Title 20

(a) This subpart recognizes the existence of public schools, private schools, and home study programs as educational entities. (b) As used in this subpart, the term “private school” means an institution meeting the following criteria or requirements: (1) The primary purpose of th…

(a) Mandatory attendance in a public school, private school, or home school program shall be required for children between their sixth and sixteenth birthdays. Such mandatory attendance shall not be required where the child has successfully completed all requirements for a high s…

(a) The chief judge of the superior court of each county shall establish a student attendance and school climate committee for such county. The purpose of the committee shall be to ensure coordination and cooperation among officials, agencies, and programs involved in compulsory …

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…

(a) A student whose parent or legal guardian is in military service in the armed forces of the United States or the National Guard, and such parent or legal guardian has been called to duty for or is on leave from overseas deployment to a combat zone or combat support posting, sh…

(a) As used in this Code section, the term “foster care student” means a student who is in a foster home or otherwise in the foster care system under the Division of Family and Children Services of the Department of Human Services. (b) A foster care student who attends court proc…

(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…

(a) A local board of education may employ an attendance officer or attendance officers in addition to a visiting teacher or visiting teachers. Such an attendance officer must be paid wholly from local funds of the local board unless state funds are specifically appropriated for pu…

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…

(a) Visiting teachers and attendance officers shall receive the cooperation and assistance of all teachers and principals of public schools in the local school systems within which they are appointed to serve. It shall be the duty of the principals or local school site administra…

Any peace officer may assume temporary custody, during school hours, of any child subject to compulsory school attendance who is found away from home and who is absent from a public or private school or a home study program without a valid written excuse from school officials or …

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…

Any person taking action pursuant to Code Section 20-2-699 shall report the matter and the disposition made by him of the child to the school authorities of the county, independent or area school system, and to the child’s parent or guardian. History. Ga. L. 1976, p. 768, § 1.

Local school superintendents as applied to private schools, the Department of Education as applied to home study programs, or visiting teachers and attendance officers as applied to public schools, after written notice to the parent or guardian of a child, shall report to the juv…

(a) As used in this Code section, the term: (1) “Clubs and organizations” means clubs and organizations comprised of students who wish to organize and meet for common goals, objectives, or purposes and which is directly under the sponsorship, direction, and control of the school.…

No local school system, whether county, independent, or area, shall have a policy of denying, or which effectively prevents, the parents of students who are in attendance at or who have been enrolled in any facility within such system the right to inspect and review the education…

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 …

No principal or teacher who shall administer corporal punishment to a pupil or pupils under his care and supervision in conformity with the policies and regulations of the area, county, or independent board of education employing him and in accordance also with this subpart shall…

(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…

(a) At the beginning of each school year, local boards of education shall provide for the distribution of student codes of conduct developed pursuant to Code Section 20-2-735 to each student upon enrollment. Local boards of education shall provide for the distribution of such stu…

(a) Local board policies adopted pursuant to Code Section 20-2-735 shall require the filing of a report by a teacher who has knowledge that a student has exhibited behavior that repeatedly or substantially interferes with the teacher’s ability to communicate effectively with the s…

(a) A teacher shall have the authority, consistent with local board policy, to manage his or her classroom, discipline students, and refer a student to the principal or the principal’s designee to maintain discipline in the classroom. The principal or the principal’s designee sha…

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…

(a) Each local board of education shall file an annual report, by August 1 of each year, with the Department of Education regarding disciplinary and placement actions taken during the prior school year. Such report shall classify the types of actions into the following categories:…

(a) As used in this Code section, the term: (1) “High needs school” means a public school which has received a school climate rating of “1-star” or “2-star” pursuant to Code Section 20-14-33. (2) “Positive behavioral interventions and supports” or “PBIS” means an evidence based d…

(a) As used in this Code section, the term: (1) “Multi-tiered system of supports” or “MTSS” means a systemic, continuous-improvement framework in which data based problem solving and decision making is practiced across all levels of the educational system for supporting students …

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) Each local board of education shall establish a policy, pursuant to this subpart, regarding a student’s possession of a firearm, dangerous weapon, or hazardous object at school. With respect to a student who is determined to have possessed a firearm or dangerous weapon at schoo…

(a) As used in this Code section, the term “disciplinary order” means any order of a local school system in this state, a private school in this state, or a public school outside of this state which imposes short-term suspension, long-term suspension, or expulsion upon a student …

(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) Each student code of conduct shall contain provisions that address the following conduct of students during school hours, at school related functions, and on the school bus in a manner that is appropriate to the age of the student: (1) Verbal assault, including threatened vio…

(a) As used in this Code section, the term “physical violence” means: (1) Intentionally making physical contact of an insulting or provoking nature with the person of another; or (2) Intentionally making physical contact which causes physical harm to another unless such physical …

(a) The Professional Standards Commission shall establish a state mandated process for students to follow in reporting instances of alleged inappropriate behavior by a teacher, administrator, or other school employee toward a student which shall not prohibit the ability of a stud…

Local boards of education may establish by policy, rule, or regulation disciplinary hearing officers, panels, or tribunals of school officials to impose suspension or expulsion. If such hearing officers, panels, or tribunals are established, such rules and regulations must includ…

(a) In addition to any proceedings which are authorized in Code Section 20-2-752, local boards of education shall appoint a disciplinary hearing officer, panel, or tribunal of school officials to hold a disciplinary hearing following any instance of an alleged violation of the st…

(a) The provisions of Code Section 20-2-1160 shall apply to disciplinary proceedings under this subpart. (b) A disciplinary officer, panel, or tribunal of school officials appointed as required by Code Section 20-2-753 shall, in addition to any other requirements imposed by rules…

The disciplinary officer, panel, or tribunal of school officials, when appointed as required in Code Section 20-2-753, shall determine what, if any, disciplinary action shall be taken. Such action may include, but is not limited to, expulsion, long-term suspension, or short-term …

(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 …

(a) All proceedings and hearings conducted under this subpart shall be confidential and shall not be subject to the open meetings requirement of Code Section 50-14-1 or other open meetings laws. (b) All electronic or other written records of all hearings conducted under this subpa…

Nothing in this subpart shall be construed to prohibit, restrict, or limit in any manner any cause of action otherwise provided by law and available to any teacher, school official, employee, or student. The provisions of subsections (b) through (f) of Code Section 20-2-1160 shal…

The State Board of Education shall promulgate rules and regulations to require minimum qualifications for hearing officers, disciplinary hearing officers, tribunals, and panels that are tasked with hearing matters in this subpart. The State Board of Education shall promulgate rule…