25 Moments That Moved the Needle on Chronic Absenteeism in 2025

Chronic absenteeism is a serious challenge, but 2025 offered powerful reasons to believe it’s solvable. We saw students return to class, families get the support they needed, partners step up in new ways, and systems begin to shift. Each moment is a reminder that by showing up, again and again, we can rewrite the story.

1. 1. The passage of SB 123 marked a significant turning point, formally recognizing chronic absenteeism as a crisis and laying the groundwork for more coordinated, statewide action.
   2. When 13-year-old T.R. came to TIP with 28 unexcused absences, her future felt uncertain. Within months, she was co-captain of her school’s dance team, and her truancy case was closed.
   3. State data showed that chronic absenteeism in Georgia dropped to its lowest rate since COVID—evidence that, with focused effort and collaboration, progress is possible.
   4. Our Executive Director presented to the Senate Study Committee on Chronic Absenteeism, lifting the voices of students and families and sharing what works from TIP’s decades of experience.
   5. Together with Board, staff, and partners, TIP finalized a bold, five-year strategic plan designed to deepen our impact and replicate proven solutions across Georgia.
   6. After surgery-related pain caused Aileen to miss 78 days of school, she returned to court with a vision board in hand —sharing her goals, closing her truancy case, and stepping back into school with confidence.
   7. In September, Atlanta News First chose TIP as its 3 Degree Guarantee beneficiary, spotlighting our work on air and, together with Coolray, making a generous matched gift.
   8. Our new partnership with Hollis Innovation Academy marked an important step in expanding TIP’s early intervention work into middle school, a critical window for preventing future dropout.
   9. TIP joined APS and Fulton County school social workers to kick off the school year, aligning around strategies to identify struggling students early and connect families to support before cases reach court.
   10. When C.B. was charged with truancy after missing 58 days of school, few saw the bullying, housing instability, and anxiety underneath—until TIP stepped in to listen, advocate, and help him chart a new path.
   11. Georgia Appleseed led a powerful training for TIP staff on school discipline tribunals and special education, equipping our team to better advocate for students.
   12. TIP was invited to present at the “Engaging Youth to Turn Passion into Policy” conference, highlighting how attendance advocacy can interrupt court involvement and support healthier outcomes for young people.
   13. We were honored to be named a Georgia Bar Foundation grantee, joining a cohort of organizations advancing access to justice for thousands of Georgians.
   14. New partnerships with Alloy Fundraising, Journey Forward Strategies, and Pearl Agency began, fueling awareness and advocacy during a new chapter for TIP.
   15. We handed out 795 “Lollipops for Learning” to celebrate strong attendance and build positive habits.
   16. We were thrilled to welcome Liz Liston McCarty, Alex Murphy, and Michael D. Johnson to TIP’s Board, bringing deep legal, philanthropic, and community leadership experience to our mission.
   17. We celebrated volunteer attorneys like Erin Payne and Colin Kelly (each with 20+ years of service), Andrew Hatchett (with 10+ years of service), and Andrea Bowman who first joined TIP in 2005 and returned after retirement.
   18. TIP connected with law students at Georgia State’s Public Interest Conference, inviting them to put their skills to work for Atlanta’s youth as future volunteer attorneys.
   19. As the school year began, local businesses, nonprofits, and familiar faces across metro Atlanta stepped up with backpack drives, school supplies, free haircuts, and more.
   20. Through the 2025 Holiday Gift Drive, TIP supporters ensured 73 families (341 individuals) received gifts and essentials at a time when budgets were stretched.
   21. Throughout the year, TIP provided uniforms, clothing, school supplies, alarm clocks, and credit recovery fees—small supports that made a big difference in helping students get to school ready to learn.
   22. From Georgia Milestones testing to the first two weeks of school, we offered gift card raffles for students and parents with perfect attendance.
   23. TIP received 50 new referrals for students facing serious challenges, offering unwavering advocacy and support to ensure no child walked their attendance journey alone.
   24. We are consistently inspired by our dedicated staff, whose daily work ensures students feel seen, supported, and not alone in the challenges they face.
   25. As we approach our 35th year in 2026, we’re energized by the momentum building across Georgia and hopeful for a future where every student has the chance to attend, engage, and thrive.