HB 23: Student Success and Progress Act; enact

Georgia runs an early intervention program for students in kindergarten through fifth grade who are behind academically, and a separate program (ESOL) for students still learning English. Current law requires schools to notify parents and offer a conference when a child is placed in the early intervention program, but it does not require ongoing updates on how the child is doing once enrolled. This bill, called the Student Success and Progress Act, changes both programs. Schools would have to give parents or guardians a written report on their child's academic performance and progress in the early intervention program at least twice each semester, and do the same for students in the ESOL program. The bill also directs the Department of Education to work with the Professional Standards Commission to improve teacher training specifically focused on early intervention and on supporting students who are still learning English. Minor wording updates are also made to the existing code sections.

• Requires schools to give parents or guardians of early intervention students a progress report on academic performance at least twice each semester.
• Requires schools to give parents or guardians of English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) program students a similar progress report at least twice each semester.
• Directs the Department of Education to work with the Professional Standards Commission to improve teacher training focused on early intervention.
• Directs the Department of Education to work with the Professional Standards Commission to improve teacher training focused on supporting limited-English-proficient students.
• Makes small technical wording changes to the early intervention and ESOL sections of Georgia's Quality Basic Education Act, such as clarifying grade ranges and terminology.

Parents and guardians of students in the early intervention program (grades kindergarten through five) and the ESOL program, the students themselves, local school systems and teachers who must produce and deliver the reports, and the Department of Education and Professional Standards Commission, which must revise teacher training.

Parents would get regular, required updates on how their child is doing in these support programs rather than relying on informal communication, letting them track progress and raise concerns sooner. Teachers would also receive updated training aimed at these specific student populations.

• Section 1 names the bill the 'Student Success and Progress Act.'
• Section 2 amends O.C.G.A. § 20-2-153 to require schools to report on early intervention students' academic performance and progress to parents or guardians at least twice each semester.
• Section 2 also adds a new subsection (g) requiring the Department of Education to collaborate with the Professional Standards Commission on teacher training for early intervention.
• Section 3 amends O.C.G.A. § 20-2-156 to add a new subsection (b) requiring similar twice-a-semester progress reports for parents or guardians of ESOL students.
• Section 3 also adds subsection (c) requiring collaboration between the Department of Education and the Professional Standards Commission to improve teacher training for supporting limited-English-proficient students.
• Section 4 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2025-02-11House Withdrawn Bill/Res Consideration (House)
2. 2025-01-15House Second Readers (House)
3. 2025-01-14House First Readers (House)
4. 2025-01-13House Hopper (House)

• Sandra Scott (D, HD-076)Primary sponsor
• Kim Schofield (D, HD-063)
• Viola Davis (D, HD-087)

• public schools
• early intervention program
• English language learners
• teacher training
• parent notification