Since schools closed in March 2020, student absenteeism has surged, and the habit of attending school every day has been slow to return.
In Georgia, many districts, including DeKalb County and Atlanta Public Schools, stayed remote through fall 2020 while bars and restaurants reopened. The result was a profound disruption to learning and school culture.
Georgia defines chronic absenteeism as missing more than 10% of the 180-day school year – meaning students can miss a whopping 17 days of school before crossing that threshold.
Today, 22% of Georgia students are chronically absent. That’s an improvement from two years ago (25%), but still well above the pre-pandemic level of 13%. Nationwide, absenteeism averages 24%, with some states seeing nearly half of students missing too much school.
Why does this matter? Because chronic absenteeism is one of the strongest predictors of falling behind academically, dropping out, and becoming disengaged from community life. Georgia lawmakers are taking action, but the problem is cultural as well as legislative.
Here’s what you need to know:
- Absenteeism is still too high: Nearly 1 in 4 Georgia students misses more than 17 days of school a year.
- Lawmakers are acting: SB 123 updates Georgia’s attendance laws to focus on intervention, not punishment.
- Culture matters: Since 2020, skipping school has become more socially acceptable, which is a shift that must be reversed.
- Solutions exist: Early parent engagement, mentorship programs and positive school climates can turn this around.
Georgia’s future workforce and civic health depend on getting kids back in the classroom.
This week’s commentary looks at what’s driving absenteeism, and what it will take to rebuild a culture of attendance.
Have a great weekend,
– Kyle Wingfield
Friday’s Freshest 🗞️
The Heritage Foundation’s 2025 Education Freedom Report Card evaluates all 50 states. Georgia ranked 14th overall, slipping five spots from 2024, as other states expanded universal choice programs.
Georgians are facing a hard truth about housing: when government ties up supply, prices soar. Homeownership slips further out of reach, rents climb and workers are pushed farther from their jobs. The question, then, is what to do about it. It starts with cutting red tape.
A local nonprofit challenging the City of Calhoun’s ban on homes smaller than 1,150 square feet won an initial legal victory. Tiny House Hand Up sought to use donated land to build modest, affordable cottages, but the city’s restrictions initially blocked their plans.
What state is doing the best job of putting workers first? Georgia has an incredibly strong claim. The Peach State isn’t just leading the way in pro-worker reforms at the state level. It’s also the home of federal leaders who are fighting for workers in Washington, D.C.
In this year’s legislative session, Georgia had an opportunity to address its ever-growing regulatory code and reduce regulatory burdens placed on its citizens and businesses. Although the “Red Tape Rollback Act” passed the Senate, it ultimately failed to become law in Georgia. Regulatory reform will have another chance next session.
Peach Picks 🍑
Gov. Brian Kemp said this week that companies invested in 423 new or expanded facilities in Georgia during fiscal year 2025 for a record $26.3 billion investment. The investments will add 23,000 new private-sector jobs.
Political leaders gathered in Social Circle to turn shovels at a ceremonial groundbreaking for the future Rivian electric automobile plant. The government-subsidized project is expected to create 7,500 jobs by 2030, after construction begins in earnest next year and the first vehicle rolls off the line in 2028.
The Senate Special Committee on Eliminating Georgia’s Income Tax agreed not to consider increasing the state sales tax on groceries as a replacement for the reduction or elimination of the state income tax.
Georgia lawmakers took a step toward addressing homeowners association oversight as the Senate Rules Committee held its inaugural hearing on legislation that could provide state regulation for HOAs affecting more than 2 million residents.
The Census Bureau’s American Community Survey includes Work Access shows that only 3.7% of commuters use public transit to get to work. Around 5% used transit pre-pandemic.
Off The Vine 🎯
Turning Point USA announced it unanimously elected Charlie Kirk’s widow Erika Kirk as the new CEO and chair of the board of the organization, saying this is what Charlie wanted in the event of his death.
Quotes Of Note 🌟
“There are no easy answers, but there are simple answers. We must have the courage to do what we know is morally right.” – Ronald Reagan
“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” – Arthur Ashe
“Don’t bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself.” – William Faulkner