Chronic absenteeism rates trend down in Georgia schools
The new school year in Georgia started this week with some good news: Chronic absenteeism in the state is at its lowest level since before the COVID-19 pandemic, officials announced Monday.
Students are considered chronically absent if they miss 10% of the school year — that’s about 17 days in most Georgia districts.
The rate in Georgia hit a high in the 2021-2022 school year, when 23.9% of students were chronically absent, according to state data. (In some districts, the peak was the year before or after.) But in the 2024-2025 school year, the state’s average went down to 19.5%.
Rates of absenteeism soared nationwide after the pandemic. Georgia’s rate in the 2018-2019 school year, for example, was 12.1%.
Georgia schools have purchased technology that reminds parents and students how important it is to come to school; state lawmakers are studying the issue; and State School Superintendent Richard Woods signed a pledge to cut chronic absenteeism by 50% in five years.
“I’m encouraged to see four consecutive years of progress, with chronic absenteeism at its lowest level since the pandemic — but 19.5% is still too high," Woods said in a news release. “We won’t stop working until every student has the consistent, daily access to learning they need to thrive.”
About the Author
Cassidy Alexander covers Georgia education issues for the AJC. She previously covered education for The Daytona Beach News-Journal, and was named Florida's Outstanding New Journalist of the Year.
