Title 20 — Education

The Georgia Department of Education and the Professional Standards Commission shall cooperatively develop an online course on educator ethics. Such course shall include information on the code of ethics for educators established by the Professional Standards Commission pursuant t…

The state board shall report to the General Assembly no later than December 31 of each year on the status of the charter school program. History. Code 1981, § 20-2-2070, enacted by Ga. L. 1998, p. 1080, § 3; Ga. L. 2005, p. 798, § 17/SB 35. 20-2-2071. Validity of charters in effe…

Any charter which was granted pursuant to Code Section 20-2-255 and is in effect on July 1, 1998, shall continue to be valid until such charter expires according to its terms. History. Code 1981, § 20-2-2071, enacted by Ga. L. 1998, p. 1080, § 3. Editor’s notes. Code Section 20-2…

The members of the governing board of the nonprofit organization of each charter school shall participate in initial training for boards of newly approved charter schools and annual training thereafter, conducted or approved by the state board. The state board shall provide for or…

20-2-2075. Grant program for replicating high-performing charter schools. 20-2-2076. [Repealed] Annual report on state chartered special schools that offer virtual instruction; requirements; publication on website. 20-2-2077. [Repealed effective June 30, 2027] Enforcement of face…

(a) The State Board of Education is authorized to establish a grant 932 20-2-2075 ELEMENTARY & SECONDARY EDUC. 20-2-2077 program for the purpose of replicating high-performing charter schools, including local charter schools, state chartered special schools, and state charter sch…

(a) No later than December 30, 2019, the Professional Standards Commission shall create a dyslexia endorsement for teachers trained in appropriately recognizing and responding to students with character354 20-2-208 ELEMENTARY & SECONDARY EDUC. 20-2-208.1 istics of dyslexia and la…

(a) The General Assembly finds that: (1) State charter schools can serve as a complement to the educational opportunities provided by local boards of education in the state’s system of public education; and (2) State charter schools do not supplant public schools operated by local…

As used in this article, the term: (1) “Attendance zone” means all or a portion of a local school system, one or more local school systems or portions thereof, or all local school systems in this state. A state charter school with an attendance zone that includes all local school…

(a) The State Charter Schools Commission is established as a state-level authorizing entity working in collaboration with the Department of Education under the authority of the State Board of Education. Start-up funds necessary to establish and operate the commission may be recei…

(a) The commission shall have the power to: (1) Approve or deny petitions for state charter schools and renew, nonrenew, or terminate state charter school petitions in accordance with rules and regulations established pursuant to this article. At its discretion, the commission ma…

A state charter school shall be authorized, upon the approval of the commission, to enter into a contract with the Department of Juvenile 945 20-2-2084.1 EDUCATION 20-2-2086 Justice or the Department of Corrections to operate a school and deliver education services to school age …

A petition may be submitted pursuant to this Code section by an existing charter school approved by a local board of education or the State Board of Education provided that the obligations of its charter with the local board of education or State Board of Education will expire pr…

The commission shall provide maximum access to information regarding state charter schools to all parents in this state. It shall maintain information systems, including, but not limited to, a userfriendly Internet website, that will provide information and data necessary for par…

Each year, the chairperson of the commission shall appear before the State Board of Education and submit a report regarding the academic performance and fiscal responsibility of all state charter schools approved under this article. History. Code 1981, § 20-2-2087, enacted by Ga. …

If a charter for a state charter school is not renewed or is terminated, the state charter school shall be responsible for all debts of such school. Neither the state, the State Board of Education, or the commission shall be liable for any debts of the school in the event the cha…

(a)(1) The earnings for a student in a state charter school shall be equal to the earnings for any other student with similar student characteristics in a state charter school, regardless of the local school system in which the student resides or the school system in which the st…

(a) No later than December 30, 2023, the Professional Standards Commission shall create a financial literacy endorsement for teachers trained in the content standards for financial literacy adopted by the State Board of Education pursuant to Code Section 20-2-149.4. (b) The Profess…

The commission and the State Board of Education, as appropriate, 951 20-2-2092 shall adopt rules and regulations necessary to facilitate the implementation of this article. Except as otherwise provided in this article, any rules and regulations adopted by the State Board of Educa…

20-2-2095.1. Definitions. 20-2-2095.2. Grant program for qualified charter school contributions. 20-2-2095.3. Date certain for matching funds. 20-2-2095.4. Adoption of guidelines and standards for construction of charter schools; reporting. 20-2-2095.5. Promulgation of rules and re…

As used in this article, the term: (1) “Capital outlay” includes, but is not necessarily limited to, expenditures which result in the acquisition of fixed assets, existing buildings, improvements to sites, construction of buildings, construction of additions to buildings, retrofitt…

Subject to appropriations by the General Assembly, the state board shall establish a grant program for qualified charter school contributions. The grant program shall provide one dollar in matching funds up to a maximum amount authorized by the state board for a single charter sch…

If appropriations are made by the General Assembly specifically for this program, the state board shall establish a date certain on which all matching funds shall be committed by a qualified charter school organization in order to be eligible for the state portion provided pursuant…

The state board shall be authorized to promulgate any rules and regulations necessary to implement and administer the provisions of this article. History. Code 1981, § 20-2-2095.5, enacted by Ga. L. 2008, p. 619, § 1/HB 831. 956 T.20, C.2, A.32 ELEMENTARY & SECONDARY EDUC. 20-2-2…

The Department of Education, the Attorney General, and all other agencies of state government, upon request by the committee, shall assist the committee in the discharge of its duties set forth in this article. The committee may employ staff and may secure the services of consult…

(a) All teachers, principals, other certificated professional personnel, and other personnel of a local unit of administration shall be employed and assigned by its governing board on the recommendation of its executive officer. Minimum qualifications for employment of all personne…

This article shall be known and may be cited as the “Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Act.” History. Code 1981, § 20-2-2110, enacted by Ga. L. 2007, p. 197, § 1/SB 10.

The General Assembly finds that: (1) Students with disabilities have special needs that merit educational alternatives which will allow students to learn in an appropriate setting and manner; (2) Parents are best equipped to make decisions for their children, including the educati…

As used in this article, the term: (1) “Board” means the State Board of Education. (2) “Department” means the Department of Education. (3) “Parent” means a biological parent, legal guardian, custodian, or other person with legal authority to act on behalf of a child. 960 20-2-211…

(a) The maximum scholarship granted a scholarship student pursu967 20-2-2116 ant to this article shall be an amount equivalent to the costs of the educational program that would have been provided for the student in the resident school system as calculated under Code Section 20-2…

Legislative findings; purpose. Definitions. Annual notification of options available to parents of special needs students. Qualifications for scholarship; financial responsibility; state-wide assessments; exception; compliance. Eligibility requirements for schools participating in sch…

(a) The State Board of Education shall establish a schedule of minimum salaries for services rendered which shall be on a ten-month basis and which shall be paid by local units of administration to the various classifications of professional personnel required to be certificated by…

(a)(1) On and after July 1, 2010, and until such date as may be determined by the State Board of Education that mathematics, science, or both are no longer areas in which there is an insufficient supply of teachers, a secondary school teacher in a local school system who is or be…

(a) If any local board of education furloughs teachers, paraprofessionals, cafeteria workers, bus drivers, custodians, support staff, or other nonadministrative positions during any school year, such local board of education shall not use any state funds to provide a salary 375 2…

(a) The State Board of Education is authorized and directed to devise and implement a pay-for-performance program for rewarding group productivity. By December 31, 1992, and each December 31 thereafter, the State Board of Education shall develop performance criteria which shall b…

As used in this article, the term: (1) “Department” means the Department of Education. (2) “Parent” means a biological parent, legal guardian, custodian, or other person with legal authority to act on behalf of a child. History. Code 1981, § 20-2-2130, enacted by Ga. L. 2009, p. …

The State Board of Education shall establish a salary schedule for school principals that includes a supplement amount for each principal. The amount of the supplement shall be based on the amount appropriated by the General Assembly for this purpose each year divided by the tota…

(a) The General Assembly finds that the driving force behind attracting quality teachers to a school and creating a culture of learning and respect in the school environment is the school leadership, and particularly, the school principal. The General Assembly further finds that te…

As a condition for receiving funds under this article, it shall be the duty of each local unit of administration to employ and to utilize the services of substitutes for teachers who are absent. It shall be the duty of the local unit of administration to employ substitutes, inclu…

The State Board of Education is authorized and directed to devise a program to provide professional and staff development stipends sufficient to allow eligible licensed personnel, paraprofessionals, and aides to participate in development programs which will enable such employ381…

Salary schedules. Increase in state salary of person selected as Georgia Teacher of the Year; advisory role. Salary increase for persons receiving certification from National Board for Professional Teaching Standards; state payment of program participation fee; repayment; reimburs…

In the event that a local school system furloughs teachers and other school personnel during any school year, such furlough day shall be on a Monday or Friday or in conjunction with a holiday, unless the local board of education provides otherwise. History. Code 1981, § 20-2-221,…

(a) All public school officials and professional personnel certificated by the Professional Standards Commission shall be provided the opportunity to continue their development throughout their professional careers. The primary purpose of the staff development sponsored or offered…

[Repealed] Georgia Education Leadership Academy. [Repealed] Development of plan by local school system. PART 8 STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION 20-2-240. 20-2-241. 20-2-242. 20-2-243. 20-2-244. 20-2-244.1. Powers and duties.

The State Board of Education shall adopt and prescribe all rules, regulations, and policies required by this article and such other rules, regulations, and policies as may be reasonably necessary or advisable for proper implementation, enforcement, and carrying out of this articl…

(a) The State School Superintendent shall be the executive officer of the State Board of Education and the administrative chief executive officer of the Department of Education. The State School Superintendent is authorized to organize and reorganize the Department of Education a…

(a) As used in this Code section, the term: (1) “Student” means a student who is or was enrolled in a public school in this state. (2) “Substantial hardship” means a significant, unique, and demonstrable economic, technological, legal, or other type of hardship to the student requ…

(a) The State Board of Education shall provide grants to qualified local units of administration for the purpose of improving the effectiveness of an educational program or service within a school, a cluster of schools, system wide, or regionally, subject to appropriation by the G…

(a) As used in this Code section, the term: (1) “After-school program” means any academic program conducted after regular school hours to serve only: (A) Students who have previously dropped out of school; (B) Students who are in a regular day time school who have previously fail…

(a) It is declared to be the policy of the State of Georgia to assure that every public school student shall be housed in a facility which is structurally sound and well maintained and which has adequate space and equipment to meet each student’s instructional needs as those need…