HB912: HB912 Quality Basic Education Act; $500,000.00 in matching grants for purpose of providing home reading programs for students in kindergarten through fourth grade; provisions

25 LC 60 0169 House Bill 912 By: Representatives Wilkerson of the 38th, Smith of the 41st, Carter of the 93rd, Ballard of the 147th, Cox of the 28th, and others A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT To amend Part 9 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Of ficial Code of Georgia1 Annotated, relating to grants for educational programs under the "Quality Basic Education2 Act," so as to provide for up to $500,000.00 in matching grants by the State Board of3 Education to local units of administration for the purpose of p roviding home reading4 programs for students in kindergarten through fourth grade; to authorize the State Board of5 Education to receive and administer federal funds for such grants; to provide for eligibility;6 to require the State Board of Education to develop rules and re gulations; to provide for7 related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.8 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:9 SECTION 1.10 Part 9 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Co de of Georgia Annotated,11 relating to grants for educational programs under the "Quality Basic Education Act," is12 amended by adding a new Code section to read as follows:13 H. B. 912 - 1 - 25 LC 60 0169 "20-2-259.1.14 (a) Subject to available funding, the State Board of Education shall provide matching15 grants to qualified local units of administration to provide an eligible home reading16 program for students in kindergarten through fourth grade. Suc h matching grant funds17 shall be distributed by the Department of Education.18 (b) A home reading program is eligible for matching grant funds provided pursuant to this19 Code section if it is provided in partnership with an affiliated local unit of administration20 by a nonprofit organization that meets the following requirements:21 (1) Delivers an evidence based, self-selected reading program consisting of independent22 reading level books that are individually mailed to the residences of or made available for23 electronic download to students in kindergarten through fourth grade on a weekly basis;24 (2) Incorporates at least weekly telephone calls, texts, or ap plication notifications in25 multiple languages to a parent or guardian to drive parental an d family engagement26 throughout the duration of the program;27 (3) Builds on pedagogical principles of literacy instruction t o scaffold fluency and28 improve reading comprehension with student exercises;29 (4) Includes a customizable portal to generate individualized data reports for analysis of30 student progress by program providers, affiliated local units o f administration, and31 parents and guardians;32 (5) Collects, disaggregates, and distributes detailed data on all metrics of the program,33 such as engagement of parents or guardians, books read, and allowable demographic data;34 (6) Provides a summary of data on all students served by the program to the Department35 of Education;36 (7) Agrees to secure the required matching funds from the part icipating local unit of37 administration and maintain auditable verification of the receipt; and38 (8) The combined total cost of the program, including district matching funds, does not39 exceed $50.00 per student per semester.40 H. B. 912 - 2 - 25 LC 60 0169 (c) The total amount of matching grant funds provided by the S tate Board of Education41 pursuant to this Code section shall not exceed $500,000.00 each state fiscal year.42 (d) The State Board of Education is authorized to receive and administer federal funds to43 provide matching grant funds pursuant to this Code section. The Department of Education44 shall serve as a state level flow through point for any available federal funding.45 (e) The State Board of Education shall prescribe criteria, policies, and standards deemed46 necessary for the effective implementation of this Code section."47 SECTION 2.48 All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.49 H. B. 912 - 3 -