House Bill 48
By: Representatives Davis of the 87th, Scott of the 76th, and Schofield of the 63rd
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 establish the Refugee and International Students
Equalization (RISE) program to provide for funding and wraparound services for eligible
students; to provide for the definition of "international student"; to establish a program
weight and teacher-student ratio for the RISE program in the QBE funding formula; 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 by adding a new Code section to read as follows:
<ins>"20-2-156.1.
(a)(1) As used in this Code section, the term 'international student' means any school-age
child, regardless of his or her citizenship or immigration status, who:
(A) Was born outside of the United States;
(B) Currently resides in this state;
</ins>
<ins>(C) Is currently enrolled in a public school in this state; and
(D) Within the previous 36 months, enrolled for the first time in a public school in this
state.
(2) Such term shall include, but shall not be limited to, unaccompanied alien, asylum
seeking, and refugee children, as defined under federal immigration law, who meet the
criteria set forth in subparagraphs (A) through (D) of paragraph (1) of this subsection.
(b) The State Board of Education shall create a program for international students, subject
to appropriation by the General Assembly. The purpose of such program is to provide
wraparound services, including education, housing, medical, counseling, nutrition, and
transportation services, directly to international students to support such students'
elementary and secondary education. The State Board of Education shall prescribe such
rules and regulations regarding eligibility criteria and standards as may be needed to carry
out the provisions of this Code section. This program may also be referred to as the
Refugee and International Students Equalization (RISE) program."
</ins> SECTION 2.
Said article is further amended in Code Section 20-2-161, relating to the Quality Basic
Education Formula, by revising subsection (b) as follows:
"(b) As the cost of instructional programs varies depending upon the teacher-student ratios
and specific services typically required to address the special needs of students enrolled,
state authorized instructional programs shall have the following program weights and
teacher-student ratios:
(1) Kindergarten program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.6901
weight and
1 to 15
ratio
(2) Kindergarten early intervention program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.0951
weight and
1 to 11
ratio
(3) Primary grades program (1-3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.3029
weight and
1 to 17
ratio
(4) Primary grades early intervention program (1-3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.8388
weight and
1 to 11
ratio
(5) Upper elementary grades program (4-5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.0417
weight and
1 to 23
ratio
(6) Upper elementary grades early intervention program (4-5) . . . . . . . . . 1.8340
weight and
1 to 11
ratio
(7) Middle school program (6-8) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.1439
weight and
1 to 20
ratio
(8) High school general education program (9-12) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.0000
weight and
1 to 23
ratio
(9) Career, technical, and agricultural education
laboratory program (9-12) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.1762
weight and
1 to 20
ratio
(10) Program for persons with disabilities:
Category I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.4763
weight and
1 to 8
ratio
(11) Program for persons with disabilities:
Category II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.9213
weight and
1 to 6.5
ratio
(12) Program for persons with disabilities:
Category III . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.7151
weight and
1 to 5
ratio
(13) Program for persons with disabilities:
Category IV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.0106
weight and
1 to 3
ratio
(14) Program for persons with disabilities:
Category V . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.5307
weight and
1 to 8
ratio
(15) Program for intellectually gifted students:
Category VI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.7340
weight and
1 to 12
ratio
(16) Remedial education program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.3698
weight and
1 to 15
ratio
(17) Alternative education program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.5026
weight and
1 to 15
ratio
(18) English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) program . . . . . . . . . 2.6313
weight and
1 to 7
ratio
<ins>(19) Refugee and International Students Equalization (RISE) program . . . 1.2000
weight and
1 to 7
ratio"
</ins> SECTION 3.
This Act shall become effective July 1, 2025, and shall be applicable beginning in
the 2026-2027 school year and each school year thereafter.
SECTION 4.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.