Georgia 2025-2026 Regular Session

Georgia House Bill HB23 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	25 LC 61 0041
2	2	House Bill 23
3	3	By: Representatives Scott of the 76
4	4	th
5	5	, Schofield of the 63
6	6	rd
7	7	, and Davis of the 87
8	8	th
9	9
10	10	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
11	11	AN ACT
12	12	To amend Part 3 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia
13	13	1
14	14	Annotated, relating to educational programs under the "Quality Basic Education Act," so as2
15	15	to require schools to provide progress reports to parents or legal guardians of students in the3
16	16	early intervention program; to require the Department of Education to collaborate with the4
17	17	Professional Standards Commission to improve and update professional development5
18	18	opportunities for teachers that specifically relate to early intervention; to require that schools6
19	19	provide progress reports to parents or legal guardians of students in the English for speakers7
20	20	of other languages program; to require the Department of Education to collaborate with the8
21	21	Professional Standards Commission to improve and update professional development9
22	22	opportunities for teachers that specifically relate to supporting limited-English-proficient10
23	23	students; to provide for related matters; to provide a short title; to repeal conflicting laws; and11
24	24	for other purposes.12
25	25	BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:13
26	26	SECTION 1.14
27	27	This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Student Success and Progress Act."15
28	28	H. B. 23
29	29	- 1 - 25 LC 61 0041
30	30	SECTION 2.
31	31	16
32	32	Part 3 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,17
33	33	relating to educational programs under the "Quality Basic Education Act," is amended by18
34	34	revising Code Section 20-2-153, relating to early intervention program for students at risk19
35	35	of not reaching or maintaining academic grade level, as follows:20
36	36	"20-2-153.21
37	37	(a) The State Board of Education shall create and each local board of education shall22
38	38	provide an early intervention program to serve students in kindergarten through grade five.23
39	39	The kindergarten early intervention program shall serve students enrolled in kindergarten.24
40	40	The primary grades early intervention program shall serve students enrolled in grades one25
41	41	through three. The upper elementary grades early intervention program shall serve students26
42	42	in grades four through
43	43	and five.27
44	44	(b) The early intervention program shall serve students who are at risk of not reaching or28
45	45	maintaining academic grade level, including, but not limited to, students who are identified29
46	46	through the first grade readiness assessment required by Code Sections 20-2-15130
47	47	and 20-2-281 and students with identified academic performance below grade levels31
48	48	defined by the Office of Student Achievement in Code Section 20-14-31 for any32
49	49	criterion-referenced assessment administered in accordance with Code Section 20-2-28133
50	50	for grades one through five. Local school systems shall devise a process for the34
51	51	identification of such students at the beginning of each school year and also during the35
52	52	school year as a continuous process of early identification and monitoring. School Local36
53	53	school systems may use indicators such as, but not limited to, the student's scores on37
54	54	previous assessments, the student's classroom performance in the same or previous years,38
55	55	and other reliable indicators to identify such students. A student shall be assigned to the39
56	56	early intervention program as soon as is practicable after the student is identified as at risk40
57	57	or after the results of the first-grade readiness assessment, the criterion-referenced41
58	58	assessment, or other indicators are known. The school shall provide timely notice and an42
59	59	H. B. 23
60	60	- 2 - 25 LC 61 0041
61	61	opportunity for a conference with the student and his or her parents or guardians to discuss
62	62	43
63	63	the student's academic performance and the role of the early intervention program. The
64	64	44
65	65	school shall provide the student's parents or guardians with a report on the student's45
66	66	academic performance and progress in such program at least twice each semester.46
67	67	(c) The State Board of Education shall describe by rules and regulations such additional47
68	68	services, resources, support, or strategies as may be provided by the local school system.48
69	69	The specifications for delivery of early intervention services shall be the responsibility of49
70	70	local boards of education except that the program rules and regulations adopted by the50
71	71	State Board of Education shall be followed in designing the program delivery models.51
72	72	Delivery models may include, but are not limited to, class augmentation, pull-out or52
73	73	self-contained classes, and the Reading Recovery Program delivered by certificated53
74	74	personnel.54
75	75	(d) The early intervention program shall be designed with the intent of helping the student55
76	76	to perform at expectations and exit the program in the shortest possible time. Students shall56
77	77	be moved into this program, provided assistance, and moved out of this program upon57
78	78	reaching grade level performance. It is not the intent of the General Assembly that students58
79	79	be assigned to this program on a continuing or permanent basis.59
80	80	(e) Funding for the early intervention program shall have a full-time equivalent60
81	81	teacher-student ratio of one teacher to 11 students.61
82	82	(f) Each local school system shall annually report the number of students served in the62
83	83	early intervention program as part of the full-time equivalent program count conducted63
84	84	pursuant to Code Section 20-2-160.64
85	85	(g) The Department of Education shall collaborate with the Professional Standards65
86	86	Commission to improve and update professional development opportunities for teachers66
87	87	that specifically relate to early intervention."67
88	88	H. B. 23
89	89	- 3 - 25 LC 61 0041
90	90	SECTION 3.
91	91	68
92	92	Said part is further amended by revising Code Section 20-2-156, relating to program for69
93	93	limited-English-proficient students, as follows:70
94	94	"20-2-156.71
95	95	(a)
96	96	The State Board of Education shall create a program for limited-English-proficient72
97	97	students whose native language is not English, subject to appropriation by the General73
98	98	Assembly. The purpose of this the program is to assist such students to develop74
99	99	proficiency in the English language, including listening, speaking, reading, and writing,75
100	100	sufficient to perform effectively at the currently their assigned grade level. The state board76
101	101	State Board of Education shall prescribe such rules and regulations regarding eligibility77
102	102	criteria and standards as may be needed necessary to carry out the provisions of this Code78
103	103	section. This The program may also be referred to as the English for speakers of other79
104	104	languages (ESOL) program.80
105	105	(b) The school in which a student in the English for speakers of other languages program81
106	106	is enrolled shall provide the student's parents or guardians with a report on the student's82
107	107	academic performance and progress in such program at least twice each semester.83
108	108	(c) The Department of Education shall collaborate with the Professional Standards84
109	109	Commission to improve and update professional development opportunities for teachers85
110	110	that specifically relate to supporting limited-English-proficient students."86
111	111	SECTION 4.87
112	112	All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.88
113	113	H. B. 23
114	114	- 4 -