JACKSON, Miss. ( WJTV ) – A new report from Mississippi’s State Auditor showed that the state’s K-12 chronic absenteeism rate has surged.

“Mississippi’s K-12 absenteeism problem is a massive cost for taxpayers, as our report lays out,” said State Auditor Shad White. “Part of my job is telling taxpayers what is driving the biggest costs in government, and in coming years, our absenteeism rate is statistically likely to lead to more drop-outs, more incarcerations, more dependence on social services, and a big bill for Mississippi taxpayers.”

According to White, chronic absenteeism in K-12 schools has skyrocketed across the country since the COVID-19 pandemic began. In 2019, Mississippi compared favorably to its border states with a 14% chronic absentee rate, but by 2023, Mississippi outpaced its border states with a 24.7% chronic absentee rate, a 76.4% increase.

A review of academic literature shows students who are chronically absent have an increased chance of dropping out of school, which leads to a higher likelihood of getting arrested or relying on social services later in life. According to White, analysts estimate that the number of students who were chronically absent before dropping out of school in AY 2023 alone will cost the Mississippi economy $550 million over time.

The report also identifies several recommendations for the Legislature to consider, including:

• Alter Mississippi’s School Accountability Ratings to include attendance
• Pass laws that link driver’s license privileges to school attendance
• Reorganize and hire more school attendance officers

“Kids need to be in school. We pump a ton of taxpayer money into our K-12 school system, but it does no good if the students’ tails are not in the seats. Now is the time to address this before the problem gets worse,” stated White.

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