SB 2618 Mississippi Senate · 2025 Regular Session

School attendance officers; transfer responsibility of employment from MDE to local school districts.

SB 2618 transfers responsibility for hiring and managing school attendance officers from Mississippi's State Department of Education (MDE) to local school districts, effective July 2025. It requires districts to employ one officer for every 3,000 compulsory-school-age students, sets a minimum salary for new hires, and ensures transferred staff retain benefits like retirement and health insurance. The bill abolishes three regional supervisor roles, mandates state funding for officers, and requires districts to provide technical assistance and training. MDE retains oversight by reporting on officer performance to the legislature by 2027. This directly affects local school districts, attendance officers, and students through changes in attendance enforcement structure.

Bill status died 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2025

Senate Passage

Feb 2025

House Passage

Governor

Introduced Feb 17, 2025 Last action Mar 12, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Committee Substitute → Current version · 8 edits

MODERATE

This bill transitions school attendance officers from state employees to local school district employees effective July 1, 2025, abolishing three regional supervisor positions and establishing a new funding formula requiring one officer per 3,000 compulsory-school-age children. The changes clarify that officers will enforce attendance at charter schools within their districts and establish a minimum salary of $34,000 for newly hired officers, with local boards authorized to pay additional compensation.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded from state-level administration to local district responsibility, transferring employment authority from the State Department of Education to local school boards and adding charter school enforcement duties.

FISCAL

Changed funding responsibility from state to local school districts, requiring the state to fund one school attendance officer for every 3,000 compulsory-school-age children in public school enrollment per county.

Established a minimum salary of $34,000 for newly hired school attendance officers beginning July 1, 2025, with local school boards authorized to pay additional compensation above this minimum.

TIMELINE

Established July 1, 2025 as the effective date for transferring state-employed school attendance officers to local school district employment status.

REQUIREMENT

Abolished three regional school attendance officer supervisor positions that were previously maintained by the state.

Added requirement that school attendance officers enforce attendance at charter schools located within their respective school districts.

Added provision allowing two or more school districts to share a school attendance officer when they fall below enrollment thresholds or receive only partial funding.

ELIGIBILITY

Modified compensation for transferred officers to receive their 2025 fiscal year salary plus an additional 25%, with no interruption of service to retirement or health insurance plans.

TECHNICAL

Removed language requiring the State Superintendent to establish additional qualifications for director staff, simplifying administrative oversight requirements.

As Introduced → Committee Substitute · 11 edits

MAJOR

This bill reorganizes Mississippi's school attendance enforcement by transferring responsibility from the state to local school districts, abolishing regional supervisor positions, and establishing new funding and salary structures. The changes clarify roles, ensure consistent enforcement standards, and provide financial support for local districts to hire and maintain school attendance officers.

Scope change

The bill shifts primary responsibility for employing and managing school attendance officers from the State Department of Education to local school districts, while maintaining state oversight and technical assistance.

SCOPE

Transferred responsibility for employing and establishing duties of school attendance officers from the State Department of Education to local school districts.

REQUIREMENT

Abolished three regional school attendance officer supervisor positions and replaced them with a single state-level director role.

Establishes minimum salary scale for newly hired school attendance officers starting July 1, 2025, with local boards authorized to pay additional compensation.

Establishes new minimum qualifications for school attendance officers including college degrees in education, behavioral sciences, or related fields, or three years of relevant experience.

Requires background checks and fingerprinting for all new school attendance officer hires, with fees potentially covered by local districts.

FISCAL

Requires state funding for one school attendance officer per 3,000 compulsory-school-age children in public school enrollment.

Transfers all funds appropriated for school attendance officers to local school districts on the same schedule as total funding formula disbursements.

TIMELINE

School attendance officers transferred from state to local districts on July 1, 2025, receive a 25% salary increase and maintain uninterrupted retirement and health benefits.

Requires joint report on school attendance officer status and progress to be submitted to the Legislature during the 2027 Regular Session.

DEFINITION

Clarified that school attendance officers are now employees of local school districts rather than state employees.

ENFORCEMENT

Requires local school districts to maintain accurate enrollment and attendance records and submit monthly reports to the state office.

Floor votes · Senate Feb 12, 2025

How they voted

50–0

Passed · 1 other

Total votes 51

Feb 12, 2025

D Democratic16

16 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican35

34 Yea 1

97% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Mar 4, 2025

Lower · Passed

Title Suff Do Pass As Amended

lower

Feb 17, 2025

Committee

Referred To Education;Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency

lower

Feb 17, 2025

Introduced

Transmitted To House

upper

Feb 12, 2025

Upper · Passed

Passed As Amended

upper

Feb 12, 2025

Upper · Passed

Amended

upper

Feb 3, 2025

Upper · Passed

Title Suff Do Pass Comm Sub

upper

Jan 20, 2025

Committee

Referred To Education

upper

1 primary · 2 co-sponsors