Lt. Governor Delbert Hosemann has recognized 175 schools and 12 school districts across Mississippi for their success in keeping chronic absenteeism at 15 percent or less during the 2023-2024 school year. Among the schools celebrated for their dedication to improving student attendance are several in Newton and Scott Counties.
The schools honored include Union Middle School from the Union Public School District, Newton County Elementary School from the Newton County School District, and Lake Elementary School from the Scott County School District. Additionally, N. H. Pilate Middle School and Newton Elementary School, both part of the Newton Municipal School District, also received the prestigious “Lt. Governor’s Attendance Award.”
Chronic absenteeism, defined as missing more than 18 days (10 percent) of the school year, remains a significant challenge across Mississippi. While the state’s absenteeism rate for the 2023-2024 school year stood at 24.4 percent, Lt. Governor Hosemann is urging schools to strive toward pre-pandemic attendance levels. The statewide absenteeism rate was 13 percent in the 2018-2019 school year.
"The goal should be for every school in Mississippi to reach its pre-pandemic rate, and then keep trending downward," said Lt. Governor Hosemann. "When children are in the classroom, they are safe and they are learning. This award celebrates the schools focusing on increasing attendance and encourages others to follow their lead."
Hosemann has identified chronic absenteeism as a priority for the 2025 Legislative Session and has proposed several strategies to tackle the issue, including restricting cellphone use in classrooms, increasing salaries for school attendance officers, and exploring the use of modified school calendars.
Schools recognized for this achievement received both a letter of acknowledgment and the Lt. Governor’s Attendance Award for their efforts in keeping students engaged and in the classroom.
