diff --git a/app/presenters/response_rate_presenter.rb b/app/presenters/response_rate_presenter.rb
index 95d351b1..07381e28 100644
--- a/app/presenters/response_rate_presenter.rb
+++ b/app/presenters/response_rate_presenter.rb
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ class ResponseRatePresenter
 
   def date
     SurveyItemResponse.where(survey_item: survey_items, school:,
-                             academic_year:).order(recorded_date: :DESC).first&.recorded_date || Date.today
+                             academic_year:).order(recorded_date: :DESC).first&.recorded_date
   end
 
   def percentage
@@ -28,7 +28,15 @@ class ResponseRatePresenter
     percentage > 75 ? "purple" : "gold"
   end
 
+  def date_message
+    return "" if date.nil?
+
+    "Response rate as of #{date.to_date.strftime('%m/%d/%y')}"
+  end
+
   def hover_message
+    return "" if date.nil?
+
     "Percentages based on #{actual_count} out of #{respondents_count.round} #{focus}s completing at least 25% of the survey."
   end
 
diff --git a/app/views/overview/_response_rate.html.erb b/app/views/overview/_response_rate.html.erb
index 46dd71ca..6f8679bf 100644
--- a/app/views/overview/_response_rate.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/overview/_response_rate.html.erb
@@ -1,14 +1,14 @@
-<div 
+<div
   class="overall-response-rate-container"
-  data-bs-toggle="popover" 
-  data-bs-trigger="hover focus" 
+  data-bs-toggle="popover"
+  data-bs-trigger="hover focus"
   data-bs-content="<%= response_rate_presenter.hover_message %>"
   data-bs-placement="top"
 >
-  <div>Response Rates as of <%= response_rate_presenter.date.to_date.strftime("%m/%d/%y") %> </div>
+  <div><%= response_rate_presenter.date_message  %> </div>
   <div style="display: flex; justify-content:space-between; width: 100px;">
   <div><%= response_rate_presenter.focus.capitalize %> </div>
   <%= render partial: "response_rate_graphic", locals: {response_rate_presenter: response_rate_presenter}, cached: true %>
   <div><%= response_rate_presenter.percentage %>% </div>
   </div>
-</div>
\ No newline at end of file
+</div>