ATLANTA (November 24, 2025) — The Senate Study Committee on Combating Chronic Absenteeism in Schools, chaired by Sen. John F. Kennedy (R–Macon), has voted unanimously to adopt its final report, offering key recommendations to address chronic absenteeism in Georgia’s schools.
Created by Senate Resolution 217 during the 2025 Legislative Session, the committee heard from school administrators, policymakers, parents and community organizers about evidence-based approaches for improving student attendance. Their testimony explored ways to enhance school climate and streamline communication between faculty and families.
“Our work over the last few months has the power to transform our schools, strengthen our communities and improve outcomes for children across Georgia,” Sen. Kennedy said. “Across every meeting, experts emphasized that overcoming the barriers our students face will take innovative, data-driven solutions. Thank you to all of the speakers who dedicated their knowledge and passion to this committee over the past four months. You all have laid the vital groundwork for us to build upon to meet the needs of Georgia families and their students in the upcoming legislative session.”
The recommendations focus on modernizing Georgia’s approach to student attendance by implementing clearer policies, more decisive early intervention, and enhanced support for families. They call for updated truancy notifications, consistent statewide definitions and a tiered attendance framework that prioritizes prevention. Schools would utilize real-time data and cross-agency collaboration to identify issues promptly and coordinate effective solutions. Broader reform suggestions include reducing barriers in therapist licensure, expanding vision and hearing screenings, launching a statewide “Everyday Counts” attendance campaign, and limiting cellphone use in high schools.
The full report is available on the Georgia General Assembly website here.
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Sen. John F. Kennedy represents the 18th Senate District, which includes Crawford, Monroe, Peach and Upson counties, as well as portions of Bibb and Houston counties. He may be reached by phone at (404) 656-6578 or by email at John.Kennedy@senate.ga.gov.
For all media inquiries, please reach out to SenatePressInquiries@senate.ga.gov.