The Greene County School System began an attendance campaign this year to address chronic absenteeism that has plagued schools since the COVID-19 Pandemic.
So, far the initiative has shown promising results.
According to a press release issued by the GCSS on April 23, comparing Fall 2022 to Fall 2023, Greene County Schools saw the percentage of chronically absent students decrease, including a 6% reduction at Greene County Primary School, an 11% reduction at Carson Middle School, and a 4% reduction at Greene County High School.
According to school officials, “chronic absenteeism is defined as missing 10% or more of the school year (18 days per year or about two days each school month in Greene County) for any reason, including but not limited to both excused and unexcused absences and disciplinary suspension from school. Chronic absenteeism refers to a particular student’s attendance for an entire school year and is different from Average Daily Attendance.”
Schools figure Average Daily Attendance by dividing the number of students at school on a given day by the number of students enrolled.
According to the press release, the GCSS Average Daily Attendance for March 2024 was 94.3% at Greene County Primary School, 93.6% at Carson Middle School, and 87.6% at Greene County High School.
School officials say chronic absenteeism has been a problem for many years in the United States and was exacerbated by the COVID-19 Pandemic.
The GCSS says an analysis of 12 states from all regions of the country showed an average chronic absenteeism rate of 26% in the 2022-23 school year, up from an average of 14% during the 2018-19 school year.
“The GCSS Five-Year Strategic Plan aims to reduce the number of chronically absent students and decrease the number of days students miss as a result of disciplinary suspension.”
Assistant Superintendent Dr. Rotonya Rhodes has formed a district attendance committee made up of counselors teachers, and community partners such as local family nonprofits, faith leaders, and the business community to achieve that goal.
“The Attendance Committee’s work focuses on identifying and addressing barriers to school attendance; educating parents, students, and the community about the importance of school attendance; and refining the processes for support and intervention when a student is at risk of becoming chronically absent,” Rhodes said.
According to the GCSS press release, 73% of GCHS students reported that they attend because they think education is important, which seems to dispel the belief that students are apathetic toward school.
“Everyone has a role to play in getting our children to school,” Rhodes said. “We are grateful for our community partners’ involvement in our efforts to improve attendance and look forward to further collaboration as this initiative continues.”
In February, Greene County schools held competitions among the grade levels in each building, with prizes for best attendance, and in March, schools competed against each other in a district-wide attendance competition for greatest improvement with Carson Middle School taking home the prize.
While overall results for 2024 are not official until the end of the school year, the first half of the school year saw improvement from each school.
Chronic absenteeism decreased from 21% in Fall 2022 to 15% in Fall 2023 at GCPS, from 20% in Fall 2022 to 9% in Fall 2023 at CMS, and from 31% in Fall 2022 to 27% in Fall 2023 at GCHS.
The Georgia Department also uses another metric to track attendance.
According to the GADOE, Greene County had 2,308 students during 2010-11 with 56.7% of students missing fewer than five days, 31.3% missing between six and 15 days, and 12% missing more than 15 days.
LOA had 198 students at the time with no students missing more than five days.
By comparison, Morgan County had 3,540 students in 2010-11 with 49.4 missing five or fewer days, 40.4% missing six to 15 days and 10.6% missing more than 15 days.
Putnam County had 3003 students that year with 41.9% missing five or fewer days, 45% missing six to 15 days and 12.4% missing more than 15 days.
Oconee County had 6,804 students with 62.3% missing five or fewer days, 32.5% missing six to 15 days and 5.2% missing more than 15 days.
Greene County had 2,420 students in 201516, with 56.9% missing five or fewer days, 33.7% between six and 15 absences and 9.5% missing more than 15.
LOA had 709 students by that time with 64.3 missing fewer than five days and 33 percent missing six to 15 days and 2.7. percent missing more than 15 days.
Morgan County had 3,291 students with 49.6% missing five or fewer days, 39.1% missing six to 15 days and 11.2% missing more than 15 days.
Putnam County had 2,925 students with 48.4% missing five or fewer days, 40.5% missing six to 15 days and 11% missing more than 15 days.