Bill > HB1512

This bill amends Mississippi's compulsory school attendance laws by requiring the Office of Compulsory School Attendance Enforcement to provide licensed social workers and mental health professionals to assist school attendance officers in their duties, and by introducing new requirements for parents of homeschooled children. Specifically, parents of children in home instruction programs must now submit an annual homeschool academic file to the Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) by June 30th each year, which includes a copy of their enrollment certificate, a portfolio summary with work samples and progress reports aligned with state standards, results from MDE-approved online benchmark assessments in English Language Arts, Math, and Science administered between April 1st and June 15th under secure conditions by a certified individual, and attendance records demonstrating at least 180 instructional days. For students in grades 3, 5, 8, and 11, standardized test results from an MDE-approved assessment administered by a certified teacher must also be included. Failure to comply with these new homeschool requirements could lead to intervention, mandatory remediation, or withdrawal of homeschool status. The bill also clarifies existing definitions and procedures related to compulsory school attendance, including what constitutes a valid excuse for absence and the reporting of unlawful absences.

Education

https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2026/pdf/history/HB/HB1512.xml