2015 Georgia Legislative Session

GSSA Bootstrap Spring ConferenceApril 15 – 16, 2015

Macon, Georgia

FY15 MIDTERM BUDGET — HB75State income is up and a slow and steady growth is expected over the next several years.

• QBE Program — $134.5 million based on student growth and $126,085,516 for a midterm adjustment.

• Equalization Grant — $8.5 million.• Information Technology Services Budget — Transfer $752,546 to

the Technical/Career Education Program for Vocational Industry Certification.

• Testing — Add additional $2.4 million in increased funding for the Georgia Milestones Assessments.

• Connection for Classroom Program — Add $35 million.

FY16 BUDGET — HB76• 21.8 billion budget passed by Committee of

Conference.– $280 million to restore part of the austerity

reduction.– $152 million for enrollment growth and T&E.– $74 million for TRS increase from 13.1% to 14.27%.

• Local District responsible for increase in locally funded positions.

– $18.84 million for equalization. – $1.6 million increase bandwidth to 100 Mbps.

FY16 BUDGET — HB76• Cut program funding to actual use of funds.• Reduced the required local five mill share by

$9.36 million.• Continued health insurance for part time,

non-certified staff. Local districts will need to pay for the insurance. – Rate will increase from $596.20 /member/month

to $746.20/member/month. • Fuel tax has returned.

TITLE 20 CLEAN UP BILL — HB502• Changes names of school district choices.– Status Quo – “Title 20/No Waiver System”– IE2 – “Strategic Waiver School System”– Charter District – remains the same

• Adds teacher and leader annual performance evaluation requirements to the list of state rules that cannot be waived.

• Strongly encourages Celebrate Freedom Week (SB116)• America’s Founding Funding Philosophy and Principles

Act — (SB202)– May require students to complete a course.

TRANSPORTATION ACT OF 2015 — HB170

• School districts will pay the motor fuel tax again. The House Bill that would extend this exemption did not pass.

• eSPLOSTs and eLOST, effective July 1, 2015, will be capped at $3.00/gallon. At the current cost of fuel, there will be little effect.

CERTIFICATION TRAINING — HB164

• Requested by the Professional Standards Commission.– Professional Standards Commission shall revise its

certification renewal rules.

– Revised rules shall be effective beginning July 1, 2017.

SUICIDE PREVENTION ACT — HB198

Also known as the Jason Flatt Act – Georgia • All certificated school personnel to receive annual

training in suicide awareness and prevention.• DOE to develop training materials.• DOE to develop a model suicide prevention policy.• School systems will need a suicide

prevention policy.ac

CHILD ABUSE REPORTING• HB177 — Reporters of child abuse shall be notified

upon receipt of notice within 24 hours. At end of investigation, a written report will be sent back to school.

• HB268 — Mandatory reporting must be reported to the person in charge of the facility. Report must be sent to DFACS within 24 hours, unchanged.

• HB17 — Hidden Predator Act – Extends thestatute of limitations for childhoodsexual abuse.

PROVIDE FOR PBIS AND RTI — SB164

• Encourages Local Boards of Education to:– Implement Positive Behavior Interventions and

Supports (PBIS)– Implement Response to Intervention (RTI).

• Especially in “High Needs Schools”– High needs schools have received a school climate

rating of 1-star or 2-star.• SBOE will establish rules and regulations

for funds.– FY16 funds include funds for trainers.

SPECIAL NEEDS SCHOLARSHIP• HB62 — Waiver of residency requirement for

active duty military family within the previous year.

• HB209 — Notification of parent in initial IEP meeting in which the disability of the child is identified. Thereafter, the resident school district must notify parents, at the beginning of the school year, of the options available.– The original bill would have changed the

residency requirement from the prior year toa semester. This did not pass.

ELIMINATE HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION TEST DIPLOMA WAIVER — HB91

SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR 3/30/15

• Bill eliminates all references to “The Georgia High School Graduation Test” and the “Criterion Reference Competency Tests”.

• Former Students would receive a diploma if all requirements are met, except passing the GHSGT.

• Local districts must advertise three times between 1/15/16 and 1/15/18.

• DOE has developed guidance. ac

OPPORTUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT — SR 287

• This resolution is necessary to establish the Opportunity School District.

• The proposed amendment to the Constitution would be on the ballot November, 2016.

“Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended to allow the state to intervene in chronically failing public schools in order to improve student achievement?”

OPPORTUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT— SB 133

• Would begin in the 2017 – 2018 school year.• Superintendent to be selected by the Governor.• Superintendent to be in charge of the selected schools. No

more than 20 schools per year, maximum 100 over time.– Qualifying Schools – received a rating of “F” for a minimum of three

consecutive years.

• The OSD would take the place of the local board of education.

• Funding for the OSD selected school is theproportional share of all state, local, and federal dollars.

MOVE ON WHEN READY• SB2 — Allows local BOE to award a high school

diploma to a student who completes coursework at a postsecondary institution.– Student completes certain HS courses and tests.– Acceptable score for admission.– Meets certain certificate or degree requirements.

• SB132 — Increases opportunities for students to participate in postsecondary courses during high school years.

DIGITAL CLASSROOM — SB 89

• Strongly encourages local boards of education before July 1, 2020 to:– Insure all instructional materials are in electronic form;– Provide a laptop, tablet, or other electronic device to each of its

students.

• Student Data and Privacy, Accessibility, and Transparency Act. HB414– Provides additional protection for covered, personally identifiable,

student information and materials created and/or provided by various individuals. ac

GUN CARRY BILL — HB492• Intended to be a clean up bill for some of the

provisions in the Gun Carry Bill passed last year.

• SB141 was amended to this bill. The intent is to return to the language of the juvenile code regarding students who bring a gun/guns into the school safety zone and the reporting of these events. ac

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END OF CYBERBULLYING ACT — HB131

• Term applies to acts on school property, in school vehicles, at school bus stops, or at related school functions or activities.

• If accessed through a computer, or other technology of a local school system or other sources.

• If the communication is directed specifically at a student or staff or is threatening or disrupting.

• If it creates reasonable fear of harm.

CHARTER SCHOOL BILLS• SB 156 — State Charter Schools Commission is

authorized to establish a nonprofit foundation.• HB 372 — Utopian Academy for the Arts Act

allows charter schools to open if they have passed the DOE facilities inspection and other school building requirements.– Amended with HB474 — Creates enrollment

priority category for Charter School economically disadvantaged students.

BILLS TO CONSIDER• HB 313 — Limited leave to promote education• HB110 — Fireworks• HB1 — Medical marijuana• HB70 — State mammal — White Tailed Deer• HB85 — Sale of beer and wine in grocery

stores within 100 yards from schools• HB217 — Certain public retirement systems to be able to diversify investments

BILLS TO CONSIDER

• SB126 —School prescription for inhalers – Albuterol Sulfate. Districts will need to develop a local board policy.

• HB401 — Revision of the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning statute.

• HB366 — New regulations and guidelines for student work permits

POSSIBLE STUDY COMMITTEES• Governor’s Reform Committee • HR 765 — School Counseling and the Role of

the School Counselor• HR 71 — HOPE Scholarship Program amount

award for critical fields of study • SR447 — Joint Study Committee on School

Construction• Health Insurance Study Committee

2016 LEGISLATIVE SESSIONTHINGS TO COME

• Reform Committee Legislation• New Funding Formula• Additional Charter School Legislation• Retirement Legislation• Voucher Legislation • Adjustments to the Opportunity School District• Additional Urge, Encourage…