Audit committee accepts student attendance audit that flags inconsistent documentation and rising chronic absenteeism

The Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools Audit Committee on Feb. 6 accepted an audit of student attendance that found widespread inconsistency in how schools record and document attendance and urged the district to standardize procedures, improve monitoring and strengthen follow-up for chronically absent students.

The audit, conducted for fiscal year 2023–24, examined district policies and procedures for in-person and virtual attendance, the operation and documentation of school attendance committees, and factors driving student absenteeism. The audit team reported that the district is in compliance with written policy but that implementation and recordkeeping vary across schools.

Auditors said chronic absenteeism has not returned to pre-pandemic levels and that gaps in documentation limit the district’s ability to verify steps taken to intervene. The report said that of 53 requested copies of five-day attendance letters (letters triggered after five unexcused absences), only two were available; attendance committee meeting records were complete for 44…