Macon schools are still battling chronic absenteeism. Here’s the new plan

After many targeted initiatives and community outreach efforts, the Bibb County School District is still struggling with chronic absenteeism.

As the issue continues to resurface, the district recently launched new family engagement events aimed at improving student attendance, which data shows are largely driven by high school students.

These new efforts come as the district faces ongoing discussions about potential school closures and rezoning.

With thousands of students marked chronically absent, Superintendent Dan Sims highlighted a consistent pattern during a virtual panel on March 6: spiked absences on Mondays and Fridays compared with other weekdays, suggesting many missed days are tied to extended weekends.

So far in the 2025-2026 school year, Mondays and Fridays each saw more than 15,500 absences, several thousand more than other weekdays, which averaged about 14,300.

“Every single day instruction is happening, which means that every single day a student misses class, a student is missing teaching and learning,” Sims said. “And as your superintendent, I am greatly concerned about that, especially for the ones who cannot give or have legitimate reasons to miss school.”

As of March 4, Sims said 24.7% of students had been chronically absent, down from 28.5% in 2025. The current figure reflects only this point in the 2025-26 school year.

The 24.7% represents 5,130 students who have missed at least 10% of the school year, the threshold that defines chronic absenteeism. While the district has narrowed the gap between its chronic absenteeism rate and the statewide rate, Sims said more work remains.

“We do not want to cultivate this experience for students to always play catch-up…,” Sims said.

In August 2025, the district named a new truancy intervention specialist, emphasizing early intervention. State-mandated attendance review teams also were implemented in 2025, according to district leaders.

From July 1, 2024, to March 6, 2026, 47 truancy cases from the Bibb County School District were referred to the Bibb County Solicitor-General’s Office for parent prosecution, according to Solicitor-General Rebecca Grist in a March 9 email. That is 12 fewer cases than referrals between January 2021 and July 2024.

Of the 47 referred cases, 24 resulted in charges being filed and 14 of those cases ended in convictions.

High school absences driving Macon’s attendance problem

Southwest High has the highest chronic absenteeism rate at 42.2%, followed by Northeast High at 41.8% and Westside High at 41.2%, according to district data.

Ballard-Hudson High follows at 33% and Union Elementary at 31.6%.

The Telegraph requested data from the district on which grade levels contributed the most to unexcused absences, but that information was not provided before publication.

High school students also had the highest share and number of students chronically absent for multiple years, with freshmen leading the group. Nearly 470 students — about 70% of chronically absent ninth graders — have been chronically absent for multiple years, according to district data.

During the virtual panel, Steve Jones, the district’s executive officer of school improvement, called for more parent involvement at the high school levels where absenteeism is high.

“We can’t stop the village in elementary school. We can’t stop the village in middle school. Our babies in high school still need the village,” he said.

The virtual meeting ended with a shared callout form for community members to submit suggestions and ask questions related to absenteeism.

New family engagement events

The Bibb County School District will host a series of “Meet Me Where You Are” family engagement events aimed at improving student attendance and supporting the district’s literacy initiative.

District leaders will meet families at community locations where parents and community members can sign up for summer camps and activities, receive Georgia Milestones testing tips and resources, and participate in children’s learning activities.

Events will be held at several locations across Macon, including Harrell’s & Sons Barber Shop, Twin Cuts Barbershop, Pokey’s Emperial Barbershop, Carolyn Crayton Park during the Cherry Blossom Festival and the Macon Mall.

Over the years, the district has implemented targeted interventions to boost attendance, including “breakthrough teams” that conduct personal student check-ins and local partnerships that provided incentives to keep students engaged in school.

Sims said the district’s goal is to reduce chronic absenteeism to 14%.

Enrollment decline leaves schools under capacity

The persistent issue of absenteeism also comes as the district faces declining student enrollment. The district is working with consultants on a districtwide rezoning study.

Last year, the district opted to pursue rezoning instead of school closures after facing community pushback when consolidation was proposed.

The Bibb County Board of Education held a called meeting on March 4 to discuss student enrollment trends, school utilization and boundary planning, according to the district’s online agenda.

According to the consultants’ presentation, nine of the district’s 19 elementary schools have enrollment below the state-required 450 students needed to receive minimum program funding. Overall utilization across the district’s 19 zoned elementary schools is about 77%, leaving more than 2,600 empty seats.

The presentation also noted enrollment projections showing continued declines. Student enrollment is projected to drop from 20,766 in the 2025-26 school year to 19,846 over the next 10 years.