Chronic absenteeism dropped by just over 1% during the 2025-26 school year, according to a new report from the Mississippi Department of Education.
The state agency released the chronic absenteeism report on Tuesday. It revealed that 26.5%, or 115,385, of Mississippi public school students missed important instructional time during the previous school year. The rate for the 2024-25 school year was 27.6%. The Mississippi Department of Education began reporting chronic absence data in 2016, with the lowest rate of 13% being achieved in 2018-19.
Chronic absenteeism is defined as missing 10% or more of the school year, or more than 18 days, for any reason, which includes excused and unexcused absences and suspensions. The 2025-26 report shows 36% excused absences and 64% unexcused absences for the school year.
“It is encouraging to see a decrease in the state’s chronic absenteeism rate. This tells us that schools, districts, and families are doing what’s necessary to ensure more students get to school to receive essential and valuable instruction,” State Superintendent of Education Dr. Lance Evans said. “The MDE’s goal is to see this rate fall even more and support families in removing barriers that result in a student missing school.”
The report shows chronic absenteeism rates are lowest among grades 2-5, higher in kindergarten and first grade, and highest in grades 6-12, presenting somewhat of an upward stair-step effect.
Officials are hopeful that school districts will develop strategic plans to address specific grade levels in efforts to have students in the classroom, as opposed to a universal approach.
The state believes the best strategy to tackle chronic absenteeism involves early identification of attendance concerns, meaningful family engagement, and targeted interventions. Education officials outlined immediate steps districts and schools can take to address chronic absenteeism, which include:
- Use positive reinforcement to improve student attendance
- Connect attendance to the school brand
- Create a mentorship program
- Consider alternatives to suspension
- Recognize good and improved attendance
- Develop programmatic response to attendance barriers
- Work with School Attendance Officers to identify and engage students who are at risk of becoming chronically absent
The chronic absenteeism rate for Mississippi’s 2025-26 report was calculated based on students being in school for less than 63% of their instructional day. Starting with the 2026-27 school year, MDE will calculate chronic absenteeism rates based on the federal definition of an absence, which is defined as missing 50% or more of the school day.
Mississippi’s Compulsory School Attendance law was updated in the 2026 legislative session to address school attendance issues.
Some key points of the law for 2026-27 are that students will be considered present when they are in school for 66% of their school day; excuses for all medical appointments require provider documentation; students are limited to five excused absences per semester unless the superintendent approves more for extenuating circumstances; and schools must check in with parents when a student has three absences.