[1/13/05]Senate Education Committee Chairman Mike Chaney, R-Vicksburg, wants students who are enrolled in schools when they turn 17 to be required to attend for the rest of the year.

Chaney said his bill, if passed, will clarify the Mississippi’s mandatory attendance law, which now drops the attendance requirement at the end of the calendar year in which the student turns 17.

“We get kids turning 17, and the principals can’t make them come to school,” Chaney said. “I want them there for the tests or out of school and off the rolls.”

The tests are state and federally required exams. Schools can be penalized if too few enrolled students show up to take them.

The idea for the bill came from testimony Superintendent James Price of the Vicksburg-Warren School District and Judge Johnny Price of Warren County Youth Court gave the Senate Education Committee last fall, Chaney said.

The VWSD’s two high schools, Vicksburg and Warren Central, did not meet federal requirements established by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, and Superintendent Price cited absenteeism as the reason.

Another reason Chaney said he introduced the bill is that it would also allow Youth Court to retain jurisdiction over students who turn 17 during a school year. Currently, children are subject to Youth Court jurisdiction until their 18th birthdays.

Chaney said he had “about 30” other bills related to education that he expected would be available by Internet by Monday. Chaney represents District 23, which covers Warren and parts of Issaquena and Yazoo counties.

The Legislature’s regular session for this year began Jan. 4 and is to end April 3. Monday is the filing deadline for all bills and constitutional amendments except those for appropriations and revenue and local and private bills.

The text and status of bills that have been introduced are accessible at the Web address http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us.