Governor Nathan Deal on Thursday signed into law HB 338, the education bill which seeks to identify low-performing schools and establish a state-devised plan to assist them. The bill was a pet project of the Governor following the failure of his ‘Opportunity School District’ amendment failed last November. The bill, introduced in the House by Rep. Kevin Tanner and carried in the Senate by Sen. Lindsey Tippins, gives the state much more power to help failing public schools, which have long been one of the biggest problems facing Georgia officials.
Said Deal on the bill, “Georgia remains committed to improving our state’s education system by increasing student access to high-performing schools and learning environments conducive to today’s academic standards. To that end, Rep. Tanner has worked tirelessly with my office, members of the General Assembly and other stakeholders on HB 338. By focusing improvement efforts and education resources on our lowest-performing schools, our most vulnerable students will have greater opportunities for success. The educational investments in this legislation will produce long-term benefits for students, families and communities by ensuring education outcome is not hindered by zip code, but rather enhanced by state support and local accountability. I want to thank Rep. Tanner, members of the General Assembly and many others who worked together for the benefit of Georgia’s current and future students.”
Also signed Thursday were a myriad of other education bills, including state Rep. Earl Ehrhart’s HB 37, which addresses ‘sanctuary’ policies in schools, Rep. Buzz Brockway’s HB 430, which addresses funding for charter schools, and Rep. Dave Belton’s HB 224, which gives more education choices to students in military families.
To see a full list of the legislation from the 2017 session signed by the Governor, click HERE.
