2015 Georgia Legislative Session GSSA Bootstrap Spring Conference April 15 – 16, 2015 Macon, Georgia

FY15 M IDTERM B UDGET — HB75HB75 State 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 B UDGET — HB76HB 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 B UDGET — HB76HB76 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 $ /member/month to $746.20/member/month. Fuel tax has returned.

T ITLE 20 C LEAN U P B ILL — HB502HB502 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.

T RANSPORTATION A CT OF 2015 — HB170HB170 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.

C ERTIFICATION T RAINING — HB164HB164 Requested by the Professional Standards Commission. – Professional Standards Commission shall revise its certification renewal rules. – Revised rules shall be effective beginning July 1, 2017.

S UICIDE P REVENTION A CT — HB198HB198 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

C HILD A BUSE R EPORTING 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. HB177 HB268 — Mandatory reporting must be reported to the person in charge of the facility. Report must be sent to DFACS within 24 hours, unchanged. HB268 HB17 — Hidden Predator Act – Extends the HB17 statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse.

P ROVIDE FOR PBIS AND RTI — SB164SB164 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.

S PECIAL N EEDS S CHOLARSHIP HB62 — Waiver of residency requirement for active duty military family within the previous year. HB62 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. HB209 – The original bill would have changed the residency requirement from the prior year to a semester. This did not pass.

E LIMINATE H IGH S CHOOL G RADUATION T EST D IPLOMA W AIVER — HB91 S IGNED B Y THE G OVERNOR 3/30/15HB91 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

O PPORTUNITY S CHOOL D ISTRICT — SR 287SR 287 This resolution is necessary to establish the Opportunity School District. The proposed amendment to the Constitution would be on the ballot November, “Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended to allow the state to intervene in chronically failing public schools in order to improve student achievement?”

O PPORTUNITY S CHOOL D ISTRICT — SB 133SB 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 the proportional share of all state, local, and federal dollars.

M OVE ON W HEN R EADY SB2 — Allows local BOE to award a high school diploma to a student who completes coursework at a postsecondary institution. SB2 – 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 SB132 during high school years.

D IGITAL C LASSROOM — SB 89SB 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

G UN C ARRY B ILL — HB492HB492 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 ac

E ND OF C YBERBULLYING A CT — HB131HB131 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.

C HARTER S CHOOL B ILLS SB 156 — State Charter Schools Commission is authorized to establish a nonprofit foundation. SB 156 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. HB 372 – Amended with HB474 — Creates enrollment priority category for Charter School economically disadvantaged students.

B ILLS TO C ONSIDER HB 313 — Limited leave to promote education HB 313 HB110 — Fireworks HB110 HB1 — Medical marijuana HB1 HB70 — State mammal — White Tailed Deer HB70 HB85 — Sale of beer and wine in grocery stores within 100 yards from schools HB85 HB217 — Certain public retirement systems HB217 to be able to diversify investments

B ILLS TO C ONSIDER SB126 —School prescription for inhalers – Albuterol Sulfate. Districts will need to develop a local board policy. SB126 HB401 — Revision of the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning statute. HB401 HB366 — New regulations and guidelines for student work permits HB366

P OSSIBLE S TUDY C OMMITTEES Governor’s Reform Committee HR 765 — School Counseling and the Role of the School Counselor HR 765 HR 71 — HOPE Scholarship Program amount award for critical fields of study HR 71 SR447 — Joint Study Committee on School Construction SR447 Health Insurance Study Committee

2016 L EGISLATIVE S ESSION T HINGS TO C OME Reform Committee Legislation New Funding Formula Additional Charter School Legislation Retirement Legislation Voucher Legislation Adjustments to the Opportunity School District Additional Urge, Encourage…