In an effort to ensure all students receive full access to the instruction and opportunities they need to prepare for their futures, the Georgia Department of Education is launching several initiatives to combat chronic absenteeism.
“Chronic absenteeism” refers to the number of students missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, divided by the number of students enrolled. Georgia’s current chronic absenteeism rate is 20.7% -- this is the 17th-best rate in the nation, but GaDOE is aiming to improve it further to ensure all students are fully accessing the instructional opportunities available to them.
“Particularly as we continue to focus on academic recovery after the instructional disruptions of the pandemic, it’s essential that students are attending school daily and accessing the full curriculum,” State School Superintendent Richard Woods said. “We are committed to combating chronic absenteeism and ensuring schools are equipped to reduce barriers to attendance and address issues that cause students and families to disengage from school. This is a key area of focus for our Office of Whole Child Supports heading into the new year.”
Multi-Agency Attendance Summit
On December 4, 2024, GaDOE’s Office of Whole Child Supports hosted an Attendance Summit for Georgia agencies and policymakers. Attended by representatives of multiple state agencies, education organizations, and school districts, the purpose of the summit was to increase awareness and foster collaborative relationships in an effort to promote next steps to reduce chronic absenteeism.
Attendance Works, a nationally recognized organization focused on promoting positive attendance practices, led the discussions, giving attendees opportunities to dig into the data and consider potential solutions.
The Office of Whole Child Supports plans to follow up with future work sessions and engagement with school partners to facilitate long-term changes.
“While Georgia’s chronic absenteeism rate has started to decrease, our state still has work to do,” said Justin Hill, GaDOE’s Deputy Superintendent for Whole Child Supports. “The Summit was a step toward building a foundation for improvement in the area of attendance, and with the focus and efforts of policymakers, educators, parents, and community members, we can make a significant change.”
Attendance Dashboard and PSA Available
GaDOE has also launched an Attendance Dashboard to provide real-time data to schools and districts. Located in Georgia Insights, the dashboard allows districts and schools to examine subgroup, grade-level, and yearly data, find potential root causes, and determine next steps. Users have access to comparison data, average daily attendance calculations, chronic absentee rates, and subgroup-specific information for the last six years.
The Office of Whole Child Supports also partnered with Georgia Public Broadcasting to develop a Chronic Absenteeism Public Service Announcement. The purpose of the video is to raise awareness and emphasize to parents and students the importance of attending school every day – the PSA is available here.
Future Plans and Professional Learning Opportunities for School Districts
Moving forward, GaDOE plans to use Stronger Connections grant funds to decrease chronic absenteeism in high-needs school districts in Georgia. The project will include a partnership with UGA’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government to conduct a statewide analysis of chronic absenteeism; meetings of a monthly Attendance Advisory Group; and workshop days, professional learning, and coaching for high-need school districts.
A webinar on chronic absenteeism is scheduled for January 16, 2025 and is available for all district and school staff – registration information is available here.
Learn more about chronic absenteeism here.
