Title 20 — Education

As used in this article, the term: (1) “Administrator” means any person who administers a group self-insurance fund other than the interlocal risk management agency. (2) “Board of education” or “board” means a public board of education of any county or of any independent school s…

(a) A group of boards of education may execute an intergovernmental contract among themselves to form and become members of an interlocal risk management agency. After an interlocal risk management agency has been formed, any board of education may, subject to the bylaws and requ…

Each intergovernmental contract establishing an intergovernmental risk management agency shall provide for a board of trustees which shall govern the agency. Such board shall be authorized to administer the agency in accordance with the provisions of the intergovernmental contrac…

An interlocal risk management agency created pursuant to this article is not an insurance company or an insurer under Title 33, and the development and administration by such agency of one or more group self-insurance funds shall not constitute doing business as an insurer. Histo…

(a) No interlocal risk management agency shall establish a group self-insurance fund or funds until such agency has been issued a certificate of authority by the Commissioner as provided in this Code section and under such rules and regulations as the Commissioner may promulgate t…

(a) The Commissioner shall examine the application made under Code Section 20-2-2005 to determine whether the agency and any established fund will be able to comply with this article and applicable rules and regulations. If the Commissioner finds that the agency and any establishe…

Each fund formed pursuant to this article shall possess and thereafter maintain minimum surplus in an amount such as the Commissioner may reasonably establish or subsequently require for the protection of the members. The Commissioner may authorize a fund to maintain a deposit co…

The investable assets of a fund may be invested in securities or other investments permitted by the laws of this state for the investment of assets constituting the legal reserves of property and casualty insurance companies or in such other securities or investments as the Commi…

Each board of education shall be jointly and severally liable for all legal obligations of a fund which arise out of an event which occurred while such board was a member of such fund; provided, however, that a fund shall not assume a risk greater than an amount to be determined …

(a) If an agency contracts with an administrator, the agency and the administrator must enter into a written agreement which shall be subject to review and approval by the Commissioner in accordance with this Code section and which shall contain at least the following: (1) A cont…

(a) The Commissioner shall require each administrator to have and maintain a fidelity bond in an amount which the Commissioner deems appropriate but which is not less than $100,000.00. (b) Errors and omissions coverage or other appropriate liability insurance in an amount which is…

Interlocal risk management agencies and funds established by such agencies shall be exempt from state and local taxes and fees. 888 20-2-2013 ELEMENTARY & SECONDARY EDUC. 20-2-2016 History. Code 1981, § 20-2-2013, enacted by Ga. L. 1986, p. 1172, § 1. 20-2-2014. Examination of fu…

The Commissioner shall have the authority to require and conduct periodic examinations to verify the solvency of funds in the same manner and under the same conditions as insurers are examined under Chapter 2 of Title 33. History. Code 1981, § 20-2-2014, enacted by Ga. L. 1986, p…

(a) If the assets of a fund are at any time insufficient to enable a fund to discharge its legal liabilities and other obligations and to maintain the reserves and surplus required of it under this article, the agency shall forthwith make up the deficiency or levy an assessment up…

The Commissioner shall have authority to promulgate rules and regulations to effectuate the provisions of this article. 889 History. Code 1981, § 20-2-2016, enacted by Ga. L. 1986, p. 1172, § 1.

Any party which is aggrieved by any act, determination, order, or any other action of the Commissioner taken pursuant to this article may request a hearing before the Commissioner or otherwise proceed in accordance with Chapter 13 of Title 50, the “Georgia Administrative Procedur…

(a) An interlocal risk management agency shall maintain at all times an excess loss funding program acceptable to the Commissioner. An excess loss funding program may consist of excess insurance, selffunding from unobligated surplus of a fund, any combination of such excess insur…

Each fund established under this article shall have an annual audit of its books and accounts performed by a certified public accountant. Such audit shall be conducted in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A copy of such audit shall be made available to fund…

All teachers and other professional personnel who hold life certificates shall be entitled to carry forward that lifetime status if they become qualified by reason of additional training for a next higher level of certification in the same field. However, holders of life certificates …

The exercise by a board of education or school system of the authority provided in this article shall not constitute the provision of liability insurance protection under Article I, Section II, Paragraph IX of the Constitution of the State of Georgia. The participation by a board…

All renewable certificates granted by the Professional Standards Commission shall have a validity period of five years. History. Code 1981, § 20-2-203, enacted by Ga. L. 1985, p. 1657, § 1; Ga. L. 1987, p. 1169, § 1; Ga. L. 1991, p. 1546, § 4. 349 20-2-204 20-2-204. Paraprofessiona…

(a) The General Assembly finds that excellent public school teachers deserve recognition for the extraordinary learning opportunity they provide to Georgia students. (b) The Professional Standards Commission is authorized and directed to establish the “Georgia Master Teacher Progr…

This article shall be known and may be cited as the “Charter Schools Act of 1998.” History. Code 1981, § 20-2-2060, enacted by Ga. L. 1998, p. 1080, § 3.

It is the intent of the General Assembly to increase student achievement through academic and organizational innovation by encouraging local school systems to utilize the flexibility of a performance based contract called a charter. History. Code 1981, § 20-2-2061, enacted by Ga. …

As used in this article, the term: (1) “Charter” means a performance based contract between a local board and a charter petitioner, the terms of which are approved by the local board and by the state board in the case of a local charter school; between the state board and a chart…

(a) The State Board of Education shall promulgate rules, regulations, policies, and procedures to govern the contents of a charter petition. (b) The State Board of Education shall establish rules, regulations, policies, and procedures to provide for the receipt of charter petitio…

(a) The state board shall establish a Charter Advisory Committee to review charter petitions for compliance with established standards of the state board, to make recommendations to the state board on charter policy, and to provide recommendations to the state board regarding 897…

(a) The state board shall be authorized to enter into a charter with a local board to establish a local school system as a charter system. (b) A local board seeking to create a charter system must submit a petition to the state board. Prior to submitting such petition, the local …

(a) A charter petitioner seeking to create a conversion charter school must submit a petition to the local board of the local school system in which the proposed charter school will be located. The local board must by a majority vote approve or deny a petition no later than 90 da…

(a) A local charter school shall enroll students in the following manner: (1)(A) A start-up charter school shall enroll any student who resides in the attendance zone specified in the charter and who submits a timely application as specified in the charter unless the number of appl…

(a) The state board may terminate a charter under the following circumstances: (1)(A) If a majority of the parents or guardians of students enrolled at the charter school vote by a majority vote to request the termination of its charter at a public meeting called with two weeks’ …

(a) A local charter school shall be included in the allotment of QBE formula earnings, applicable QBE grants, applicable non-QBE state grants, and applicable federal grants to the local school system in which the local charter school is located under Article 6 of this chapter. Th…

There is established within the Department of Education an Office of Charter School Compliance, the responsibilities of which shall be to: (1) Prepare charter school and charter system guidelines to be approved by the state board; (2) Distribute charter school and charter system …

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…