SB236: SB236 "Quality Basic Education Act,"; certain students whose parents or guardians are on active duty are eligible for enrollment in the public school of the attendance zone in which they intend to reside; provide

Under current Georgia law, students whose parents are transferring into or within the state under military orders can enroll in a school before physically moving in. This bill amends that part of the Quality Basic Education Act (O.C.G.A. § 20-2-150) to spell out how that enrollment works when the family has not yet signed a lease, bought a house, or otherwise secured housing in the attendance zone they intend to live in. The enrollment would be provisional. Within 90 days of the first day of enrollment, the family must give the school principal or a designee written proof that they have established residency in that attendance zone, or show they have made good faith efforts to do so. If they cannot show that, the student must instead enroll in the school for the zone where the family actually lives, with proof provided at the end of the 90 days. Juniors and seniors in high school would be allowed to stay in their current school through graduation even if the family's residency changes. The bill repeals conflicting laws.

• Allows a student whose parent or guardian is on active duty and has official transfer orders to enroll in the school for the attendance zone they intend to live in, before securing housing there.
• Makes that enrollment provisional, requiring written proof of established residency or good faith efforts within 90 days of the first day of enrollment.
• Requires the student to transfer to the school for their actual attendance zone if residency in the intended zone is not verified within the 90-day window.
• Lets high school juniors and seniors keep their current school placement through graduation even if their family's physical residency changes.
• Repeals any existing state laws that conflict with these provisions.

Military families with children who are relocating into or within Georgia under official transfer orders, local school systems and principals who must process provisional enrollments and verify residency, and high school juniors and seniors whose school placement could otherwise be disrupted by a move.

Military families often face tight timelines when relocating and may not have secured housing before a school year starts. This bill lets their children start school in the intended attendance zone right away, while giving schools a 90-day process to confirm the family actually settles there.

• Section 1 amends O.C.G.A. § 20-2-150(e) to let students of active-duty military parents with transfer orders enroll in their intended attendance zone school without yet having secured housing there.
• Enrollment is provisional and requires written verification to the school principal or designee within 90 days of the first day of enrollment.
• If residency or good-faith efforts cannot be verified, the student's parent or guardian must enroll the student in the school for the zone where the family actually resides, with proof due at the end of the 90-day period.
• High school juniors and seniors are guaranteed the right to remain in their current school placement through graduation despite later changes in physical residency.
• Section 2 repeals all laws in conflict with the Act.

1. 2025-04-04House Withdrawn, Recommitted (House)
2. 2025-03-21House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
3. 2025-03-11House Second Readers (House)
4. 2025-03-10House First Readers (House)
5. 2025-03-06Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Senate)
6. 2025-03-06Senate Third Read (Senate)
7. 2025-03-06Senate Taken from Table (Senate)
8. 2025-03-06Senate Tabled (Senate)

• Kenya Wicks (D, SD-034)Primary sponsor
• Chuck Payne (R, SD-054)
• Nikki Merritt (D, SD-009)
• Russ Goodman (R, SD-008)
• Matt Brass (R, SD-006)
• Jason Esteves (D, SD-035)
• Tonya Anderson (D, SD-043)
• Michael Rhett (D, SD-033)
• Donzella James (D, SD-028)
• Ed Harbison (D, SD-015)
• Derek Mallow (D, SD-002)
• Gail Davenport (D, SD-017)
• Freddie Sims (D, SD-012)
• David Clark (R, HD-100)

1. PassedSenate voteMarch 6, 2025

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

   Passage By Substitute: Senate Vote #208

• military families
• school enrollment
• Quality Basic Education Act
• student residency rules