25 LC 49 2231S
The House Committee on Education offers the following substitute to HR 145:
A RESOLUTION
Urging the Department of Education and the Department of Public Health to collaborate to1
prioritize the expansion of vision and hearing screening at various grade levels to identify2
students with undiagnosed and untreated vision or hearing problems that may impede their3
acquisition of literacy skills; and for other purposes.4
WHEREAS, a significant percentage of school age children, approximately one-third,5
experience vision problems, yet for many of them the lack of vision screening and necessary6
follow-up diagnostic evaluations are impairing their ability to acquire literacy skills; and7
WHEREAS, hearing screening is only required as a newborn before hospital discharge and8
at entry into a school system, and vision screening is only required at entry into a school9
system; and10
WHEREAS, eight percent of children have hearing loss between six and 19 years of age; and11
WHEREAS, there is a well documented direct link between vision and hearing health and12
the acquisition of literacy skills; and13
H. R. 145 (SUB)
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WHEREAS, Code Section 20-2-771 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated authorizes14
and requires the Department of Education to collaborate with public health authorities to15
address health related mandates for students; and16
WHEREAS, effective screening programs can identify vision and hearing impairments early,17
allowing timely interventions that support academic success and literacy development.18
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GEORGIA GENERAL ASSEMBLY19
that:20
(1) The Department of Education and Department of Public Health are urged to21
collaborate in developing a comprehensive strategy and methods to expand vision and22
hearing screening for students in pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, and first, third, fifth, and23
eighth grades, as well as for transfer students in all grade levels; and24
(2) Such comprehensive strategy and methods, once developed, shall be presented to the25
chairpersons of the House Committee on Education and the Senate Education and Youth26
Committee and the Georgia Council on Literacy to ensure alignment with state literacy27
goals.28
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized29
and directed to make appropriate copies of this resolution available for distribution to30
representatives of the Department of Education and the Department of Public Health.31
H. R. 145 (SUB)
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