Georgia lawmakers are considering new legislation aimed at reducing chronic absenteeism in public schools.
Senate Bill 513, also known as the Every Day Counts Act, would establish a statewide definition for chronically unexcused students and require intervention measures to improve attendance.
Under the proposal, a student would be considered chronically unexcused if they accumulate more than five unexcused absences within the first 50 school days or reach 10 percent unexcused absences of the total school days completed.
The bill would require schools to implement a multi-tiered intervention system. Students with higher numbers of unexcused absences would receive formal attendance intervention plans designed to improve engagement and academic performance.
The legislation would also connect attendance more closely to participation in extracurricular and interscholastic activities, potentially limiting eligibility for students who fail to meet attendance requirements.
In addition, the Georgia Department of Driver Services would be authorized to restrict a student’s ability to obtain an instruction permit or driver’s license if the student does not comply with an attendance intervention plan.
Supporters of the measure say the goal is to address attendance issues early and help keep students on track academically. The bill continues to move through the legislative process.