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 17 th -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.”…