The state department of education has released the most recent school and district chronic absence data report with the Yazoo City schools showing a chronic absentee rate of 20.11 percent and Yazoo County School District reporting 31.59 percent.
Of the 1,228 total student population within the Yazoo City Schools, 573 students are reported as being chronically absent. Of the 1,399 total student population within the Yazoo County schools, 442 are reported as being chronically absent.
According to the Mississippi Department of Education, chronic absenteeism is defined as missing 10 percent, or18 days, of the school year for any reason, which includes excused and unexcused absences and suspensions. Chronic absence differs from Average Daily Attendance (ADA), which is the average number of enrolled students who attend school each day. A school’s ADA often masks issues surrounding the number of students who are chronically absent.
MDE began reporting chronic absence data in 2016. Statewide, the lowest rate of 13 percent was in 2018-19. The COVID-19 pandemic is believed to be the major factor that led to higher 2021-22 state and national rates.
Within the local schools, a breakdown of the chronic absentee rate includes:
Yazoo City Schools: McCoy Elementary School, 22.76 percent; Woolfolk Middle School, 26.50 percent; Webster Elementary School, 28.53 percent; and Yazoo City High School, 30.44 percent.
Yazoo County Schools: Linwood Elementary School, 20.79 percent; Yazoo County Middle School, 24.52 percent; Bentonia Gibbs School, 24.77 percent; and Yazoo County High School, 46.23 percent.
Overall within the state, reports show 23.9% percent of Mississippi public school students were chronically absent in 2022-23, a decrease from 28 percent in 2021-22.
Statewide, the chronic absenteeism rate in K-5 elementary schools was highest for kindergarten at 26.4 percent. The chronic absenteeism rate for grades 6-8 was highest in grade 8 at 25.4 percent and highest in grades 9-12 in grade 12 at 39.5 percent.
“Seeing Mississippi’s chronic absenteeism rate decrease is a welcomed sign that more students are getting the instruction needed to succeed in the classroom,” said Dr. Raymond Morgigno, interim state superintendent of education. “The MDE encourages schools, districts, parents and students to keep making regular attendance a priority.”
This month, MDE launched an attendance awareness campaign - Every School Day Counts - Attend to Achieve - to help combat chronic absenteeism in the state. The campaign highlights the benefits of regular school attendance and emphasizes ways to prevent students from being chronically absent. Beyond September, MDE plans to continue promoting ways to address chronic absenteeism.
