HB310: HB310 Student Teacher Promotion Act; enact

Georgia currently has no dedicated grant program to help college students financially while they complete their required student teaching, an unpaid or low-paid stretch of their education degree. House Bill 310, the "Student Teacher Promotion Act," creates two grant programs under O.C.G.A. § 20-2-252 to address that gap. Starting July 1, 2026, the Georgia Student Finance Commission would give up to 500 student teachers per year as much as $5,000 each, paid monthly through their educator preparation program, if they qualify for a federal Pell Grant and remain in good standing. Starting January 1, 2027, the State Board of Education would pay a one-time $2,500 signing bonus to those same individuals once they finish their program and complete 30 days as a contracted public school teacher. No grants may be paid after December 31, 2028, and the whole Act only takes effect if the General Assembly specifically appropriates money for it.

• Creates a student teacher grant program run by the Georgia Student Finance Commission, paying up to $5,000 per student teacher in monthly installments starting July 1, 2026.
• Limits the student teacher grant program to no more than 500 recipients per school year and requires Pell Grant eligibility plus good standing in the teaching placement.
• Creates a separate signing bonus grant program run by the State Board of Education, paying a one-time $2,500 to former student teachers after 30 days as a contracted public school teacher.
• Requires the Georgia Professional Standards Commission to set reporting rules tracking whether the grants affect the state's teacher vacancy rate.
• Sets a sunset date of December 31, 2028 after which no grants under either program may be funded, awarded, or disbursed.
• Makes the entire Act contingent: it only takes effect once the General Assembly appropriates specific funding for these grant programs.

College and university students doing required student teaching in Georgia public schools, the educator preparation programs (public and eligible private) that place them, newly hired public school teachers who recently finished those programs, and the Georgia Student Finance Commission, State Board of Education, Department of Education, and Professional Standards Commission, which would administer and verify the grants.

If funded, the bill would give eligible student teachers direct financial support while training, something many currently do without pay, and a bonus for staying in a Georgia teaching job afterward. Because it takes effect only with a specific budget appropriation, its real-world impact depends entirely on future funding decisions.

• Section 1 titles the bill the 'Student Teacher Promotion Act.'
• Section 2 rewrites O.C.G.A. § 20-2-252 to define 'student teacher,' 'EPP,' and the two new grant programs.
• Subsection (b) creates the student teacher grant program: up to 500 grants per year, capped at $5,000 per person, requiring Pell Grant eligibility and good standing, starting July 1, 2026.
• Subsection (c) creates the signing bonus grant program: a one-time $2,500 payment after 30 days of teaching employment, starting January 1, 2027, with applications sought from schools by October 1, 2026.
• Subsection (d) bars any grants under either program from being funded, awarded, or disbursed after December 31, 2028.
• Subsection (e) makes both programs subject to legislative appropriation.
• Section 3 makes the entire Act effective only if the General Assembly appropriates funds specifically referencing these grant programs.

1. 2026-03-31Senate Tabled (Senate)
2. 2026-03-25Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
3. 2026-03-25Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
4. 2026-02-25Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
5. 2026-02-24House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (House)
6. 2026-02-24House Third Readers (House)
7. 2026-02-12House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
8. 2025-02-11House Second Readers (House)

• Phil Olaleye (D, HD-059)Primary sponsor
• Carolyn Hugley (D, HD-141)
• Bethany Ballard (R, HD-147)
• Imani Barnes (D, HD-086)
• Leesa Hagan (R, HD-156)
• Shaw Blackmon (R, HD-146)
• Shawn Still (R, SD-048)

1. PassedHouse voteFebruary 24, 2026

   151 yea, 6 nay (7 not voting, 13 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #548

2. PassedSenate voteMarch 31, 2026

   39 yea, 10 nay (2 not voting, 3 absent)

   Motion To Table Remaining Legislation On The Rules Calendar: Senate Vote #912

• teacher recruitment
• education funding
• student teaching grants
• Georgia public schools
• teacher shortages