I received an email from Deborah White, Executive Director of Georgia Association of Curriculum and Instructional Supervisors (GACIS), that outlined most of the educational bills working their way through the Georgia General Assembly.  I have listed them below:

HB 1 renames the special needs scholarship  to Senator Eric Johnson Scholarship Act.  Senator Johnson first got the scholarship passed.  Passed full Education Committee.

HB 12 requires all public schools to post the toll free number to report child abuse. 24 hours per day, seven days a week. Passed full Education Committee

HB 59 by Rep. Dave Belton would allow a student whose parent or guardian is on active duty and has received military orders to transfer into or within Georgia to be eligible to enroll in the local school district before actually establishing residency. Passed the House in the Senate

HB 68 prohibits accreditation association from being eligible to be a student scholarship organization. Passed by the House goes to the Senate

HB 69 waives the prior school year requirement in a public school for students who previously qualified for the Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Program or for student's whose parent is in the military and stationed in Georgia within the previous year.  Passed Education Committee and moved to Rules.

HB 86 allows tenured teachers to file a complaint and appeals on an unsatisfactory performance evaluation.  Passed Academic Achievement Subcommittee

HB 109 makes significant changes in the current Teacher Retirement System for individuals who become TRS members on or after July 1, 2019.  The Bill has undergone several changes. In the current version the mandatory contributions rate would be 6-8.5% and the "Rule of 85" which means the educator's age and years of experience must equal 85 to receive full benefits.  Passed the Retirement Committee 3-2

HB 130- authorizes the Georgia Foundation for Public Education to establish a nonprofit corporation  501c(3) to qualify as a public foundation and receive donations.  Passed House in Senate

HB 301 would establish the Education Savings Account (ESA) to create a private school voucher program. Heard in Ways and Means Committee. 

HB 444 makes changes to the Dual Enrollment Program.  It would cap the number of course credit hours to 30.  Passed Academic Achievement Subcommittee

SB 15  "Keeping Georgia's Schools Safe Act" would address recommendations of the Senate School Safety Study Committee.  Passed the Senate   

SB 48 requiring dyslexia screening for all kindergarten student was heard by the full Senate Education and Youth Committee on Wednesday.  Several students who struggle with dyslexia and parents of students with dyslexia spoke in support of the Bill.  The screening  would include testing expressive and receptive language and providing the results to parents or guardians.  GaDOE shall make available a dyslexia information handbook with guidance, technical assistance and training for implementation of evidence-based practices for teaching identified students.  The information handbook shall include information to address students in kindergarten through third grade who have been identified through RTI as displaying characteristics of dyslexia.  Passed the Senate (last week)

SB 60 to provide guidelines and materials to inform students participating in interscholastic athletic activities their parents or guardians,  and coaches about the nature and warning signs of sudden cardiac arrest and  to establish return to play policies. Passed Senate Education and Youth Committee

SB 64 would make terroristic threats a Class B designated felon under the Juvenile Code. Heard in Senate Judiciary Subcommittee

SB 83 public schools may offer an elective course in 9-12 on the history and literature of the Old Testament. Passed Senate Education and Youth Committee

SB 68 strengthen provisions related to financial management requirements for school districts identified as "high risk." Passed Senate

SB 108 beginning in 2021-2022 school year each school district shall provide at least one high in its system that offers a course in computer science and that all middle schools offer exploratory computer science.  By 2022-2023, at least 50% of high schools must offer a course in computer science.  To be heard at next committee meeting

SB 173  Senate education private school voucher bill.  Passed Senate Finance Committee The House passed the FY20 Budget.  The Budget includes a $2775. salary increase for all certificated educators, including school counselors, media specialists, special education specialist, school social workers, and school psychologists.  These positions were originally to receive only 2%; this will keep all certificated educators on the same salary schedule.