AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 37-13-81, 37-13-83, 37-13-85, 37-13-87 AND 37-13-89, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CLARIFY THE NAME OF THE OFFICE OF COMPULSORY SCHOOL ATTENDANCE ENFORCEMENT AND DROPOUT PREVENTION WITHIN THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION; TO PROVIDE FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE BY THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC EDUCATION; TO TRANSFER THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR EMPLOYING AND ESTABLISHING THE DUTIES OF SCHOOL ATTENDANCE OFFICERS FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS; TO ABOLISH THE THREE REGIONAL SCHOOL ATTENDANCE OFFICER POSITIONS; TO PROVIDE THAT STAFF EMPLOYED BY THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF EDUCATION TO ENFORCE THE MISSISSIPPI COMPULSORY SCHOOL ATTENDANCE LAW SHALL BE COMPENSATED AT THE SAME SALARY RECEIVED BY REGIONAL SCHOOL ATTENDANCE OFFICERS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026 RATE PLUS AN ADDITIONAL 25%; TO CLARIFY THE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS NECESSARY FOR SCHOOL ATTENDANCE OFFICERS AND REMOVE THE REQUIREMENT OF THE STATE PERSONNEL BOARD TO ESTABLISH ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS FOR SCHOOL ATTENDANCE OFFICERS; TO PROVIDE THAT SCHOOL ATTENDANCE OFFICERS EMPLOYED BY THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ON JULY 1, 2026, SHALL BE TRANSFERRED TO EMPLOYMENT STATUS AS EMPLOYEES OF THEIR RESPECTIVE SCHOOL DISTRICTS WITH WORK LOCATIONS THEREIN AND SHALL ENFORCE ATTENDANCE AT CHARTER SCHOOLS LOCATED WITHIN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT; TO PROVIDE FOR THE SHARING OF ADMINISTRATIVE AND COSTS SHARING RESPONSIBILITIES OF TWO OR MORE SCHOOL DISTRICTS WHICH WERE SIMULTANEOUSLY SERVED BY THE SAME SCHOOL ATTENDANCE OFFICER; TO PROVIDE FOR THE TRANSFER OF ANY UNUSED ACCUMULATED LEAVE; TO REQUIRE THE STATE TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR ONE SCHOOL ATTENDANCE OFFICER FOR EVERY 3,000 COMPULSORY-SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN IN ENROLLMENT IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF A COUNTY; TO ESTABLISH THE MINIMUM SALARY OF NEWLY HIRED SCHOOL ATTENDANCE OFFICERS BEGINNING JULY 1, 2026, AND AUTHORIZE LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS TO PAY ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION ABOVE THE MINIMUM SALARY ON A SCALE ESTABLISHED BY THE LOCAL SCHOOL BOARD; TO PROVIDE THAT SCHOOL ATTENDANCE OFFICERS TRANSFERRED TO THE LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SHALL BE COMPENSATED AT THE SAME SALARY RECEIVED FISCAL YEAR 2026 RATE PLUS AN ADDITIONAL 25%; TO PROVIDE THAT SCHOOL ATTENDANCE OFFICERS SHALL NOT EXPERIENCE ANY INTERRUPTION OF SERVICE WITH THE PUBLIC EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT SYSTEM AND THE SCHOOL EMPLOYEES' HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN AS A RESULT OF THE TRANSFER OF EMPLOYMENT RESPONSIBILITY; TO REQUIRE THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND THE MISSISSIPPI ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENTS TO SUBMIT A REPORT TO THE LEGISLATURE ON THE STATUS AND PROGRESS OF SCHOOL ATTENDANCE OFFICERS AS EMPLOYEES OF THE LUNCH SCHOOL DISTRICT; TO AMEND SECTION 37-13-107, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, IN CONFORMITY TO THE PRECEDING PROVISIONS; TO AMEND SECTION 37-13-91, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE THE LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT TO REPORT ANY UNEXCUSED ABSENCE OF A STUDENT TO THE SCHOOL ATTENDANCE OFFICER WITHIN 24 HOURS OF THE ABSENCE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
HB 576 restructures Mississippi’s system for enforcing compulsory school attendance by moving school attendance officers from state employment under the Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) to employment by local school districts beginning July 1, 2026. The bill keeps the Office of Compulsory School Attendance Enforcement and Dropout Prevention within MDE, but clarifies its role as a support and oversight office rather than the direct employer of attendance officers. It also provides for an executive director, preserves statewide training and certification functions, and requires MDE to continue providing technical assistance, policies, and funding transfers to districts.
The bill abolishes the three regional school attendance officer positions and transfers existing state-employed attendance officers to their respective local districts, with no interruption in retirement or health insurance coverage and with unused leave transferred under existing law. It also sets salary protections for transferred officers at their fiscal year 2026 rate plus 25%, establishes a minimum salary structure for newly hired officers, and allows local school boards to supplement pay above the minimum. The bill further requires one attendance officer for every 3,000 compulsory-school-age children in county public-school enrollment, addresses shared service arrangements between districts, and updates the compulsory attendance law to require local districts to report unexcused absences to attendance officers within 24 hours.
HB 576 amends Sections 37-13-81, 37-13-83, 37-13-85, 37-13-87, 37-13-89, 37-13-91, and 37-13-107 of the Mississippi Code. Its main legal effect is to shift hiring, supervision, and day-to-day employment authority for school attendance officers from MDE to local school districts while preserving a statewide oversight framework through MDE’s attendance-enforcement office. The bill also changes related administrative rules on background checks, qualifications, salary setting, leave transfer, reporting timelines, and charter-school coverage, and it directs state appropriations for attendance officers to be distributed to districts on the MSFF schedule.
The available context shows no recorded committee debate or roll-call votes, so there is no documented partisan or public sentiment in the materials provided. Based on the bill’s structure, it appears designed as an administrative reorganization rather than a policy expansion, with provisions aimed at protecting current employees during the transition. The inclusion of salary increases, benefits continuity, and funding formulas suggests an effort to make the transfer more acceptable to affected personnel and districts.
The most likely points of contention are the shift of employment responsibility from the state to local districts, the fiscal impact on districts and the state, and the practical administration of a county- and district-based attendance system. Local districts may be concerned about taking on hiring, supervision, and shared-service arrangements, while state officials may be concerned about maintaining uniform enforcement standards after decentralization. Another possible issue is the bill’s salary and staffing mandates, including the 25% salary increase for transferred employees and the requirement for one officer per 3,000 compulsory-school-age children, which could affect appropriations and local budgeting. Charter-school enforcement, background-check authority, and the 24-hour reporting requirement for absences are additional operational points that could draw attention from school administrators.