Student chronic absenteeism rates show mixed trends in Mississippi and nationwide

Mississippi has reported a 1.1% decrease in its public school chronic absenteeism rate, falling to 26.5% for the 2025-2026 school year from 27.6% the previous year. This decline follows new attendance policies implemented by the Mississippi Department of Education, which included adjustments to how student absences are counted and limits on excused absences.

On a national level, data from the American Enterprise Institute indicates that the progress in reducing chronic absenteeism across the United States is beginning to slow. While rates have declined since the COVID-19 pandemic, the collective absenteeism rate was 22.6% in 2025, compared to 23.5% in 2024 and 28.3% in 2022. However, states participating in the ‘50% Challenge’—an initiative by Attendance Works, EdTrust, and AEI to halve absenteeism—have seen an average reduction of 5.7%, outperforming the 3.2% reduction seen in states not participating in the pledge.