Mississippi legislation · 2025 Regular Session
Mississippi SB2618: School attendance officers; transfer responsibility of employment from MDE to local school districts.
Status: Failed, March 12, 2025
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTIONS 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 THAT THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC EDUCATION SHALL EMPLOY SUFFICIENT STAFF FOR THE OFFICE, WHO SHALL MEET QUALIFICATIONS ESTABLISHED BY THE SUPERINTENDENT WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE STATE PERSONNEL BOARD, TO PROVIDE OVERSIGHT FOR THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE MISSISSIPPI COMPULSORY SCHOOL ATTENDANCE LAW, AND TO SUPPORT AND PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TO SCHOOL ATTENDANCE OFFICERS; 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 SUPERVISOR POSITIONS; TO PROVIDE THAT SCHOOL ATTENDANCE OFFICERS EMPLOYED BY THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ON JULY 1, 2025, 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, 2025, 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 SHALL NOT EXPERIENCE ANY INTERRUPTION OF SERVICE WITH THE PUBLIC EMPLOYEES' RET
What the bill says
An act to amend sections 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…
From the engrossed text:
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTIONS 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 THAT THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC EDUCATION SHALL EMPLOY SUFFICIENT STAFF FOR THE OFFICE, WHO SHALL MEET QUALIFICATIONS ESTABLISHED BY THE SUPERINTENDENT WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE STATE PERSONNEL BOARD, TO PROVIDE OVERSIGHT FOR THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE MISSISSIPPI COMPULSORY SCHOOL ATTENDANCE LAW, AND TO SUPPORT AND PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TO SCHOOL ATTENDANCE OFFICERS; 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 SUPERVISOR POSITIONS; TO PROVIDE THAT SCHOOL ATTENDANCE OFFICERS EMPLOYED BY THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ON JULY 1, 2025, 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 …
Sponsors
- DeBar, Dennis (R, 43) · primary sponsor
- David Jordan (D)
- Sarita Simmons (D, 13)
Latest actions
- : Died On Calendar
- : Read the Third Time
- : Title Suff Do Pass As Amended
- : DR - TSDPAA: AC To ED
- : DR - TSDPAA: ED To AC
- : Referred To Education;Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency
- : Transmitted To House
- : Passed As Amended
- : Amended
- : Committee Substitute Adopted
Votes
- Passed As Amended (February 12, 2025): 109 yea, 3 nay, passed
Subjects: School attendance officers
Common questions
- What is SB2618?
- SB2618 is a bill in the Mississippi Legislature (2025 Regular Session): School attendance officers; transfer responsibility of employment from MDE to local school districts.
- What does SB2618 do?
- In its own words: An act to amend sections 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…
- What is the status of SB2618?
- Failed as of March 12, 2025. Latest action: Died On Calendar (March 12, 2025).
- Who sponsored SB2618?
- DeBar, Dennis (R, 43), with 2 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for SB2618?
- On the Mississippi Legislature website: http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2025/pdf/history/SB/SB2618.xml
Source: official Mississippi record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.