Georgia 2023-2024 Regular Session

Georgia House Bill HB111 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	23 LC 49 1086
2	2	H. B. 111
3	3	- 1 -
4	4	House Bill 111
5	5	By: Representatives Scott of the 76
6	6	th
7	7	, Beverly of the 143
8	8	rd
9	9	, Davis of the 87
10	10	th
11	11	, and Carter of
12	12	the 93
13	13	rd
14	14
15	15	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
16	16	AN ACT
17	17	To amend Part 4 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia
18	18	1
19	19	Annotated, relating to financing under the "Quality Basic Education Act," so as to provide2
20	20	for a pilot program to implement the student based funding recommendations of the 20153
21	21	Education Reform Commission; to mandate pre-kindergarten and kindergarten for all4
22	22	children prior to entering first grade; to include mandatory pre-kindergarten programs in the5
23	23	student based allocation of state funds; to provide for selection criteria; to provide for6
24	24	temporary waivers and variances of state rules and statutory provisions; to provide for annual7
25	25	reports; to provide for automatic repeal; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting8
26	26	laws; and for other purposes.9
27	27	BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:10
28	28	SECTION 1.11
29	29	Part 4 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,12
30	30	relating to financing under the "Quality Basic Education Act," is amended by adding a new13
31	31	Code section to read as follows:14 23 LC 49 1086
32	32	H. B. 111
33	33	- 2 -
34	34	"20-2-172.15
35	35	(a) The State Board of Education shall, in coordination with the Office of Planning and16
36	36	Budget, establish a pilot program to employ an alternative student funding formula in up17
37	37	to six local school systems for a period of four years. The purposes of the pilot program18
38	38	are to assess the feasibility of:19
39	39	(1) Implementing the recommendation of the 2015 Education Reform Commission to20
40	40	establish a simpler, more flexible, and transparent student based mechanism for allocating21
41	41	state education funds;22
42	42	(2) Mandating pre-kindergarten and kindergarten for all children prior to entering first23
43	43	grade; and24
44	44	(3) Including state funding for mandatory pre-kindergarten programs in the student based25
45	45	allocation of state funds provided for in this Code section.26
46	46	(b) The State Board of Education shall evaluate applications from local school systems to27
47	47	participate in the program based on the following factors:28
48	48	(1) In an effort to pilot the alternative student based funding formula in various types of29
49	49	local school systems represented in the state, the State Board of Education shall seek to30
50	50	include:31
51	51	(A) Local school systems of varying student enrollment sizes;32
52	52	(B) Local school systems in rural, suburban, and urban areas of the state; and33
53	53	(C) Local school systems in various geographic areas of the state;34
54	54	(2) Capability of a local school system to participate in the pilot program for its duration;35
55	55	(3) The level of innovation proposed by a local school system to utilize the flexibility36
56	56	that will be afforded pursuant to the pilot program; and37
57	57	(4) Other factors deemed appropriate by the State Board of Education.38
58	58	(c) The pilot program, as determined by the State Board of Education, shall provide for the39
59	59	implementation of a state funded, student based funding formula for grades40
60	60	pre-kindergarten through twelve consisting of a base student amount, weighted student41 23 LC 49 1086
61	61	H. B. 111
62	62	- 3 -
63	63	characteristics, and categorical grants, consistent with the recommendations of the 201542
64	64	Education Reform Commission. The funding formula shall be student based determined43
65	65	by enrollment; provided, however, that the State Board of Education may provide for a44
66	66	transition from full-time equivalent student counts, as necessary. The general education45
67	67	program in grades six through eight shall be the base program. The amount of funds46
68	68	needed by each student in the base program, in order that such program can be sufficiently47
69	69	funded to provide education to all enrolled students, shall be known as the 'base amount.'48
70	70	The General Assembly shall annually establish through the General Appropriations Act the49
71	71	base amount to be used each year. An additional amount shall be added to the base amount50
72	72	for each student based on identifiable characteristics. An individual student may have51
73	73	multiple identifiable characteristics and shall earn funding based on each identifiable52
74	74	characteristic. The following identifiable characteristic weights shall be multiplied by the53
75	75	base amount for each identifiable characteristic of the student:54
76	76	(1) Students enrolled in pre-kindergarten through grade three...55 0.2872 weight
77	77	(2) Students enrolled in grades four and five................56 0.0800 weight
78	78	(3) Students enrolled in grades nine through 12..............57 0.0822 weight
79	79	(4) Career, technical, and agricultural education students......58 0.0502 weight
80	80	(5) Students with disabilities – Category A..................59 0.4089 weight
81	81	(6) Students with disabilities – Category B..................60 0.7099 weight
82	82	(7) Students with disabilities – Category C..................61 1.7762 weight
83	83	(8) Students with disabilities – Category D..................62 2.4710 weight
84	84	(9) Students with disabilities – Category E..................63 4.8947 weight
85	85	(10) Students identified as intellectually gifted...............64 0.3231 weight
86	86	(11) Economically disadvantaged students..................65 0.0970 weight
87	87	(12) English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) program66
88	88	students..............................................67 0.1937 weight 23 LC 49 1086
89	89	H. B. 111
90	90	- 4 -
91	91	The State Board of Education shall establish criteria, based on the recommendations of the68
92	92	2015 Education Reform Commission, for how identifiable characteristics of students are69
93	93	defined and may work with the local school systems in the pilot program to update such70
94	94	definitions as needed to make improvements and establish any new reporting mechanism71
95	95	necessary to implement the student based funding formula. The General Assembly shall72
96	96	annually, through the General Appropriations Act, provide appropriate funding for the local73
97	97	school systems participating in the pilot program. The local school systems in the pilot74
98	98	program may use the earned funds flexibly to meet the needs of their students in75
99	99	accordance with their strategic waivers school system contract.76
100	100	(d)(1) To participate in the pilot program, a local school system shall ensure that all77
101	101	pre-kindergarten and kindergarten programs:78
102	102	(A) Are staffed by highly qualified teachers and administrators by no later than the79
103	103	start of the second year of the pilot program;80
104	104	(B) Include free breakfast and lunch for all students; and81
105	105	(C) Include transportation services.82
106	106	(2) A local school system may provide for pre-kindergarten and kindergarten programs83
107	107	within the local school system's educational facilities, as defined in Code Section84
108	108	20-2-260, or by partnering with early care and education program providers regulated by85
109	109	the Department of Early Care and Learning pursuant to Chapter 1A of this title, or by a86
110	110	combination thereof; provided, however, that a local school system that partners with87
111	111	early care and education program providers regulated by the Department of Early Care88
112	112	and Learning shall, by the end of the second year of the pilot program, submit to the State89
113	113	Board of Education a detailed plan for the timely transition of all pre-kindergarten90
114	114	programs to the local school system's educational facilities.91
115	115	(e) To participate in the pilot program, a local school system must be a strategic waivers92
116	116	school system.93 23 LC 49 1086
117	117	H. B. 111
118	118	- 5 -
119	119	(f) The State Board of Education shall, in coordination with the Office of Planning and94
120	120	Budget, develop an application process and seek applications from schools and local school95
121	121	systems no later than January 1, 2024. The pilot program shall be implemented as soon as96
122	122	practicable, but in no event later than the 2024-2025 school year.97
123	123	(g) To implement the pilot program, notwithstanding any other provision of law to the98
124	124	contrary, the State Board of Education shall be authorized to waive or provide variances99
125	125	to state rules, regulations, policies, and procedures and to provisions of this chapter that100
126	126	may be reasonably necessary to meet the goals of the pilot program, including, but not101
127	127	limited to, Parts 4 and 5 of this article and any corresponding rule promulgated by the State102
128	128	Board of Education.103
129	129	(h) The State Board of Education shall be authorized to establish any reporting104
130	130	requirements on the local school systems participating in the pilot program.105
131	131	(i) The State Board of Education, in coordination with the Office of Planning and Budget,106
132	132	shall monitor and annually assess the status of the pilot program with cooperation and input107
133	133	from the local school systems participating in the pilot program. On or before December108
134	134	31 of each year, the State Board of Education shall provide an annual report to the109
135	135	chairpersons of the Senate Education and Youth Committee, the House Committee on110
136	136	Education, and the education subcommittees of the Senate Appropriations Committee and111
137	137	the House Committee on Appropriations on the progress to date of the pilot program,112
138	138	feedback from the local school systems participating in the pilot program, recommended113
139	139	changes to the pilot program, and outlook of the pilot program.114
140	140	(j) This Code section shall stand repealed in its entirety on July 1, 2028."115
141	141	SECTION 2.116
142	142	All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.117