An in-depth analysis of chronic absenteeism trends, policy developments, and intervention strategies shared with the Georgia Senate Study Committee
For more information, contact Tyler Reinagel, Director of Policy and Research | treinagel@csg.org
On August 7, 2025, CSG South’s Director of Policy and Research presented a detailed analysis on chronic absenteeism before the Georgia Senate Study Committee. The presentation highlighted key trends, policy shifts, and intervention strategies relevant to addressing this growing challenge in Georgia’s schools.
Chronic absenteeism, defined as missing 10% or more of the school year, has nearly doubled nationwide since 2018, reaching 26% in 2023. Southern states, including Georgia, have experienced significant increases, with Georgia’s chronic absenteeism rate rising by nearly 10% post-pandemic. These trends underscore the need for data-driven, evidence-based policy responses.
The analysis distinguished chronic absenteeism from truancy, emphasizing that while both affect student outcomes, they require different policy approaches. Chronic absenteeism includes all absences, whereas truancy refers specifically to unexcused absences.
Several states in the region are moving away from punitive policies, such as suspensions for attendance violations, toward supportive interventions aimed at keeping students engaged. States including Arkansas, Florida, Virginia, and West Virginia have enacted laws limiting suspensions based solely on absenteeism.
Team-based approaches that involve educators, counselors, families, and community partners were highlighted as effective models for identifying causes of absenteeism and implementing targeted interventions. The presentation also emphasized the importance of real-time data to enable timely and effective policy decisions, citing Rhode Island’s public attendance dashboard as a leading example.
Georgia’s recent legislation, SB 123, which removed expulsion as a penalty solely for attendance-related issues, was noted as an important step. Next steps recommended include developing real-time tracking systems and adopting intervention-focused policies like Tennessee’s HB 206 to further reduce chronic absenteeism.
For more information, view these resources below:
- Issue brief by senior policy analyst Cody Allen, Saved by the Bell: State Approaches to Bring the Chronic Absenteeism Crisis to a Screeching Halt
- Presentation slides from the CSG South testimony
- Full video of the Georgia Senate Study Committee hearing, including testimony from Tyler Reinagel, CSG South’s director of policy and research
- Official photo gallery from the testimony event
