SB171: SB171 Quality Basic Education Act; State Board of Education to develop an advanced mathematics pathway; require

Georgia law currently does not require a statewide advanced mathematics track for younger students. This bill would add a new section to the Quality Basic Education Act directing the State Board of Education to design, by January 1, 2027, an advanced mathematics pathway spanning grades three through eight that leads students to take a high school level math course while still in middle school. The board must set qualification criteria, automatically enroll qualifying students in grades six through eight (with a parent opt out), and let parents of students scoring above the 50th percentile on the state math assessment request enrollment even if their child did not automatically qualify. Local school systems could offer the pathway in grades three through five and must offer it in grades six through eight. The Department of Education would file an annual report to state leaders breaking down enrollment and test data by demographic group.

• Requires the State Board of Education to develop an advanced mathematics pathway for grades three through eight by January 1, 2027.
• Requires automatic enrollment of qualifying students in the pathway for grades six through eight, unless a parent opts out.
• Allows parents of students who score above the 50th percentile on the state math assessment to request enrollment even without automatic qualification.
• Authorizes local school systems to offer the pathway in grades three through five and requires them to offer it in grades six through eight.
• Requires the Department of Education to submit an annual report on enrollment and assessment scores, broken down by ethnicity, sex, income level, disability, language proficiency, grade, and school.

Public school students in grades three through eight and their parents or guardians, local school systems and teachers who would offer the pathway and related supports, the State Board of Education, and the Department of Education, which must design the program and report on it annually.

Families in every Georgia school district would gain a state-defined route for younger students to reach high school level math early, with automatic placement for qualifying students unless parents opt out, and school systems would face new offering and reporting obligations tied to the program.

• Adds new Code Section 20-2-159.6 requiring the State Board of Education to develop the advanced mathematics pathway and adopt related policies by January 1, 2027.
• Board policies must set qualification criteria, provide automatic enrollment in grades six through eight, allow parental opt out, and allow enrollment for students scoring above the 50th percentile on the end of grade math assessment.
• Board policies must ensure students and parents receive information about the pathway and enrollment process.
• Local school systems are authorized, but not required, to offer the pathway in grades three through five and to provide extra supports and services to enrolled students and their teachers.
• Local school systems must offer the pathway in grades six through eight.
• The Department of Education must submit an annual report by December 1 to the Governor, the Senate President, the House Speaker, and relevant education committee chairs, detailing enrollment numbers, opt outs, courses offered, and assessment scores by demographic category.
• Section 2 repeals conflicting laws.

1. 2026-02-26House Second Readers (House)
2. 2026-02-25House First Readers (House)
3. 2026-02-24Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Senate)
4. 2026-02-24Senate Third Read (Senate)
5. 2026-02-04Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)
6. 2026-01-12Senate Recommitted (Senate)
7. 2025-03-04Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
8. 2025-03-03Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)

• Jason Anavitarte (R, SD-031)Primary sponsor
• Billy Hickman (R, SD-004)
• Max Burns (R, SD-023)
• RaShaun Kemp (D, SD-038)
• Chuck Payne (R, SD-054)
• Sonya Halpern (D, SD-039)
• Shawn Still (R, SD-048)
• Ed Setzler (R, SD-037)
• Elena Parent (D, SD-044)
• Donzella James (D, SD-028)
• Clint Dixon (R, SD-045)
• Freddie Sims (D, SD-012)
• Ricky Williams (R, SD-025)
• Timothy Bearden (R, SD-030)
• Bo Hatchett (R, SD-050)
• Sally Harrell (D, SD-040)

1. PassedSenate voteFebruary 24, 2026

   53 yea, 0 nay (1 not voting, 1 absent)

   Passage By Substitute: Senate Vote #574

• math education
• K-12 curriculum
• Quality Basic Education Act
• school enrollment policy
• education reporting