[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6628533,"mediaKeyId","2716195-713870600a48b98b5ddaa690d0504584","parentId",2716195,"title","Committee advances bill to align teacher preparation with science of reading; bill reported out","audioSeconds",216,"startMs",5814000,"endMs",6030000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2716195-713870600a48b98b5ddaa690d0504584&start=5814&end=6030","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2716195-713870600a48b98b5ddaa690d0504584/thumbnail_5814000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6628533/Georgia/Committee-advances-bill-to-align-teacher-preparation-with-science-of-reading-bill-reported-out","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6628533-13b98b2cdd495df6c5017d4c04406316/orig.mp4?Expires=1771160849&Signature=lwp9hV9aayUw2C4NO2ki~7qcJuIWYYlhatdsO6aEI2c3ujjhKqW-mLK1Y1XfIo1eDso-QMIQkZE1hpg1OuJdPokd2dTa6dGhq6FsMnNLSo75ic0hy34DrcgimuNUXdCf8IWwfW~bsq4sOSOsZY6idmVswwybla5aS2hTtbA6XqIJxupW7OQugQP86F2ns~XHW-1UHtOb7aCTUi0szZ~us4wIyzEC3l~kBUrdyncaip3ChFR2WYoh1XYr8kVRJkE4Lox~NF~lbazt6JEIXKSqkn5L3lARIsAaz0hsqZONVceo1VGp0R0ucj~6okvbp1AK2o7KPBWghCNXdcFkZRxP8Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","State of Georgia ","date","2025-03-20T19:11:58.317Z","article","Sen. Rashad Kemp presented Senate Bill 93 (LC492358S), a bill intended to align teacher‑preparation programs with the science of reading so new teachers are trained in evidence‑based instructional approaches. Kemp described the bill as a companion to House efforts that remove particular instructional methods from pre‑service training, and said SB 93 would ensure prospective teachers are not prepared in approaches the sponsor and House sponsors deem ineffective.

Committee members voiced support and acknowledged literacy advocates in the room; Scott Johnson of the Literacy Council was present and recognized by the chair. Representative members moved the bill and it was approved by voice vote.

The committee named a House member to carry SB 93 and instructed sponsors to move the bill to rules for further consideration.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Education 03.20.25","oneSentenceSummary","Sen. Rashad Kemp presented SB 93 to require teacher‑preparation programs and PSC pathways to align with the science of reading; the committee approved the bill and selected a House carrier.","taxTitle","Education, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Committees, Legislative, Georgia","taxId",16944,"location","Georgia","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6628538,"Senate bill seeks to reignite local School Climate Committees and require county attendance reporting to tackle chronic absenteeism",1045,4695000,5740000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2716195-713870600a48b98b5ddaa690d0504584&start=4695&end=5740","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2716195-713870600a48b98b5ddaa690d0504584/thumbnail_4695000.jpg","/articles/6628538/Georgia/Senate-bill-seeks-to-reignite-local-School-Climate-Committees-and-require-county-attendance-reporting-to-tackle-chronic-absenteeism","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6628538-8f66fc7653ab5d4a64c78bf4c1543352/orig.mp4?Expires=1771160849&Signature=oVhwIzySqJXOz4EIyvd5vMOtH7~hAmq-OgbyyKZkEFCpZMetfA-NKhC5DFBFkJLGp4~31oIa4lOWXoEXdtKZLSOtbCXn~Cyxul6WvXZEjIaAXaLf955zfQRCYv7VeMC6f8rtUCwts63ScfYx~AQaNhBPlwWiUbABgXFJyktFGYJmeQSmLHiRW4jm680y1kN-tbB6jL5wFcMnJgM2GhHyaYvWXyFA9QYkYNi0uOpm4vBPJPc5jlAaEUrZKbFMHlS7fWIdl33Q-cEfzTbaBPYKQU9DI9u7s8JdbQcizynv3MFLEZkzK~ykfJkRHJcKPS5w~G7o1JF6ALuw3ESoElXWYg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","President Pro Tempore presented Senate Bill 123, opening with state absenteeism statistics: he said 22.6% of Georgia public‑school students were chronically absent last year (defined in the bill as missing 10% or more of school days). He told the committee chronic absenteeism remained elevated since COVID and affects roughly 360,000 students statewide.

The bill modernizes language (changing “mandatory attendance” to “compulsory attendance”), clarifies who is covered by \"parent/guardian\" definitions, protects students from being expelled solely for absences, and revises and reactivates the long‑standing School Climate Committee structure created in 2005. Sponsors said many locally convened School Climate Committees are inactive; SB 123 would require each county committee to meet at least twice a year (beginning November of the current year) and to coordinate with community partners such as juvenile court judges and public‑health entities.

SB 123 also establishes attendance review teams: a local school system with a chronic absenteeism rate of 10% or greater must establish a system‑level attendance review team; a particular school with a chronic absenteeism rate of 15% or greater must establish a school‑level attendance review team. The bill exempts excused absences from counting toward the chronic‑absence metric and clarifies that students should not be penalized academically or expelled solely because of excused absences.

The bill adds a reporting requirement: starting in 2026 the Department of Education must submit a county‑by‑county chronic‑absence report to the chairpersons of the House and Senate education committees on even‑numbered years (the chair noted he aims to form a study committee this summer to gather more information). Committee members praised the bill and moved it out with a due‑pass recommendation.

","SB 123 would rename and update attendance language, require School Climate Committees to meet at least twice a year, create attendance review teams for systems or schools exceeding thresholds, and require DOE county‑by‑county reports to legislative education chairs beginning 2026; committee gave the bill a due‑pass recommendation.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6628539,"Committee advances SB 82 to incentivize local charter approvals and add accountability for repeated denials",1217,3445000,4662000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2716195-713870600a48b98b5ddaa690d0504584&start=3445&end=4662","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2716195-713870600a48b98b5ddaa690d0504584/thumbnail_3445000.jpg","/articles/6628539/Georgia/Committee-advances-SB-82-to-incentivize-local-charter-approvals-and-add-accountability-for-repeated-denials","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6628539-fcb8a6d23e40c620cf71ad5b5258cf95/orig.mp4?Expires=1771160849&Signature=HisqLp~xelvtzdoSilvEUwe3Yf4IGKyeWu33GPpOt9a0RdIB3tleBllqZHwYtglOGJEbLn-Rbj6CSqnGqJMSiaRLWVfZCoiSNqHK6m-pu9yJWk2V2dGwl~nt8XqShFewx09QlAGxYAsw6sMn8~1g-L24qgekvyTD3u44UNTNvOCeJvXKEfqtSwWu~ZPQ34rSXFPLvTpqB7cHCqhSVL5-pJgwuGtqEhVDA3~fj0~1FhqQSw9jqDS7SI5F-LDmHuWSsZAykSl5e5F3SW6raZz8eeNke75kG0l1yvPnCnISNPEt9Y53myhMfR2-aSf2tzf1SH0rjgdgS30CdIpB6RNISQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Sen. (presenter) described Senate Bill 82 as an effort to address the state’s charter‑school access imbalance by incentivizing local approvals and holding districts accountable when they repeatedly deny petitions that are later approved by the State Charter School Commission. The sponsor said some counties have large wait lists — roughly 21,000 statewide — and observed that in recent years only a small share of charter petitions have been approved locally while the state commission approved many more.

The committee substitute trimmed earlier provisions (it removed a capital outlay carrot and a school‑rating mechanism) and added a 10‑year sunset (2035) on the program. The substitute would make districts eligible for a $250,000 payment for up to three years when they approve a charter locally and would remove eligibility to renew certain flexibility contracts if a district repeatedly denies high‑quality petitions later approved by the state (the threshold depends on district size).

Members questioned the definition and practical meaning of “high quality.” The sponsor said the state approval serves as the trigger for the accountability provisions; a petition denied locally that is later approved by the state would count. Bonnie Holliday of the Charter Association explained local denial procedures vary by district and said denial notices do usually exist; the committee agreed to tighten the timeline for providing a written denial rationale.

During deliberations representatives proposed changing the time window requiring a written denial rationale from 10 to 20 business days (the committee discussed business days vs. calendar days and settled on 20 business days). The committee also debated whether 30 calendar days would be preferable, but members accepted the 20‑business‑day compromise to avoid delaying facility procurement processes once a petition is approved.

An amendment adopting the 20‑business‑day written‑rationale requirement was adopted by voice vote. The committee then voted to advance the bill as amended.

","SB 82, the committee substitute, offers financial incentives for districts that approve charter schools locally and penalties for systems that repeatedly deny petitions later approved by the state; committee adopted an amendment setting a 20‑business‑day written rationale requirement and passed the bill.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6628541,"Committee approves SB63FA to require local schools to accommodate homeschoolers for college‑prep and military tests; ASVAB added",1858,1934000,3792000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2716195-713870600a48b98b5ddaa690d0504584&start=1934&end=3792","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2716195-713870600a48b98b5ddaa690d0504584/thumbnail_1934000.jpg","/articles/6628541/Georgia/Committee-approves-SB63FA-to-require-local-schools-to-accommodate-homeschoolers-for-collegeprep-and-military-tests-ASVAB-added","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6628541-34e913740a9e5b20f8f88dcbb646abd5/orig.mp4?Expires=1771160849&Signature=DlchVr4gwWBROxjsCPjHQkd2YuOI7Ru1-Pgu~7oc3m03NRm~j2ZDTA-gveDyzfUCHtl2ATXdicMqTjBWbxZd1HEzXODQ7BNLpqsP8ewZNRSloU8KvI2R2VTUg85uEGxd4yAXbKe13ke-0tF3dJI3LwM7keBCo16pCmlAlDxnjaZ00RlFJUYJYyV6xYY6MkmWEW4P3ibdpG4bOi4~BpxZo-WiF~eZCuAHK2Oxl3odkcZWuKTtfMjh5yKCBBmk7dgcmh7eUlLWzrXO5FaYw0ZCj7Xs7-omyR0AWC3SEFn40QMm2Ujg8DWeupDc0gsECkx3awLX9iE9NzOEkm-MVmR78g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Sen. Dixon presented SB 63 (as amended), saying the bill would require a student’s residency school — the public school in whose attendance zone a homeschool family resides — to provide access to college‑entry and career‑testing services, including AP, PSAT, ACT, SAT and, by amendment, the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB). He said families often travel long distances to take required exams and that accommodating homeschool students locally would reduce that burden.

Committee members focused on cost and logistics. Sen. Dixon and other sponsors said the expected fiscal impact is small: the sponsor’s estimate for all affected exams was about $10,962 annually for homeschool high‑school students statewide. Department of Education staff (Matt Cardoza) told the committee they would review budget language and invoices to confirm whether existing state payments have historically applied only to enrolled public‑school students and would report back.

Members discussed whether districts would be required to cover fees that enrolled students do not pay; sponsors said homeschool students should generally be treated the same as enrolled students — if a school pays or reimburses enrolled students the same should apply to homeschoolers. Questions about accommodations (extended time, alternate formats) were raised; speakers said schools would know about accommodations when students register and could prepare testing locations and proctors accordingly.

Representative Ballard encouraged adding the ASVAB so homeschooled students can access the military entrance‑related assessment; the committee adopted legislative‑council language inserting “armed services vocational aptitude battery” between ACT and AP on the list of covered exams. The amendment carried by voice vote.

After discussion the committee voted by voice to pass SB63FA as amended. Sponsors identified a House carrier to move the bill forward.

","SB63FA was advanced after the committee accepted amendments clarifying who pays and adding the ASVAB to the list of tests local residency schools must make available to registered homeschool students; the bill passed on a voice vote.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6628542,"Committee approves bill to streamline school enrollment for military families with 90‑day provisional window",1693,212000,1905000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2716195-713870600a48b98b5ddaa690d0504584&start=212&end=1905","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2716195-713870600a48b98b5ddaa690d0504584/thumbnail_212000.jpg","/articles/6628542/Georgia/Committee-approves-bill-to-streamline-school-enrollment-for-military-families-with-90day-provisional-window","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6628542-7b2dfe15ae6d5fa9287da4832b515c43/orig.mp4?Expires=1771160849&Signature=bgA7ULftEV8D3m2JIs2fumadMU8TKhEu7YDcbaZ0b5pMCZl6h9P1ChkQ76toMQIdV0Gu5ux3tpCJu46Pvgc84D1QRJOBQXKZ2bayF4Y0ycJtxazoN9QmqCviRaYXq~TKW1VBwu9g8PpQnmhQ-LjUxBaQAqvzX70JaxPDN~IYyM5rE5vb6zfbeDdm-~xdkUO86rKYyOQbDj2qBAQljIt7VnmkvHRMi7Y5EQDPynoLh-YZHneKBsmhsrXoNb8izpVpfIUJUKY1V-43hFgmDKdL0DRESlGPM7UNbD6CSsxZFK690kmFVjSsCfcZ1CAf04vSWBjJPsWGii8Bwo7iMvB6Eg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Sen. Wicks presented Senate Bill 236, saying the measure would “remove the barriers to enrollment options and facilitate the placement stability for military families with school‑aged children who have recently been reassigned or pending orders to Georgia.” The bill would allow military families to enroll children in a local school ahead of arrival on the basis of official military orders.

Supporters told the committee military children move frequently and can change school systems “up to 10 times prior to graduation,” creating instability that the bill seeks to reduce. Sen. Wicks, who described himself as a 30‑year Army veteran, said the measure would help families that arrive in Georgia and face mid‑year relocations or temporary changes in housing.

Committee members raised questions about how residency would be verified and how the measure could affect extracurricular eligibility. Representative Ballard and others sought clearer language about families who “intend to reside” in a new attendance zone, noting the phrase could be exploited and could raise athletic‑eligibility issues. Legislative counsel proposed language making initial enrollment provisional and requiring written verification that a parent or guardian has either established residency or made “sufficient good faith efforts to establish residency in such attendance zone” within 90 days of provisional enrollment.

The committee accepted the amendment, which also replaces references to the end of the current school year with the end of the “90‑day provisional enrollment period.” Committee members discussed the Georgia High School Association (GHSA) eligibility rules and confirmed enrollment and eligibility are distinct processes; GHSA hardship procedures would still apply for athletic eligibility, the committee heard.

After the amendment vote, the committee voted by voice to pass SB 236 as amended. The committee recorded no roll‑call tally in the transcript; both the amendment and final passage were taken by voice vote.

The bill was reported out with a request that the senator identify a House member to carry the measure; Sen. Wicks named Rep. David Clark as the House carrier.

The committee and sponsors said the change is intended to give military families time to locate housing and establish residency while keeping local school systems informed and able to verify residency within a limited provisional period.

","The Education Committee advanced SB 236 with a friendly amendment creating a 90‑day provisional enrollment period and written verification requirement for military families arriving with permanent change-of-station orders. The amendment and the bill passed on voice votes.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee advances bill to align teacher preparation with science of reading; bill reported out

Senate bill seeks to reignite local School Climate Committees and require county attendance reporting to tackle chronic absenteeism

Committee advances SB 82 to incentivize local charter approvals and add accountability for repeated denials

Committee approves SB63FA to require local schools to accommodate homeschoolers for college‑prep and military tests; ASVAB added

Committee approves bill to streamline school enrollment for military families with 90‑day provisional window