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Jackson Public Schools presents 2025–26 dropout prevention plan; targets chronic absenteeism and Provine restructuring
Summary
District leaders outlined a restructuring and intervention plan for 2025–26 that emphasizes early identification, family outreach and targeted supports for schools with low graduation rates, while reporting recent declines in discipline incidents and gains at several high schools.
Jackson Public Schools officials presented the district’s 2025–26 dropout prevention plan and outlined strategies to reduce chronic absenteeism, improve retention in early grades and raise graduation rates at struggling high schools.
The plan, presented by Dr. Anthony Johnson, director of dropout prevention, centers on three priorities: compliance with state requirements for schools under an 85% graduation threshold, targeted interventions for students ages 17–21 who have left school, and supports for transitions from juvenile detention back to school. Dr. Johnson said the district uses an early warning system to share assessment and attendance information across feeder patterns and to tier students for academic and behavioral supports.
Why it matters: Chronic absenteeism and low graduation rates are tied to long-term economic and social outcomes. The district’s plan commits resources to case management, family engagement and school-based restructuring where outcomes lag.
District data cited in the presentation showed a 45.6% decrease in discipline incidents from 2023–24 to 2024–25 and an 89.5% average daily attendance rate districtwide; the district goal for ADA is 95%. Dr. Johnson said five high schools met the state’s 85% graduation requirement in the most recent reporting period; others such as Provine, Lanier and Murrah saw declines and are the focus of restructuring efforts.
The Provine High School restructuring will emphasize benchmark review, increased parental engagement, ongoing professional development and coordinated family visits by the dropout team. Dr. Johnson said the district identified 224 families for targeted re-engagement earlier this year; 115 began the registration process and 78 completed registration and attended school.
Board members and administrators described the work as high-touch and multidisciplinary. Miss Marshall Thomas, assistant superintendent of high schools, said feeder-pattern collaboration is ongoing: "We get reports for our incoming eighth graders on attendance, behavior and course performance," she said, and that information is used to design ninth-grade transition supports.
Dr. Johnson and Marshall Thomas noted that chronic absenteeism is defined by the state as missing at least 18 days (10% of a 180-day school year). They listed common causes that trigger interventions — illness, doctor appointments, transportation issues and suspensions — and said suspensions count toward chronic absenteeism figures. The plan calls for targeted home visits and case management for students who reach threshold absence markers.
Board discussion praised gains at several schools while emphasizing that addressing attendance requires citywide engagement. Board Member Mitch McGuffey noted improvements in graduation rates at schools that were near the cut line last year and urged continued focus on culture-building and cross-agency work to reduce absenteeism.
The presentation linked dropout prevention to other district efforts such as mentorship roles (deans of students), ninth-grade transition programs and expanded pathway options for students who work or need alternative scheduling. Dr. Johnson said additional data on chronic absenteeism for 2024–25 was pending release from the state and that the plan would be recalibrated when that information becomes available.
The board did not take a vote on the plan at the meeting; the presentation served as an overview of goals, metrics and next steps.
