Title 20 — Education

The board of education of any county shall have the right, if, in its opinion, the welfare of the schools of the county and the best interests of the pupils require, to consolidate two or more schools into one school, to be located by the county board at a place convenient to the…

The various counties, cities, municipalities, county boards of education, city boards of education, and governing bodies of independent school districts or systems of this state shall have authority to lease any schoolhouse or other school property that it has determined is no lo…

This article shall apply to all public school systems in this state, including those maintained and operated by counties and cities and independent local systems. History. Ga. L. 1956, p. 10, § 2; Ga. L. 1983, p. 3, § 53. 611 T.20, C.2, A.13 EDUCATION 20-2-660 ARTICLE 13 SUSPENDI…

(a)(1) No local board of education member shall use or attempt to use his or her official position to secure unwarranted privileges, advan152 20-2-63 ELEMENTARY & SECONDARY EDUC. 20-2-63 tages, or employment for himself or herself, his or her immediate family member, or others. (…

(a) Each local board of education is authorized to establish and maintain one or more funds or trusts for the purposes specified in this Code section and to designate one or more fund managers or trustees thereof. Each local board of education shall be deemed to be a person for th…

(a) Each local school system in this state is encouraged to establish and support a school breakfast program to make breakfast available to all students in kindergarten through grade eight. All school systems are required to establish and support a school breakfast program in all…

This article shall be known and may be cited as the “Student Data Privacy, Accessibility, and Transparency Act.” 612 20-2-660 ELEMENTARY & SECONDARY EDUC. 20-2-662 History. Code 1981, § 20-2-660, enacted by Ga. L. 2015, p. 1031, § 1-1/SB 89. 20-2-661. Legislative intent and findin…

(a) The General Assembly acknowledges that student data is a vital resource for parents, teachers, and school staff, and it is the intent of the General Assembly to ensure that student data is safeguarded and that students’ and parents’ privacy is honored, respected, and protecte…

As used in this article, the term: (1) “Aggregate student data” means data that is not personally identifiable and that is collected or reported at the group, cohort, or institutional level. (2) “De-identified data” means a student data set that is not student personally identifiabl…

(a) The State School Superintendent shall designate a senior department employee to serve as the chief privacy officer of the department to assume primary responsibility for data privacy and security policy, including: (1) Establishing department-wide policies necessary to assure…

The department shall: (1) Create, publish, and make publicly available a data inventory and dictionary or index of data elements with definitions of student personally identifiable data fields in the state data system to include, but not be limited to: (A) Any student personally ide…

(a) An operator shall not knowingly engage in any of the following activities with respect to such operator’s site, service, or application 621 20-2-666 without explicit written consent from the student’s parent or guardian, or an eligible student: (1) Use student data to engage …

(a) The State Board of Education may adopt rules and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this article. (b) As of July 1, 2016, any existing collection of student data by the department shall not be considered provisional student data. History. Code 1981, § 20-2-6…

The Office of Planning and Budget shall collect from local school systems and local school systems shall supply information sufficient for the Office of Planning and Budget to verify the proper expenditure of 159 20-2-69 funds and employment of positions funded in the Quality Bas…

The minimum session of annual school attendance required under this subpart shall be for the full session or sessions of the school which the child is eligible to attend. Such attendance shall not be required where the child has successfully completed all requirements for a high …

Children who serve as pages of the General Assembly during the school year, either at regular or special sessions, shall be credited as present by the school in which enrolled in the same manner as an educational field trip, and such participation as a page shall not be counted as…

Pursuant to Code Section 28-9-5, in 2004, “no later than July 1, 2005” was substituted for “within one year of the effective date of the article” at the end of subsection (c). 354 49-5-281 PROGRAMS & PROTECTION FOR CHILDREN Pursuant to Code Section 28-9-5, in 2007, “effect” was s…

(a) A student who participates in an activity or program sponsored by 4-H shall be credited as present by the school in which enrolled in the same manner as an educational field trip, and such participation in an activity or program sponsored by 4-H shall not be counted as an abse…

(a) Children during the ages of mandatory attendance as required in subsection (a) of Code Section 20-2-690.1 who are excused from attendance in public school by county or independent school system boards in accordance with general policies and regulations promulgated by the Stat…

It shall be the duty of each county and independent school system board of education, each local school superintendent within the state, and the Department of Education to administer this subpart and to secure its enforcement in cooperation with the other state and county agencie…

In the discharge of the duties of their office, visiting teachers, acting visiting teachers, or attendance officers shall: (1) Cooperate fully with the Department of Human Services, the Department of Labor, and other state agencies; (2) Make monthly and annual reports to their re…

Any person assuming temporary custody of a child pursuant to Code Section 20-2-698 shall immediately deliver the child either to the parent, guardian, or other person having control or charge of the child or to the school from which the child is absent, or if the child is found t…

The members of the State Board of Education as a committee or any committee of the state board may hold committee meetings anywhere within or outside this state when necessary to obtain information for future guidance of the state board; provided, however, that no action of the s…

(a) The State Board of Education shall adopt a model code of ethics for members of local boards of education by October 1, 2010. Such model code of ethics shall also include appropriate consequences for violation of a provision or provisions of such code. The State Board of Educa…

PART 2 DISCIPLINE Subpart 1 Corporal Punishment 20-2-730. 20-2-731. 84 Policies and regulations on use of corporal punishment. When and how corporal punishment may be administered. T.20, C.2 ELEMENTARY & SECONDARY EDUC. Sec. Sec. 20-2-732. When principal or teacher not liable for…

All area, county, and independent boards of education shall be authorized to determine and adopt policies and regulations relating to the use of corporal punishment by school principals and teachers employed by such boards. Reporting of child abuse, § 19-7-5. History. Ga. L. 1964…

An area, county, or independent board of education may, upon the adoption of written policies, authorize any principal or teacher employed by the board to administer, in the exercise of his sound discretion, corporal punishment on any pupil or pupils placed under his supervision …

(a) No later than July 1, 2000, each local board of education shall adopt policies designed to improve the student learning environment by improving student behavior and discipline. These policies shall provide for the development of age-appropriate student codes of conduct conta…

On and after July 1, 2000, the Department of Education shall provide training programs in conflict management and resolution and in cultural diversity for voluntary implementation by local boards of education for school employees, parents and guardians, and students; provided, how…

Local boards of education shall be authorized to solicit and accept donations, contributions, and gifts of money from any source for the purposes of field trips for their students and for any other educational purposes. History. Code 1981, § 20-2-74, enacted by Ga. L. 2010, p. 894…

This subpart shall be known and may be cited as the “Public School Disciplinary Tribunal Act.” History. Ga. L. 1979, p. 663, § 1.

As used in this subpart, the term: (1) “Dangerous weapon” shall have the same meaning as set forth in Code Section 16-11-121. (2) “Expulsion” means expulsion of a student from a public school beyond the current school quarter or semester. (3) “Firearm” shall have the same meaning…

(a) As used in this Code section, the term “bullying” means an act that is: (1) Any willful attempt or threat to inflict injury on another person, when accompanied by an apparent present ability to do so; (2) Any intentional display of force such as would give the victim reason to…

(a) The school administration, disciplinary hearing officer, panel, tribunal of school officials, or the local board of education may, when any alleged criminal action by a student occurs, report the incident to the appropriate law enforcement agency or officer for investigation …

As used in this subpart, the term: (1) “Chronic disciplinary problem student” means a student who exhibits a pattern of behavioral characteristics which interfere with the learning process of students around him or her and which are likely to recur. (2) “Expulsion” means expulsio…

Notification of parent or guardian of chronic disciplinary problem student; observance of child by parent or guardian; attendance of conference with principal or teacher or both. 20-2-766. Students returning from expulsion or suspension; notice to parents; conference with principa…

As used in this subpart, the term: (1) “Expulsion” means expulsion of a student from a public school beyond the current school quarter or semester. (2) “Suspension” means the short-term suspension of a student from a public school for not more than ten days or long-term suspensio…

Expulsion or suspension of students for felonies; alternative educational system; policy. 20-2-776.1. 20-2-776.2. 20-2-776.3. 20-2-776.4. 20-2-777. 20-2-778. 20-2-779. PART 3 20-2-779.1. HEALTH 20-2-770. 20-2-771. 20-2-771.1. 20-2-771.2. 20-2-772. 20-2-773. 20-2-774. 20-2-775. T.…

(a) As used in this Code section, the term: (1) “Certificate of immunization” means certification by a physician licensed under the laws of this state or by an appropriate official of a local board of health, on a form provided by the Department of Public Health, that a named perso…

(a) Each local board of education shall establish policies and procedures regarding a school health nurse program. Such school health nurse programs shall be staffed by licensed health care professionals and may include consultation with offsite health care professionals through …

(a) As used in this Code section, the term: (1) “Medication” means a medicine prescribed by: (A) A physician licensed under Chapter 34 of Title 43; or (B) A physician assistant licensed under Chapter 34 of Title 43 who is authorized to prescribe medicine for the treatment of asth…

— Pursuant to Code Section 28-9-5, in 2005, the subsection (b) designation preceding paragraph (b)(3) was deleted.

(a) As used in this Code section, the term: (1) “Auto-injectable epinephrine” means a disposable drug deliv704 20-2-776.2 ELEMENTARY & SECONDARY EDUC. 20-2-776.2 ery device that is easily transportable and contains a premeasured single dose of epinephrine used to treat life-threa…

(a) As used in this Code section, the term “levalbuterol sulfate” means an orally inhaled medication that contains a premeasured single dose of levalbuterol sulfate or albuterol sulfate delivered by a nebulizer or compressor device or by a pressurized metered dose inhaler used to…

— For article on the 2011 amendment of this Code section, see 28 Ga. St. U.L. Rev. 147 (2011). 37-1-28. Conviction data.

(a) This Code section shall be known and may be cited as the “Parents’ Bill of Rights.” (b) The General Assembly finds that it is a fundamental right of parents to direct the upbringing and education of their minor children. The General Assembly further finds that important informa…

The State Board of Education may authorize any member of the state board to travel within or outside this state if necessary to obtain information for the guidance of the state board; provided, however, no member shall be authorized to make commitments for the state board on any …

For the purpose of anticipating collection of the taxes of any year, the Governor is authorized to draw his warrant at the end of each and every month during any year, in the favor of the State School Superintendent or of the several county school superintendents and treasurers o…

It shall be lawful to sell at a discount warrants drawn under Code Section 20-2-830 to any person, bank, or banking institution, the sale to be made at the lowest possible rate of discount. History. Ga. L. 1919, p. 288, § 104; Code 1933, § 32-930.

(a) As used in this Code section, the term: (1) “Student teaching” means the full-time component of a teacher education program in which a student preparing for the education profession is jointly assigned by a teacher education institution and a school system, state operated sch…