Glynn County Schools shifts attendance monitoring under new state law; chronic absenteeism reported at 15.53%

District attendance staff told the board they are changing the district’s approach to tracking absences in response to Senate Bill 123, shifting the emphasis to chronic absenteeism — defined in the presentation as missing 10% or more of days enrolled regardless of excused status. The presenter said the state rate doubled between 2019 and 2023 and that Glynn County’s chronic absenteeism was 15.53% as of Jan. 26, down slightly from a 15.9% year‑end figure the prior year. The district’s goal is to reduce chronic absenteeism to 10% or less.

The staff outlined multiple steps: daily monitoring by school, district and school attendance review teams as required by SB 123, integration with the district’s MTSS/GaNTSS framework, training for attendance clerks/admins/SROs, improved data hygiene in Infinite Campus (including updates when students unenroll), early interventions through pre‑K programming, and a designated school social worker focused on attendance work. The presenter noted some compliance items under SB 123 are due by 06/01/2026 and said the district has already begun implementing changes.

Board members praised the approach and asked how they could help; staff asked board members to engage the community by asking parents with children seen in the daytime whether they had enrolled their children. The transcript shows discussion and questions but does not document a formal board vote tied to policy adoption during the session.