---
title: HB 437. State Board of Education; establish rules and regulations for local school system outreach efforts regarding ESOL program; require
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hb437
cite_as: HB 437, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb437
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb437.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb437/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70296
date: 2025-02-18
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.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb436.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb438.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md
omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 129
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb437.md?full=1
bill_number: HB 437
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2025-02-12
last_action: House Second Readers
sponsors:
- Marvin Lim
- Charles Cannon
- Soo Hong
- Phil Olaleye
- Matt Reeves
- Karen Lupton
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB437/2025
upstream_id: 1968100
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- ESOL program
- English language learners
- school interpreters
- parent communication
- public schools
---
# HB 437. State Board of Education; establish rules and regulations for local school system outreach efforts regarding ESOL program; require
## Text
House Bill 437
By: Representatives Lim of the 98th, Cannon of the 172nd, Hong of the 103rd, Olaleye of the
59th, Reeves of the 99th, and others
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Part 3 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia
Annotated, relating to educational programs under the "Quality Basic Education Act," so as
to require the State Board of Education to establish rules and regulations for local school
system outreach efforts regarding the English for speakers of other languages (ESOL)
program; to require local school systems to engage in such community outreach efforts; to
provide for standards for foreign language interpreters providing services to students in
educational settings; to require local school systems to provide certain information to
limited-English-proficient parents and guardians regarding their children; to provide for
interpreter services; to provide for meetings of school representatives with
limited-English-proficient parents and guardians regarding their children; to provide for
related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Part 3 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,
relating to educational programs under the "Quality Basic Education Act," is amended by
revising Code Section 20-2-156, relating to program for limited-English-proficient students,
as follows:
"20-2-156.
(a) The State Board of Education shall create a program for limited-English-proficient
students whose native language is not English, subject to appropriation by the General
Assembly. The purpose of this program is to assist such students to develop proficiency
in the English language, including listening, speaking, reading, and writing, sufficient to
perform effectively at the currently assigned grade level. The state board shall prescribe
such rules and regulations regarding eligibility criteria and standards as may be needed to
carry out the provisions of this Code section. The state board shall also prescribe rules and
regulations regarding community outreach efforts by local school systems to ensure that
limited-English-proficient students and their parents and guardians are provided
information regarding the program. This program may also be referred to as the English
for speakers of other languages (ESOL) program.
(b) The State Board of Education shall establish standards for foreign language interpreters
working with students in educational settings. Such standards shall include, but shall not
be limited to:
(1) Demonstrated proficiency in English and the target language in listening, speaking,
and reading domains; and
(2) Familiarity with legal concepts related to and service requirements of Part B of the
federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 of the federal
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as well as standards for the use of remote interpreter services,
including, but not limited to, the conditions under which remote interpreter services may
be used to provide high-quality interpreter services.
(c) Each local school system shall provide to limited-English-proficient parents and
guardians, in a language easily understood by such parents and guardians, information
regarding their children relative to the following:
(1) School registration, enrollment, and withdrawal;
(2) Grievance procedures;
(3) Notices of all school programs, including, but not limited to, talented and gifted
programs, early intervention programs, special education programs, art and music
programs, and athletic programs;
(4) Student discipline policies and procedures, student codes of conduct, handbooks, and
similar materials;
(5) Report cards;
(6) Language assistance programs;
(7) School choice opportunities; and
(8) Parent-teacher conferences.
(d) Each local school system shall provide to limited-English-proficient parents and
guardians in a language easily understood by such parents and guardians, regarding their
children:
(1) Information regarding the availability of interpretation services at any meeting with
school representatives;
(2) An explanation of how parents or guardians can request an interpreter;
(3) Notice that a parent or guardian has the right to request that the interpreter serve no
other role in the meeting than as an interpreter, and that the local school system should
make reasonable efforts to fulfill this request; and
(4) A point of contact to address any questions or complaints about interpretation
services.
(e) For each meeting a school representative has with limited-English-proficient parents
and guardians regarding their children, the recorded minutes of such meeting shall reflect:
(1) Whether a parent or guardian requested an interpreter, had previously requested
interpretation services, or had otherwise indicated that an interpreter was necessary to
ensure meaningful parental or guardian involvement in the meeting;
(2) The language for interpretation;
(3) Whether a qualified interpreter was provided or a parent or guardian provided an
interpreter of his or her own choosing; and
(4) Whether a parent or guardian requested that the interpreter serve no other role in the
IEP meeting and, if so, whether the local school district granted such request.
(f) Each local school system shall engage in community outreach efforts directed toward
limited-English-proficient students and their parents and guardians. Such efforts shall
comply with the rules and regulations prescribed by the State Board of Education pursuant
to subsection (a) of this Code section."
SECTION 2.
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 rules for how local school systems reach out to English-language-learner families and would set new interpreter and communication standards for those families.
### Plain-language summary
Georgia law already directs the State Board of Education to run a program helping students who are not native English speakers, often called the ESOL program (English for speakers of other languages). This bill expands that law (O.C.G.A. § 20-2-156) by requiring the state board to write rules for how local school systems do community outreach to make sure limited-English-proficient students and their families know about the program.
The bill also sets statewide standards for interpreters who work with students, covering language proficiency and knowledge of special education law. It requires local school systems to give limited-English-proficient parents translated information about things like enrollment, discipline policies, report cards, and parent-teacher conferences, and to offer interpreters at meetings. Meeting minutes would have to record whether an interpreter was requested and provided. There is no separate effective date listed, so the changes would take effect as usual for enacted legislation.
### What it does
- Requires the State Board of Education to create rules for local school systems' outreach efforts to limited-English-proficient students and families.
- Sets state standards for foreign language interpreters working with students, including language proficiency and familiarity with special education law.
- Requires local school systems to give limited-English-proficient parents translated information on enrollment, discipline, grades, and school programs.
- Requires schools to offer interpreter services at meetings and let parents request that the interpreter not take on any other role.
- Requires meeting minutes to document whether an interpreter was requested, what language was used, and whether the request was granted.
- Requires every local school system to actively engage in community outreach to limited-English-proficient families, following the state board's rules.
### Who it affects
Limited-English-proficient students and their parents or guardians, local school systems and their staff, foreign language interpreters working in schools, and the State Board of Education, which must write new rules and standards under this bill.
### Why it matters
Families who do not speak English fluently would get clearer access to information about their children's schooling, from enrollment to discipline to gifted programs, and a documented right to interpreter help at meetings, changing how schools communicate with these families day to day.
### Key provisions
- Section 1 amends O.C.G.A. § 20-2-156 to add subsection (a) language requiring the state board to prescribe outreach rules for local school systems regarding the ESOL program.
- New subsection (b) requires the state board to set interpreter standards covering English and target-language proficiency and knowledge of IDEA Part B and Section 504 requirements.
- New subsection (c) lists specific topics, such as registration, discipline policies, and report cards, that must be translated for limited-English-proficient parents.
- New subsection (d) requires notice of interpreter availability, how to request one, and a right to limit the interpreter's role in meetings.
- New subsection (e) requires meeting minutes to record interpreter requests, language used, and whether a qualified interpreter was provided.
- New subsection (f) requires local school systems to conduct community outreach to limited-English-proficient families consistent with the state board's rules.
- Section 2 repeals conflicting laws.
## Status
- Status: Introduced (2025-02-12)
- Last action: House Second Readers (2025-02-18)
- Sponsors: Marvin Lim, Charles Cannon, Soo Hong, Phil Olaleye, Matt Reeves, Karen Lupton
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70296
> The history, votes, and amendments (129 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb437.md?full=1