Student Attendance on the Rise in Tangi

Tangipahoa Parish School Superintendent Melissa Stilley reports that overall student attendance for the first three months of school stands at 93.7 percent. 

That marks a significant increase from prior years when the attendance rate varied between 90.2 to 92 percent.

“This is a positive trend, and it shows that not only our students but also their families are committed to making classroom time a priority,” Stilley said.

Stilley says COVID-19 and the various shutdowns associated with the global pandemic negatively impacted subsequent years’ school attendance not only in Tangipahoa Parish but also across the country. Recognizing this trend as a direct threat to student success, TPSS implemented a coordinated, system-wide effort, focused on student engagement and support. Stilley said some of the strategies Tangipahoa employed include:

• School Attendance Goals were set by each school, and they have implemented initiatives to help achieve their attendance goal. 

• Attendance and Truancy Designees were identified on each campus. These designees track student attendance and work with families to identify and address barriers to attendance.

• Celebrations and certificates recognizing perfect and improved attendance are being awarded to those who are making the effort to be present at school.

"This rise in attendance is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire school community—our students, families, teachers, and staff,” Stilley said, expressing enthusiasm about the achievement. "We know that consistent attendance is fundamentally linked to student success. When students are in the classroom, they have the best opportunity to learn and thrive. We are committed to sustaining this momentum and ensuring every student has access to the high-quality education they deserve.”

Not only has student attendance become stronger in the first nine weeks of the new academic year, but truancy is also down across the district. Stilley said truancy, which is defined as a student having five or more unexcused absences is down from 51.5 percent in 2024-25 to just 6.5 percent this semester.

“The key issue with truancy is a lack communication,” Stilley said, adding that all families need to do is send in a note or a doctor’s excuse, explaining the reason their student missed school.

The Tangipahoa Parish School System plans to build upon this success by continuing to prioritize attendance and student well-being. Efforts will include ongoing data monitoring, sharing best practices across the district, and strengthening partnerships with parents and guardians. The school system serves 19,065 students, and its mission is to provide every student with a high-quality education and a pathway to success. An integral part of achieving this mission is that families prioritize attendance, and students are present at school every day. 

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