Georgia legislators are tackling the issue of absenteeism among public school students in the state.
Sen. John Kennedy is leading a study committee on what’s being called a quiet crisis with one in five students deemed chronically absent last school year, which means missing 10% or more of the school year. That equates to 360,000 students.
The closure of schools during Covid-19 caused a massive downshift in attendance. There is a wealth of data about the impact of missing school, starting with academic performance. In 2024, nearly half of Georgia students who took a Georgia Milestones test in English and math scored at least proficient, but only one in four chronically absent students made that mark in English and just one in five in math.
The Georgia House has also formed its own committee with both working toward solutions to be a part of the next legislative session starting in January.
