SB253: SB253 State Board of Education; establish a three-year pilot robotics program for eligible public schools; provide

This bill sets up a new pilot program run by the State Board of Education to fund school robotics programs at eligible Georgia public high schools. Beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, the state could award up to $2 million in grants each year for up to three years, subject to the General Assembly actually approving the money. To qualify, a school must serve grades 9 through 12, rank among the lowest-performing 25 percent of schools based on state achievement ratings, not have supported a robotics competition team in the past five years, and submit an application by November 1, 2025, along with a resolution of local school board support. The Department of Education must set up an application process by August 1, 2025 and report on the program's impact to the State Board of Education every year starting June 1, 2026. The program automatically ends on July 1, 2029, and the law would take effect July 1, 2025.

• Creates a three-year pilot grant program for up to ten eligible public high schools to build robotics programs and support competition teams.
• Caps funding at up to $2 million per school year for up to three school years, starting in 2026-2027, contingent on state funding actually being appropriated.
• Limits eligibility to high schools ranking in the bottom 25 percent of state performance ratings that have not run robotics competition teams in the past five years.
• Requires schools to apply by November 1, 2025 with a plan for spending grant funds and a local school board resolution of support.
• Lets the State Board of Education waive normal state rules and regulations as needed to run the pilot program.
• Automatically repeals the entire program on July 1, 2029.

Georgia public high schools that rank in the lowest 25 percent of school performance ratings, their students and teachers, local school boards that must formally back an application, and the Department of Education and State Board of Education, which must design, run, and report on the program.

Roughly ten lower-performing high schools could gain new funding and equipment to start robotics teams, potentially exposing students to science, technology, engineering, and math activities they otherwise would not have access to, though the funding depends on the General Assembly actually appropriating the money each year.

• New Code Section 20-2-335 directs the State Board of Education to create a robotics pilot program aimed at boosting STEM education, teamwork, and digital literacy skills.
• Funding is capped at $2 million per school year for up to three years starting in the 2026-2027 school year, subject to legislative appropriations.
• Eligible schools must serve grades 9-12, rank in the bottom 25 percent on Office of Student Achievement ratings for the two most recent years, and not have had a robotics competition team in the past five years.
• Applications, due November 1, 2025, must include spending plans and a local board resolution committing local support and resources.
• Up to ten schools will be selected, with the State Board of Education trying to include schools of different sizes and from rural, suburban, and urban areas statewide.
• The Department of Education must create an application process by August 1, 2025 and deliver annual assessment reports to the State Board of Education starting June 1, 2026.
• The program and Code Section 20-2-335 automatically repeal on July 1, 2029.
• The Act takes effect July 1, 2025.

1. 2025-02-26Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
2. 2025-02-25Senate Hopper (Senate)

• Sonya Halpern (D, SD-039)Primary sponsor
• Clint Dixon (R, SD-045)
• Billy Hickman (R, SD-004)
• RaShaun Kemp (D, SD-038)
• Shawn Still (R, SD-048)
• Nan Orrock (D, SD-036)

• robotics education
• STEM funding
• public school grants
• school performance
• education pilot program