HR 711: House Study Committee on Student Attendance in PreK-12 Education; create

Georgia's chronic absenteeism rate, meaning students who miss 10 percent or more of school days, reached 21.7 percent in 2024, with some districts like Atlanta Public Schools and Decatur County Schools reporting rates above 35 percent. This resolution responds by creating the House Study Committee on Student Attendance in PreK-12 Education. The committee will have six members of the House of Representatives, appointed by the Speaker, who also names the chairperson. The committee is tasked with studying the causes of chronic absenteeism and recommending legislation or other action. Members receive standard legislative allowances under O.C.G.A. § 28-1-8, limited to three days unless more are authorized, funded through the House of Representatives budget. Any report with recommendations must be approved by majority vote and filed with the Clerk of the House before the committee is abolished on December 1, 2025.

• Creates the House Study Committee on Student Attendance in PreK-12 Education, made up of six House members appointed by the Speaker.
• Directs the committee to study the causes of chronic absenteeism and recommend legislative or policy actions.
• Authorizes standard legislative per diem and expense allowances for committee members, capped at three days unless extended.
• Funds the committee's work through money already appropriated to the House of Representatives.
• Requires any approved findings or recommendations to be filed as a report with the Clerk of the House before abolishment.
• Sets the committee's abolishment date as December 1, 2025.

Members of the Georgia House of Representatives appointed to the committee, the Department of Education, local school systems such as Atlanta Public Schools and Decatur County Schools, and more broadly students and families affected by chronic absenteeism across the state.

The committee's work could shape future legislation aimed at reducing chronic absenteeism, which the resolution ties to lower literacy rates and worse long-term academic and career outcomes for Georgia students, particularly in districts with high absenteeism rates.

• Paragraph (1) creates the House Study Committee on Student Attendance in PreK-12 Education.
• Paragraph (2) sets committee membership at six House members appointed by the Speaker, who also designates the chairperson.
• Paragraph (3) gives the committee authority to study attendance issues and recommend legislation.
• Paragraph (5) authorizes standard legislative allowances under O.C.G.A. § 28-1-8, limited to three days of pay unless extended, funded from the House's existing budget.
• Paragraph (6) requires a majority vote to approve any report and sets procedures for filing it with the Clerk of the House.
• Paragraph (7) abolishes the committee on December 1, 2025.

1. 2025-04-04House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (House)
2. 2025-04-04House Third Readers (House)
3. 2025-04-02House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
4. 2025-03-27House Second Readers (House)
5. 2025-03-25House First Readers (House)
6. 2025-03-21House Hopper (House)

• Chris Erwin (R, HD-32)Primary sponsor
• Will Wade (R, HD-9)
• Matt Dubnik (R, HD-29)
• Mike Cheokas (R, HD-151)
• Chas Cannon (R, HD-172)

1. PassedHouse voteApril 4, 2025

   166 yea, 0 nay (5 not voting, 9 excused)

   Uncontested House Resolutions: House Vote #444

• school attendance
• chronic absenteeism
• education policy
• study committee
• public schools