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Rockdale schools outline plan to cut chronic absenteeism from 28.3% toward 11.8% goal
Summary
District officials presented data showing Rockdale’s chronic absenteeism at 28.3% for 2024–25, higher than the state, and described a multi-pronged strategy — family outreach, case management, early warning systems and community partnerships — to reduce the rate.
Rockdale County Public Schools officials presented data showing the district’s chronic absenteeism rate at 28.3% for the 2024–25 school year and outlined a plan of interventions aimed at reducing that rate to roughly 11.8%.
April Fallon, the district’s presenter on attendance issues, told the board the district’s chronic absenteeism rate (students missing 10% or more of enrolled days) rose after the COVID‑19 period and has stayed above the state average; the district’s 28.3% compared with about 19.5% statewide for 2024–25. Fallon said kindergarten and high school — particularly seniors — show notable rates of absence and that the district has identified primary reasons reported by students: illness (about three‑quarters of responses), doctor’s appointments, bad weather, family emergencies and family vacations.
Fallon described a multi‑tiered roadmap of supports and interventions the district is deploying: increased family engagement and automated and school‑level messaging; daily and weekly recognition for attendance rather than only end‑of‑term awards; school‑level routines to strengthen student‑adult relationships; targeted case management for students with prior attendance or behavior issues; and use of an early‑warning tool in the student information system to identify and intervene when absence patterns begin. The presentation noted that the district will target the four schools with the highest absentee rates for intensified outreach and that school social workers have been present at open houses and other events to build connection and outreach.
Fallon said the district generally does not provisionally enroll students without key disciplinary records and emphasized that staff will attempt to obtain previous‑school records before placing a student. She described a case‑management team used to assess placement and supports for incoming students who have disciplinary histories or safety concerns.
The presentation also referenced new state law (Senate Bill 123, effective July 1) requiring attendance support teams and county protocol meetings with superior court judges; Fallon said Rockdale has maintained attendance protocols and already holds county‑level coordination with judges and partners and that a judge will convene a meeting later in September to review protocols.
Board members asked about parent communication. Fallon said the district uses automated absence notifications, school and district messaging, letters inviting parents after five unexcused absences and contractual parent conferences for families whose children missed 15 or more days in the prior year. She said the district’s technology team is working to improve same‑day attendance notifications to parents and that schools will employ daily and weekly recognition to incentivize attendance.
The district framed the attendance work as a community effort requiring schools, families, juvenile court and child‑welfare partners to help reduce barriers to daily attendance.
Fallon closed by noting planned support activities during Attendance Month: school social‑worker outreach, lunch‑hour tables and targeted campaigns at the most affected schools to gather student feedback and design local interventions.
