---
title: HB 1048. Quality Basic Education Act; State Board adopt criteria for assessment and placement of students who are eligible for initial public school enrollment in first grade
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hb1048
cite_as: HB 1048, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1048
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1048.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1048/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72385
date: 2026-01-29
status: introduced
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13
license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 129
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1048.md?full=1
bill_number: HB 1048
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2026-01-27
last_action: House Second Readers
sponsors:
  - Scott Hilton
  - Chuck Efstration
  - Jan Jones
  - Sandy Donatucci
  - Matt Reeves
  - Reynaldo Martinez
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB1048/2025
upstream_id: 2095070
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
  - kindergarten enrollment
  - first grade readiness
  - public school policy
  - student placement
  - education law
---

# HB 1048. Quality Basic Education Act; State Board adopt criteria for assessment and placement of students who are eligible for initial public school enrollment in first grade

## Text

House Bill 1048
By: Representatives Hilton of the 48th, Efstration of the 104th, Jones of the 47th, Donatucci
of the 105th, Reeves of the 99th, and others
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, the
"Quality Basic Education Act," so as to require the State Board of Education to adopt criteria
for assessment and placement of students who are eligible for initial public school enrollment
in first grade; to provide for parents and guardians of such students to elect for their children
to be enrolled in kindergarten rather than first grade; to require the State Board of Education
to adopt a model policy; to require local boards of education and other public school
governing bodies to adopt placement and promotion policies; to provide for implementation;
to provide for construction; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date and
applicability; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, the "Quality
Basic Education Act," is amended in Part 3, relating to educational programs, by revising
Code Section 20-2-151, relating to general and career education programs, purpose, and
authorized programs, as follows:
"20-2-151.
(a) The primary purpose for the general and career education programs is to provide the
children and youth of Georgia with a quality opportunity to master uniformly sequenced
content standards adopted by the State Board of Education.
(b) The following general and career education programs are authorized for purposes of
funding under this article:
(1)(A) All local school systems may offer a full-day kindergarten program. For
purposes of this subsection, the term 'full-day kindergarten program' means a student
is provided classroom instruction for a minimum of four and one-half hours daily for
a 180 day school year, or the equivalent thereof as determined in accordance with State
Board of Education guidelines.
(B) It is the policy of this state that the purposes of the kindergarten program shall be
to provide all children with an equal opportunity to become prepared for a successful
first grade experience and to acquire the foundation for academic progress throughout
the students' educational careers. To be eligible for enrollment in a state supported
kindergarten program, a child must attain the age of five by September 1, except as
otherwise provided by subsection (b) of Code Section 20-2-150;
(2) It is the policy of this state that the purpose of the primary grades program shall be
mastery by enrolled students of the essential basic skills and knowledge which will
enable them to achieve more advanced skills and knowledge offered at the higher grade
levels. For purposes of funding under this article, the primary grades program shall
include grades one, two, and three. To be eligible for enrollment in the first grade of a
state supported primary grades program, a child must attain the age of six by
September 1, except as otherwise provided by subsection (b) of Code Section 20-2-150.
The State Board of Education shall adopt an instrument or instruments, procedures, and
policies necessary to assess the first grade readiness of children enrolled in Georgia's
public school kindergarten programs pursuant to Code Section 20-2-281. Readiness
information obtained by the instrument or instruments adopted by the state board shall
be used by local school systems in concert with teacher recommendations and other
relevant information to make appropriate student grade placement decisions. The
Department of Education shall develop guidelines for utilization of the instrument or
instruments in grade placement decisions and shall provide such guidelines to local
school systems. The guidelines shall include information pertinent to consideration of
the placement of students who have been identified as being disabled or
limited-English-proficient. Whenever the decision is made not to promote a child to the
first grade, the local school system shall document the reasons for the decision not to
promote, according to guidelines established by the board. The State School
Superintendent may annually provide a report summarizing the results of the readiness
of first grade Georgia public school kindergarten children. No student shall remain in
kindergarten for more than two years;
(3) It is the policy of this state that the primary purposes of the middle grades program
shall be assuring the mastery of essential basic skills and knowledge, assisting students
in the transition from childhood to adolescence, and preparing students for the selection
of programs and courses consistent with their abilities and interests when they enter high
school, as well as providing an opportunity for mastery of essential but more advanced
skills and knowledge. For purposes of funding under this article, the middle grades
program shall include grades four, five, six, seven, and eight; and
(4)(A) It is the policy of this state that the primary purposes of the high school
programs shall be to prepare students for the continuation of their education beyond
high school and for entry into their chosen career fields as well as to prepare them to
take their places in society as young adults. The following high school programs for
grades nine, ten, 11, and 12 are authorized for purposes of funding under this article:
(i) The high school education program; and
(ii) The career, technical, and agricultural education laboratory program.
(B) As a reflection of the reduced teacher-student ratios and more extensive material
and equipment needed for effective laboratory courses compared to courses with no or
only limited laboratory experiences, the career, technical, and agricultural education
laboratory program shall be funded at a higher level than the high school general
education program. The state board shall adopt criteria which courses must meet in
order to qualify for the career, technical, and agricultural education laboratory program.
<ins>(c) Nothing in this Code section or in Code Section 20-2-150 shall be construed or applied
by a local unit of administration to support any policy or practice of enrolling a student in
a state supported kindergarten program or the first grade of a state supported primary
grades program exclusively on the basis of such student's age or date of birth."
</ins> SECTION 2.
Said article is further amended in Part 12, relating to effectiveness of educational programs,
by revising subsection (a) and adding a new subsection to Code Section 20-2-283, relating
to criteria, specific requirements for students in grades three, five, and eight, and
implementation, to read as follows:
"(a) No later than <del>January 1, 2002</del> <ins>July 1, 2026,</ins> the State Board of Education shall adopt
criteria for the development of a placement and promotion policy by each local board of
education consistent with the Georgia Academic Placement and Promotion Policy."
<ins>"(b.1) Such criteria as adopted by the State Board of Education shall require the following
for each student enrolling in a state supported education program for the first time who, by
virtue of his or her age and date of birth, is eligible for enrollment in the first grade of a
state supported primary grades program pursuant to Code Section 20-2-150 or 20-2-151:
(1) Each such student shall be assessed for first grade readiness by the local school
system or public school utilizing the instrument or instruments, procedures, and policies
adopted by the State Board of Education in concert with teacher recommendations and
</ins>
<ins>other relevant information to make an appropriate student grade enrollment decision as
provided for in Code Section 20-2-151; and
(2) Notwithstanding the results of the assessment provided for in paragraph (1) of this
subsection, each such student shall be enrolled in a state supported kindergarten program
at the request of his or her parent or guardian."
</ins> SECTION 3.
Said part is further amended by revising Code Section 20-2-284, relating to criteria for local
boards of education and model placement and promotion policy, as follows:
"20-2-284.
(a) No later than <del>July 1, 2003</del> <ins>July 15, 2026,</ins> each local board of education <ins>and other public
school governing body</ins> shall develop and adopt a placement and promotion policy in
accordance with the criteria established by the State Board of Education as provided in
Code Section 20-2-283 and consistent with the Georgia Academic Placement and
Promotion Policy.
(b) Except for those end-of-grade assessments specified in Code Section 20-2-283, the
placement and promotion policy as developed and adopted by each local board of
education <ins>and other public school governing body</ins> shall state how the end-of-grade
assessments administered under Code Section 20-2-281 for grades one through eight will
be weighted or otherwise utilized by the school principal or the principal's designee in
determining the overall academic achievement of a student and an appropriate plan of
accelerated, differentiated, or additional instruction, placement, promotion, or retention of
a student.
(c) To assist each local board of education <ins>and other public school governing bodies,</ins> the
State Board of Education shall develop <ins>by no later than July 1, 2026,</ins> a model placement
and promotion policy which may be utilized by <del>a</del> local <del>board</del> <ins>boards</ins> of education <ins>and other
public school governing bodies."
</ins>
SECTION 4.
Said part is further amended by revising Code Section 20-2-285, relating to timetable for
implementation of policy, as follows:
"20-2-285.
The State Board of Education shall provide for a timetable of implementation of this Code
section and the Georgia Academic Placement and Promotion Policy which shall include:
(1) The third grade beginning with the 2003-2004 school year;
(2) The fifth grade beginning with the 2004-2005 school year; <del>and
</del> (3) The eighth grade beginning with the 2005-2006 school year; <ins>and
(4) Kindergarten and first grade beginning with the 2026-2027 school year."
</ins> SECTION 5.
This Act shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its becoming law
without such approval, and shall apply to all school years beginning with the 2026-2027
school year.
SECTION 6.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.

## Summaries written by Georgia Commons

The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the bill. Quote the text, not the summary.

A Georgia House bill would require the State Board of Education to set statewide criteria for assessing whether children starting public school are ready for first grade, while guaranteeing parents can choose kindergarten instead regardless of the results.

### Plain-language summary

Under current Georgia law, a child who turns six by September 1 is eligible to enroll directly in first grade, but there is no statewide system for checking whether that child is actually ready. This bill amends the Quality Basic Education Act (O.C.G.A. Title 20, Chapter 2, Article 6) to require the State Board of Education to adopt an assessment and placement process for these students, using readiness testing along with teacher recommendations and other information.
The bill guarantees that no matter what the assessment shows, a parent or guardian can still choose to enroll their child in kindergarten rather than first grade. It also moves up deadlines for local school boards to adopt placement and promotion policies, requires the state to build a model policy by July 1, 2026, and adds kindergarten and first grade to the statewide implementation timetable starting in the 2026-2027 school year. The law would take effect as soon as the Governor signs it and would apply beginning with that school year.

### What it does

- Requires the State Board of Education to adopt criteria and an assessment instrument to judge first grade readiness for children eligible for initial enrollment.
- Guarantees that a parent or guardian can enroll their age-eligible child in kindergarten instead of first grade no matter what the readiness assessment shows.
- Bars local school systems from placing a student in kindergarten or first grade based solely on the student's age or birth date.
- Moves the State Board's deadline for adopting placement and promotion criteria from January 1, 2002 to July 1, 2026, and requires a model policy by that date.
- Requires local boards of education and other public school governing bodies to adopt their own placement and promotion policies by July 15, 2026.
- Adds kindergarten and first grade to the state's academic placement and promotion implementation timetable starting with the 2026-2027 school year.

### Who it affects

Parents and guardians of children entering public school for the first time, especially those eligible for first grade by age; local boards of education and other public school governing bodies, which must adopt new placement policies; the State Board of Education and Department of Education, which must build assessment criteria and a model policy; and kindergarten and first grade teachers and students.

### Why it matters

Families of incoming students would gain a guaranteed choice to start their child in kindergarten even if a readiness test suggests first grade, while schools would face new state deadlines to build and follow formal placement criteria instead of relying only on a child's age or birth date.

### Key provisions

- Section 1 revises O.C.G.A. § 20-2-151 to require state-adopted readiness assessment tools and bars enrollment decisions based solely on a student's age or date of birth.
- Section 2 amends O.C.G.A. § 20-2-283 to move the State Board's criteria-adoption deadline to July 1, 2026, and adds a new subsection requiring first grade readiness assessment plus a parental override guaranteeing kindergarten enrollment.
- Section 3 amends O.C.G.A. § 20-2-284 to move local boards' placement policy deadline to July 15, 2026, and extends the requirement to other public school governing bodies, with a state model policy due by July 1, 2026.
- Section 4 amends O.C.G.A. § 20-2-285 to add kindergarten and first grade to the statewide implementation timetable starting with the 2026-2027 school year.
- Section 5 sets the effective date as the date of the Governor's approval, applying to school years beginning with 2026-2027.

## Status

- Status: Introduced (2026-01-27)
- Last action: House Second Readers (2026-01-29)
- Sponsors: Scott Hilton, Chuck Efstration, Jan Jones, Sandy Donatucci, Matt Reeves, Reynaldo Martinez
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72385

> The history, votes, and amendments (129 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1048.md?full=1