Student absenteeism trends show local decline amid federal data reliability concerns

A new report from the Mississippi Department of Education shows that the state's chronic absenteeism rate dropped by just over 1% during the 2025-26 school year, falling from 27.6% to 26.5%. This figure represents 115,385 public school students missing 10% or more of the school year. State Superintendent of Education Dr. Lance Evans noted the decrease as an encouraging sign of efforts by schools and families, though officials aim for further reductions through targeted interventions.

On a national level, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) has issued a report stating that federal calculations for measuring chronic absenteeism are unreliable. The GAO found implausible rates in approximately 2.5% of schools nationwide during the 2022-23 school year, including instances where schools reported 100% absenteeism. The watchdog recommended better alignment of enrollment and absence counts and urged the U.S. Department of Education to restart comprehensive monitoring to prevent potential fraud and waste of federal funds.