HB921: HB921 Education Impact Transparency Act; enact

This bill responds to the possibility that the federal government could significantly shrink or restructure the U.S. Department of Education. It creates a new section of Georgia law, O.C.G.A. § 20-2-21, directing the Georgia Department of Education to complete an impact study within 90 days whenever any branch of the federal government takes an action that reduces the scope, workforce, or budget of the U.S. Department of Education by more than 20 percent. If such a cut already happened before the bill takes effect, the study must be finished within 90 days of that effective date instead. The study must look at how the federal action affects Georgia's local school systems and individual public schools, covering funding, staffing, resources, and operations, as well as effects on students such as academic performance and access to programs. The department can hire an outside nonpartisan expert group to do the study, and it must publish a public report and send it to every local school system.

• Adds a new Georgia law, O.C.G.A. § 20-2-21, naming it the Education Impact Transparency Act.
• Requires the Georgia Department of Education to complete an impact study within 90 days whenever a federal action cuts the U.S. Department of Education's scope, staff, or budget by more than 20 percent.
• Requires the study to assess effects on local school systems and public schools, including funding, staffing, resources, and school operations.
• Requires the study to assess effects on students, including academic performance and access to programs.
• Allows the department to hire a nonpartisan outside organization with education policy and finance expertise to conduct the study.
• Requires a public report on the study's findings to be sent to every local school system and posted on the department's website in an accessible format.

The Georgia Department of Education, which must conduct or commission the study and publish results; local school systems and public primary and secondary schools across the state; and students, whose academic performance and program access would be part of what the study measures.

If the federal government significantly cuts the U.S. Department of Education, Georgia families, teachers, and school administrators would get a public, state-level accounting of how that cut affects local funding, staffing, and student programs, rather than relying on federal reporting alone.

• Section 1 names the bill the 'Education Impact Transparency Act.'
• Section 2 adds new Code Section 20-2-21, defining 'department,' 'local education agency,' and 'study' for purposes of the new law.
• Subsection (b) sets the trigger: any federal action cutting the U.S. Department of Education's scope, workforce, or budget by more than 20 percent, requiring a study within 90 days (or within 90 days of the Act's effective date if the cut already occurred).
• Subsection (b) specifies the study must cover effects on local education agencies and schools (funding, staffing, resources, operations) and on students (academic performance, program access).
• Subsection (c) authorizes the department to contract with a nonpartisan independent entity with education policy and finance expertise to conduct the study.
• Subsection (d) requires a public report on the study's findings, sent to every local education agency and posted on the department's website in an accessible format.
• Section 3 repeals conflicting laws.

1. 2026-01-12House Second Readers (House)
2. 2025-04-04House First Readers (House)
3. 2025-04-02House Hopper (House)

• Samuel Park (D, HD-107)Primary sponsor
• Mekyah McQueen (D, HD-061)
• Bryce Berry (D, HD-056)
• Karlton Howard (D, HD-129)
• Tangie Herring (D, HD-145)
• David Sampson (D, HD-153)

• public education funding
• federal education cuts
• school transparency
• Georgia Department of Education