Bibb County superintendent cites progress, new grants and rising absenteeism at State of the District

Dr. Danni Sims, superintendent of the Bibb County School District, used the district’s 2025 State of the District address to tout academic gains and grants while warning that chronic absenteeism remains a major barrier for students.

Sims cited an 87% graduation rate and said seven schools were recognized by the state for academic progress between the 2022–23 and 2023–24 school years. She also highlighted partnerships and funding aimed at expanding postsecondary pathways and student supports, including dual enrollment agreements with institutions such as Central Georgia Technical College, Middle Georgia State University, Wesleyan, Georgia Military College and Georgia Tech.

Why it matters: the superintendent framed recent investments as tools to narrow equity gaps and expand opportunities — from job training to college coursework — but said those efforts cannot succeed if students are not in class. “I’m asking all of you to say yes to BCS,” Sims said, urging the community, businesses and families to support students’ daily attendance and engagement.

Among the grants Sims described: a YouthBuild award she identified at about $4.1 million to support job training and education skills development; an $18.5 million GEAR UP grant intended to provide sustained academic supports beginning in middle school; and a $3.8 million, five‑year 21st Century grant that funds after‑school programming in 28 schools. Sims also announced planned expansion of school‑based health services in partnership with First Choice Primary Care and said a second traditional school‑based health center is planned to offer primary care, dental hygiene and behavioral health services.

Sims described a large, multiyear school‑based mental health grant and a slate of related services — Project AWARE continuation, social‑emotional learning curriculum, “calming corners,” telehealth and additional personnel — but the transcript contains a garbled figure for that award; the exact dollar amount was not specified in the recorded remarks and is listed as not specified in this report pending confirmation.

Sims emphasized increases in dual enrollment and said the district is negotiating a national‑scale expansion of opportunities, though she said specifics are not yet ready for public announcement. She credited partners including Mercer University, which helped cover master’s degree costs for district teachers, and the Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce for its role in the district’s business‑education work. The chamber’s Greater CareerWorks platform was cited as having about 17,000 users, most of whom Sims said are district students.

Sims repeatedly returned to attendance data as the most immediate operational challenge. Using fall semester totals, she said 23.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (the district’s definition of chronic absenteeism), and that average daily attendance remained near 90%. Sims urged families and community partners to “put pressure on our homes” to help get students to school regularly.

The address included a community panel featuring teachers, business and community leaders and students who described local programs and supports. Panelists included Renita Patterson, vice president of engagement at the Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce; Holly Hune, director of talent management and acquisitions for the Bibb County School District; Jory Newman, a seventh‑grade social studies teacher at Howard Middle School; Jill Vanderhoek, director of community partnerships at Bibb County Family Connection; and Chance Walker, a senior at Westside High School.

Sims closed by asking the audience and community partners to increase support for the district’s students and staff. She called public education “under attack” and urged local advocates to speak up for the schools and the children they serve. The program concluded with a student essay reading and a thank‑you to community partners and sponsors.