HB 517: Student Success Support Act; enact

Georgia already runs a remedial education program under the state's Quality Basic Education Act, which is the law setting minimum standards and funding formulas for K-12 schools. This bill adds a new grant program to that law. It directs the State Board of Education to set up a system providing up to a total of $3 million per school year in grants to local school systems and individual public schools. The money would pay for extra literacy and math help for students in kindergarten through 12th grade who attend a school that ranked in the bottom five percent of all Georgia public schools, based on state ratings from the two most recent school years available. The grants depend on the legislature actually appropriating (setting aside) the funding, and the bill also gives itself a short title, the 'Student Success Support Act.'

• Adds a new grant program to Georgia's remedial education law (O.C.G.A. § 20-2-154) for struggling readers and math students.
• Caps the program at up to $3 million total per school year, and only if the legislature separately approves that funding.
• Directs grants to local school systems and public schools, not directly to families or students.
• Limits eligibility to K-12 students attending public schools that ranked in the bottom five percent statewide over the two most recent rated school years.
• Gives the State Board of Education responsibility for designing and running the grant program.
• Names the bill the 'Student Success Support Act' as its official short title.

Students in kindergarten through 12th grade who attend Georgia's lowest performing five percent of public schools, along with the local school systems and school staff who would apply for and administer the grants, and the State Board of Education, which must set up the program.

Schools identified as among the state's worst performers could get extra state money specifically for reading and math help, potentially reaching students who are furthest behind academically. Because funding depends on future budget appropriations, the actual amount and timing of help schools receive is not guaranteed by this bill alone.

• Section 1 gives the bill its short title, the 'Student Success Support Act.'
• Section 2 amends O.C.G.A. § 20-2-154 by adding subsection (c), creating the grant program 'subject to appropriations,' meaning it only exists if lawmakers fund it in the budget.
• Section 2 caps total grant funding at $3 million per school year, distributed to local school systems and public schools.
• Section 2 restricts eligible schools to those rated in the bottom five percent of all Georgia public schools under the ratings system in O.C.G.A. § 20-14-33, based on the two most recent rated school years.
• Section 3 repeals any conflicting laws, a standard clause clearing away inconsistent existing statutes.

1. 2025-02-21House Second Readers (House)
2. 2025-02-20House First Readers (House)
3. 2025-02-19House Hopper (House)

• Bryce Berry (D, HD-056)Primary sponsor
• Bethany Ballard (R, HD-147)
• Phil Olaleye (D, HD-059)
• Gerald Greene (R, HD-154)
• Leesa Hagan (R, HD-156)
• Miriam Paris (D, HD-142)

• public education funding
• literacy and math help
• low performing schools
• remedial education
• K-12 schools