Floyd County Schools has issued a district-wide message to families emphasizing Georgia’s attendance laws, a move that some parents may view as more threatening than supportive amid ongoing concerns about student wellness and family hardships. In the message sent through ParentSquare, the district reminded families that Georgia law requires children ages 6 to 16 to attend school and that students can now be labeled “chronically absent” for missing just 10 percent of the school year, roughly two days per month.
Notably, the district emphasized that this total includes both excused and unexcused absences, a detail that has raised eyebrows among parents who say illnesses, mental health days, and family emergencies are often unavoidable.
Under Georgia Senate Bill 123, Floyd County Schools says it will periodically run attendance reports and automatically notify families by email if their child crosses the 10 percent threshold. Critics argue this approach feels more like surveillance than support, particularly for working families who already struggle with transportation, healthcare access, or chronic medical issues. While the district’s message claims the law is intended to provide “early support and intervention,” some parents question what that support actually looks like.
The communication offers no new resources, services, or accommodations, only a reference to district policies posted online.
Education advocates note that research increasingly links excessive absences to broader social and economic challenges, not parental neglect. By lumping excused absences in with unexcused ones, they argue, the district risks penalizing families who are doing their best under difficult circumstances.
As districts across Georgia grapple with post-pandemic attendance trends, Floyd County Schools’ approach highlights a growing tension between compliance with state law and the need for flexibility and compassion in public education.
In an email to a concerned parent, Floyd County Schools Superintendent Glenn White defended the district’s enforcement of Georgia’s attendance law while responding to whether homeschooling might be a better option.
In the email response, White emphasized that students must be present to learn.
“We are not able to teach children who aren’t in school,” White wrote. He also cautioned against homeschooling, stating, “I would not advise you to enroll your child in a homeschool program. I have not seen homeschool programs be effective in teaching children.”
