Senate panel advances bill to revive school "climate" committees, require attendance reviews for chronic absenteeism

Senate Bill 123 was presented to the Senate Education and Youth Committee as a package aimed at reducing chronic absenteeism. The sponsor told the committee that 22.6 percent of Georgia public-school students were chronically absent last year and that 380,000 students missed at least 10 percent of school days (about 18 days), figures the sponsor used to justify the measure’s urgency.

The bill would: revise statutory language to harmonize the term "compulsory attendance," expand and reactivate local "school climate committees," require those committees to update student-attendance protocols by June 1, 2026, and establish attendance review teams and reporting requirements.

Key provisions and thresholds: the bill defines chronically absent as missing 10 percent or more of school days (excused or unexcused). If a local school system’s chronic-absence rate equals or exceeds 10 percent, the system must form an attendance review team for the entire system. If an individual school reaches a 15 percent chronic-absence rate, that school must establish a dedicated attendance review team. The Department of Education would be required to make county-by-county reports available to the public and submit them to the chairs of the House and Senate education committees every even-numbered year beginning Nov. 1.

Sponsor comments and rationale: the bill’s sponsor said the measure is intended to re-energize a process that was created in 2005 but, according to the sponsor, was rarely active in many counties. "If the students are not in seats we're not going to get them literate. If they're not literate they're not going to graduate," the sponsor told the committee, arguing that local solutions are needed because causes of absenteeism vary by community.

Committee action: the committee voted to pass the bill out of committee. Senator Kim moved to pass SB 123 (LC 492214); another senator seconded, and the motion carried. The record in the transcript characterizes the vote as "pass 100%" though a numerical roll-call tally was not recorded in the excerpt provided.

Suggested next steps: the sponsor said staff will pursue a summer study committee to identify drivers of absenteeism and to develop targeted solutions; the bill also requires local committees to meet at least twice a year beginning November 2025. Committee members and staff suggested outreach to local officials, school boards and community partners to implement targeted interventions.