HB 1366: Georgia Teacher Retention Scholarship Act; enact

Georgia currently has several state scholarship and grant programs run by the Georgia Student Finance Authority, but none specifically for the children of long-serving public school teachers. This bill, called the Georgia Teacher Retention Scholarship Act, would add a new program letting the Authority award scholarships covering tuition to eligible students whose parent is a public school teacher with at least ten years of teaching experience in Georgia. To qualify, a student must be the natural or adopted child of such a teacher, meet existing academic and residency requirements used for other state scholarships, be enrolled as an undergraduate in a matriculated program at a University System of Georgia school or a Technical College System of Georgia unit, not already hold a bachelor's or first professional degree, and not have attempted 190 or more quarter hours (127 or more semester hours) of coursework. The scholarship amounts and whether they are paid at all depend on the General Assembly appropriating money for the program each year. The law would take effect July 1, 2026, applying to the 2026-2027 academic year onward.

• Creates a new Georgia Teacher Retention Scholarship administered by the Georgia Student Finance Authority to pay tuition for eligible students.
• Limits eligibility to children (natural or adopted) of public school teachers who have taught in Georgia public schools for at least ten years.
• Requires recipients to be enrolled undergraduates in good academic standing at a University System of Georgia school or Technical College System of Georgia unit.
• Caps eligibility once a student has already earned a bachelor's or first professional degree, or has attempted 190+ quarter hours or 127+ semester hours of coursework.
• Makes the scholarship's funding and payment amounts contingent on the General Assembly appropriating (setting aside) money for it each year.
• Sets an effective date of July 1, 2026, applying to the 2026-2027 academic year and beyond.

Children of Georgia public school teachers with ten or more years of teaching experience, students at University System of Georgia institutions and Technical College System of Georgia units, and the Georgia Student Finance Authority, which would design and administer the new scholarship program.

If funded, the scholarship could reduce college costs for families of veteran Georgia public school teachers, potentially serving as an incentive for teachers to stay in the profession longer. Because payment depends on yearly state funding decisions, whether and how much students actually receive could vary from year to year.

• Section 2 adds a new Code Section 20-3-467 defining key terms like 'public school teacher,' 'eligible postsecondary institution,' and 'matriculated status' by reference to existing Georgia scholarship law.
• Subsection (b) authorizes the Authority to award scholarships up to the amount of a student's tuition, but only if the General Assembly appropriates funding for the program.
• Subsection (c) sets five eligibility requirements, including that the applicant's parent must have taught in a Georgia public school for at least ten years.
• Subsection (c)(5) bars eligibility for students who have already attempted 190 or more quarter hours or 127 or more semester hours at any postsecondary institution.
• Subsection (d) requires eligible students to apply in writing and allows renewal only if the recipient completed the prior term's work and remains qualified.
• Subsection (e) gives the Authority power to write rules and procedures for administering the scholarship and determining eligibility.
• Section 3 sets the effective date as July 1, 2026, applying starting with the 2026-2027 academic year.
• Section 4 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2026-02-20House Second Readers (House)
2. 2026-02-19House First Readers (House)
3. 2026-02-18House Hopper (House)

• Doreen Carter (D, HD-093)Primary sponsor
• Michael Smith (D, HD-041)
• Samuel Park (D, HD-107)
• Stacey Evans (D, HD-057)
• Lydia Glaize (D, HD-067)
• Phil Olaleye (D, HD-059)

• teacher retention
• college scholarships
• education funding
• public school teachers
• higher education