Sumter County Schools is proud to join school systems across Alabama in recognizing September 2026 as Attendance Awareness Month, a time dedicated to highlighting the important connection between regular school attendance and student success.

Every day a student is in school is another opportunity to learn, grow, build relationships, and prepare for the future. Chronic absenteeism—missing 18 or more school days for any reason—can significantly impact academic achievement and increase the likelihood that students will fall behind.

Sumter County Schools is encouraged by the progress our students and families are making. On the 2025 Alabama State Report Card, the district’s chronic absenteeism rate decreased from 32.39% to 27.81%, a reduction of 4.58 percentage points. While we celebrate this progress, we know there is more work to do.

Throughout September, Sumter County Schools will emphasize the importance of being present, arriving on time, and making every instructional minute count. Improving attendance is a shared responsibility, and meaningful progress happens when schools, families, and communities work together to encourage good attendance and address barriers that may prevent students from attending school regularly. This collaborative approach is also emphasized in the Alabama State Board of Education’s Attendance Awareness Month resolution.

We encourage our families to make regular attendance a priority and our students to come to school each day ready to learn and succeed.

Every Student. Every Day. Every Minute Matters.

Together, let’s keep the momentum going and continue Building a Stronger Sumter County School System—One Day at a Time.