oct. 2 at the Lake Terrace Convention Center in Hattiesburg.