Compulsory School Attendance Enforcement Toni Kersh, Director Office of Dropout Prevention and Compulsory School Attendance Enforcement

124 School Attendance Officers 1 Director 3 Area Supervisors 124 School Attendance Officers 82 Counties 151 School Districts

School Attendance Supervisors Terissa Williams Cheryl Mickens Bobby Johnson

COMPULSORY SCHOOL ATTENDANCE LAW § 37-13-91 Compulsory-school-age child" means a child who has attained or will attain the age of six (6) years on or before September 1 of the calendar year and who has not attained the age of seventeen (17) years on or before September 1 of the calendar year; and shall include any child who has attained or will attain the age of five (5) years on or before September 1 and has enrolled in a full-day public school kindergarten program. 

Provided, however, that the parent or guardian of any child enrolled in a full-day public school kindergarten program shall be allowed to disenroll the child from the program on a one-time basis, and such child shall not be deemed a compulsory-school-age child until the child attains the age of six (6) years. X

Compulsory Age Between Ages of 6 and 17 Exception Students turning 17 in the first semester no longer fall under law

UNLAWFUL ABSENCES An "unlawful absence" is an absence during a school day by a compulsory-school-age child, which absence is not due to a valid excuse for temporary nonattendance.  An unlawful absence is any compulsory school-age child who is absent thirty-seven percent (37%) or more of a school day, which the absence is not due to a valid excuse for temporary nonattendance. Days missed from school due to disciplinary suspension shall not be considered an "excused" absence under this section. 

Three (3) Tardy Rule???? Tardies cannot be considered as unexcused absences

Unexcused Absence Who makes decision? By law, the superintendent or his/her designee decides whether or not an absence is excused. Who makes decision? The school attendance officer does not make the decision to excuse or unexcused an absence. Who can not excuse an absence?

PRESENT For the purpose of determining and reporting attendance, a pupil must be present for at least sixty-three percent (63%) of his/her instructional day, as fixed by the local school board, and defined by the student’s schedule, in order to be considered in full-day attendance.

If a compulsory-school-age child is participating in an authorized school activity with the prior approval of the superintendent of the school district, or his/her designee, the student is considered PRESENT for average daily attendance reporting purposes. The activities include, but are not limited to: Official Organized Events Sponsored by the 4-H Future Farmers of America Junior Livestock Shows Rodeo Events Official Employment as a Page at the State Capitol Subject-Matter Field Trips Athletic Contest Student Conventions Music Festivals or Contest

A student’s participation in an authorized school activity must be verified by: Student Schedule Class Roster Activity Roster

Referrals 5 unexcused absences Must be reported to Compulsory School Attendance Officer within 2 days or 5 if it falls over holiday or weekend 5 unexcused absences Must be reported in increments of five (5) 10 unexcused absences 12 unexcused absences

Suspensions - Attorney General Opinion Absences Suspensions - Attorney General Opinion During the time in which a suspension or expulsion is imposed, a student is not under the compulsory school attendance officer’s jurisdiction whether the student is classified as regular or special education and may not be monitored for school attendance. Detention Center- Section 43-21-321 Students in the youth detention center are present.

SUSPENSIONS AND EXPULSIONS Section 37-13-91 (6) of MS Code 1972 SUSPENSIONS AND EXPULSIONS The superintendent, or his designee, also shall report any student suspensions or student expulsions to the school attendance officer when they occur.

Truancy is the Gateway to Dropout Truancy is a strong indicator the student is disengaging and their future is becoming separated and limited. In the United States all children are given the opportunity for an education. Students travel through the school system some with success and others go through the process of dropping out. Making a connection: Why we are working together? This presentation is going to show how working together we can build a stronger, better, more productive community. Reducing the truancy and dropout rate is a team effort.

Calculation of Truancy Rate The Truancy Rate shall be calculated using the following formula: Numerator: Number of students with five or more unlawful absences (truant) Denominator: Count of Student Membership –Cumulative Enrollment Example: 25,000 /100,000 = .25 .25 x 100= 25%

HOME SCHOOL The certificate of enrollment shall be prepared and maintained by the Mississippi Department of Education, Office of Compulsory School Attendance Enforcement.  

CERTIFICATE OF ENROLLMENT The Office of Compulsory School Attendance Enforcement shall be the only authorized entity to disseminate and collect the certificates of enrollment. Certificates of Enrollment will not be provided to school district personnel for distribution.  

School district personnel must notify the Office of Compulsory School Attendance Enforcement (state school attendance officer) if a parent, guardian or custodian is seeking to enroll a compulsory-school-age child in home school.

District personnel cannot at any time complete a certificate of enrollment. The certificate of enrollment must be completed by the parent, guardian or custodian of the compulsory-school-age child enrolling in a home school program.

Certificates of Enrollment will not be accepted for individuals registering to enroll in a home instruction program, for the first time, that have exceeded the compulsory school age nor will the student be considered as a “transfer to home school”.  

Questions / Comments Contact: Toni Kersh TKersh@mde.k12.ms.us 601.359.3178