SB4: SB4 Education; fundamental roles of local boards of education and local school superintendents; revise provisions

Georgia law already says local school boards set policy and superintendents carry it out, but this bill rewrites that section (O.C.G.A. § 20-2-61) to spell out that boards cannot micromanage superintendents while still holding them accountable, and clarifies that requesting financial records is not micromanaging. It also says board members can only act as a group, not individually, and cannot discuss personnel matters outside specific legal exceptions. The bill moves up the deadline for the State Board of Education to adopt a model code of ethics for local board members, from October 2010 to October 2025, and requires that code to let residents 18 or older file ethics complaints with the Professional Standards Commission. It also updates the required training program for local board members: it lists topics that must be covered, such as open meetings law and budget authority, and topics that trainers are barred from teaching, such as urging boards to act unanimously. Training providers who violate the ban lose approval for three years. The law would take effect as soon as the Governor signs it.

• Rewrites the roles of local school boards and superintendents to bar boards from micromanaging superintendents while still requiring accountability, and clarifies that requesting financial data is not micromanaging.
• Requires the State Board of Education to adopt an updated model code of ethics for local board members by October 1, 2025, replacing the old 2010 deadline.
• Allows any resident 18 or older in a school district to file a complaint with the Professional Standards Commission alleging a local board member violated the ethics code.
• Sets a detailed list of required topics for local board member training, including budgeting, open records law, and student discipline compliance.
• Bans training providers from teaching certain viewpoints, such as urging boards to act unanimously or lobby the legislature, and strips noncompliant providers of approval for three years.
• Requires newly elected board members to get training on their district's audit findings and financial risk status.

Local school board members and local school superintendents across Georgia, the State Board of Education and Professional Standards Commission, companies and agencies that provide board-member training, and residents who may file ethics complaints against their local school board members.

The bill changes the day-to-day balance of power between elected school board members and the superintendents who run district operations, and it opens a new path for the public to formally challenge a board member's ethics. It also controls what training companies can and cannot teach board members statewide.

• Section 1 revises O.C.G.A. § 20-2-61 to state board members cannot micromanage superintendents but must hold them accountable, and that requesting financial data does not count as micromanaging.
• Section 1 also confirms board members have no individual authority and can act only as part of the full board's official votes.
• Section 2 moves the State Board of Education's deadline for adopting a model ethics code from October 2010 to October 1, 2025, and requires it to allow public ethics complaints filed with the Professional Standards Commission.
• Section 3 moves the training program adoption deadline to October 1, 2025 and lists mandatory training topics, including open meetings and records law compliance, budget authority, and student discipline rules.
• Section 3 bans training programs from teaching that boards should act unanimously, avoid requesting information, defer to superintendents on budgets, or lobby the legislature.
• Section 3 disqualifies any training provider found to violate those content bans from being an approved provider for three years.
• Section 4 makes the entire Act effective as soon as the Governor signs it or it becomes law without his signature.

1. 2025-03-11House Second Readers (House)
2. 2025-03-10House First Readers (House)
3. 2025-03-04Senate Notice to Reconsider (Senate)
4. 2025-03-04Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Senate)
5. 2025-03-04Senate Third Read (Senate)
6. 2025-02-24Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
7. 2025-02-21Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)
8. 2025-01-14Senate Read and Referred (Senate)

• Greg Dolezal (R, SD-027)Primary sponsor
• Brandon Beach (R, SD-021)
• Randy Robertson (R, SD-029)
• Larry Walker (R, SD-020)
• Ben Watson (R, SD-001)
• Chuck Hufstetler (R, SD-052)
• Carden Summers (R, SD-013)
• John Albers (R, SD-056)
• John Kennedy (R, SD-018)
• Bill Cowsert (R, SD-046)
• Frank Ginn (R, SD-047)
• Russ Goodman (R, SD-008)
• Blake Tillery (R, SD-019)
• Billy Hickman (R, SD-004)
• Drew Echols (R, SD-049)
• Sam Watson (R, SD-011)
• Max Burns (R, SD-023)
• Timothy Bearden (R, SD-030)
• Lee Anderson (R, SD-024)
• Clint Dixon (R, SD-045)
• Shawn Still (R, SD-048)
• Jason Anavitarte (R, SD-031)
• Colton Moore (R, SD-053)

1. PassedSenate voteMarch 4, 2025

   36 yea, 11 nay (8 not voting, 1 absent)

   Passage By Substitute: Senate Vote #143

2. FailedSenate voteMarch 6, 2025

   20 yea, 32 nay (4 not voting, 0 absent)

   Motion For Reconsideration: Senate Vote #158

• local school boards
• school superintendent authority
• school board ethics
• school board training
• education governance