Georgia state senators unanimously passed a bill Wednesday intended to address chronic absenteeism, which refers to when students miss 10% or more of the school year.
According to the Georgia Department of Education, the rate of chronic absenteeism in Georgia was 21.3% in 2024. Schools have not yet returned to pre-pandemic levels of around 12%.
Senate Bill 123 would prevent public school students from being expelled solely due to absences. It would also require school climate committees, appointed by the chief judge of each county’s superior court, to develop protocol and policy recommendations for addressing chronic absenteeism by June 2026…