--- title: HB 740. Stop Social Promotion Act; enact collection: bills id: 2025-2026/hb740 cite_as: HB 740, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb740 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb740.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb740/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/71218 date: 2025-03-11 status: introduced corpus_version: bills-2026-09-11 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/hb739.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb741.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 129 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb740.md?full=1 bill_number: HB 740 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: House bill_type: bill status_date: 2025-03-06 last_action: House Second Readers sponsors: - Sandra Scott - Viola Davis - Kim Schofield text_version: Introduced has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB740/2025 upstream_id: 1994322 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - grade retention - kindergarten policy - public schools - reading assessments - Georgia education law --- # HB 740. Stop Social Promotion Act; enact ## Text 25 LC 61 9002 House Bill 740 By: Representatives Scott of the 76th, Davis of the 87th, 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, the1 "Quality Basic Education Act," so as to provide for development of promotional standards2 and criteria for first grade readiness by the Department of Edu cation; to provide for3 placement and promotion policies for kindergarten and grades one and two; to provide for4 a timetable for implementation; to provide a short title; to pr ovide for related matters; to5 repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.6 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:7 SECTION 1.8 This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Stop Social Promotion Act."9 SECTION 2.10 Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Geor gia Annotated, the "Quality11 Basic Education Act," is amended in Code Section 20-2-151, relating to general and career12 education programs, purpose, and au thorized programs, by revisi ng paragraph (2) of13 subsection (b) as follows:14 H. B. 740 - 1 - 25 LC 61 9002 "(2) It is the policy of this state that the purpose of the primary grades program shall be15 mastery by enrolled students of the essential basic skills and knowledge which will16 enable them to achieve more advanced skills and knowledge offered at the higher grade17 levels. For purposes of funding under this article, the primar y grades program shall18 include grades one, two, and three. To be eligible for enrollment in the first grade of a19 state supported primary grades program, a child must attain the age of six by September20 1, except as otherwise provided by subsection (b) of Code Section 20-2-150. The State21 Board of Education shall adopt an instrument or instruments, pr ocedures, and policies22 necessary to assess the first grade readiness of children enrol led in Georgia's public23 school kindergarten programs pursuant to Code Section 20-2-281. Readiness information24 obtained by the instrument or instruments adopted by the state board shall be used by25 local school systems in concert with teacher recommendations an d other relevant26 information to make appropriate student grade placement decisions. The Department of27 Education shall develop guidelines for utilization of the instr ument or instruments in28 grade placement decisions and shall provide such guidelines to local school systems. 29 Readiness information obtained by the instrument or instruments adopted by the state30 board shall be used by the Department of Education to develop p romotional standards31 and criteria for first grade readiness. Such promotional stand ards and criteria shall be32 provided to local school systems. The guidelines promotional standards and criteria shall33 include information pertinent to consideration of the placement of students who have34 been identified as being disabled or limited-English-proficient. Whenever the decision35 is made not to promote a child to the first grade, the local school system shall document36 the reasons for the decision not to promote, according to guide lines promotional37 standards and criteria established by the board Department of Education . The State38 School Superintendent may annually provide a report summarizing the results of the39 readiness of first grade Georgia public school kindergarten chi ldren. No student shall40 remain in kindergarten for more than two years;"41 H. B. 740 - 2 - 25 LC 61 9002 SECTION 3.42 Said article is further amended in Part 12, relating to the eff ectiveness of educational43 programs, by revising Code Section 20-2-283, relating to criteria, specific requirements for44 students in grades three, five, and eight, and implementation, as follows:45 "20-2-283.46 (a)(1) No later than January 1, 2002, the State Board of Education shall adopt criteria for47 the development of a placement and promotion policy by each local board of education48 consistent with the Georgia Academic Placement and Promotion Policy with respect to49 grades three, five, and eight.50 (2) No later than January 1, 2026, the State Board of Education shall adopt criteria for51 the development of a placement and promotion policy by each local board of education52 consistent with the Georgia Academic Placement and Promotion Policy with respect to53 kindergarten and grades one and two.54 (b) Such criteria as adopted by the State Board of Education shall require the following for55 students in kindergarten and grades one, two, three, five, and eight:56 (1) No student shall be promoted, except as provided in this Code section, to:57 (A) The first grade program to which the student would otherwise be assigned if the58 student does not meet the promotional standards and criteria fo r first grade readiness59 developed by the Department of Education in accordance with Code Section 20-2-151;60 (B) The second grade program to which the student would otherwise be assigned if the61 student does not achieve grade level as defined by the Office of Student Achievement62 in accordance with Code Section 20-14-31 on the first grade end -of-grade reading63 assessment developed in accordance with subsection (a) of Code Section 20-2-281 and64 meet the promotional standards and criteria established by the State Board of Education65 and by the local school board for the school that the student attends;66 (C) The third grade program to which the student would otherwise be assigned if the67 student does not achieve grade level as defined by the Office of Student Achievement68 H. B. 740 - 3 - 25 LC 61 9002 in accordance with Code Section 20-14-31 on the second grade end-of-grade reading69 assessment developed in accordance with subsection (a) of Code Section 20-2-281 and70 meet the promotional standards and criteria established by the State Board of Education71 and by the local school board for the school that the student attends;72 (A)(D) The fourth grade program to which the student would otherwise be assigned if73 the student does not achieve grade level as defined by the Offi ce of Student74 Achievement in accordance with Code Section 20-14-31 on the thi rd grade75 end-of-grade reading assessment developed in accordance with subsection (a) of Code76 Section 20-2-281 and meet the promotional standards and criteri a established by the77 State Board of Education and by the local school board for the school that the student78 attends;79 (B)(E) The sixth grade program to which the student would otherwise be assigned if80 the student does not achieve grade level as defined by the Offi ce of Student81 Achievement in accordance with Code Section 20-14-31 on the fifth grade end-of-grade82 mathematics assessment and fifth grade end-of-grade reading assessment developed in83 accordance with subsection (a) of Code Section 20-2-281 and mee t the promotional84 standards and criteria established by the State Board of Educat ion and by the local85 school board for the school that the student attends; or86 (C)(F) The ninth grade program to which the student would otherwise be assigned if87 the student does not achieve grade level as defined by the Offi ce of Student88 Achievement in accordance with Code Section 20-14-31 on the eig hth grade89 end-of-grade mathematics assessment and eighth grade end-of-gra de reading90 assessment developed in accordance with subsection (a) of Code Section 20-2-281 and91 meet the promotional standards and criteria established by the State Board of Education92 and by the local school board for the school that the student attends;93 (2) When a student does not perform at grade level on any end- of-grade assessment94 specified in paragraph (1) of this subsection, then the following shall occur:95 H. B. 740 - 4 - 25 LC 61 9002 (A) The parent or guardian of the student shall be notified in writing by first-class mail96 by the school principal or such official's designee regarding the student's performance97 below grade level on the assessment instrument, the retest to be given the student, the98 accelerated, differentiated, or additional instruction program to which the student is99 assigned, and the possibility that the student might be retained at the same grade level100 for the next school year;101 (B) The student shall be retested with an end-of-grade assessm ent or an alternative102 assessment instrument that is appropriate for the student's grade level as provided for103 by the State Board of Education and the local board of education; and104 (C) The student shall be given an opportunity for accelerated, differentiated, or105 additional instruction in the applicable subject; and106 (3) When a student does not perform at grade level on any end- of-grade assessment107 specified in paragraph (1) of this subsection and also does not perform at grade level on108 a second additional opportunity as provided for in paragraph (2) of this subsection, then109 the following shall occur:110 (A) The school principal or the principal's designee shall retain the student for the next111 school year except as otherwise provided in this subsection;112 (B) The school principal or the principal's designee shall notify in writing by first-class113 mail the parent or guardian of the student and the teacher rega rding the decision to114 retain the student. The noti ce shall describe the option of th e parent, guardian, or115 teacher to appeal the decision to retain the student and shall further describe the116 composition and functions of the placement committee as provide d for in this117 subsection, including the requirement that a decision to promote the student must be a118 unanimous decision of the committee;119 (C) If the parent, guardian, or teacher appeals the decision to retain the student, then120 the school principal or designee shall establish a placement committee composed of the121 principal or the principal's designee, the student's parent or guardian, and the teacher122 H. B. 740 - 5 - 25 LC 61 9002 of the subject of the assessment instrument on which the studen t failed to perform at123 grade level and shall notify in writing by first-class mail the parent or guardian of the124 time and place for convening the placement committee;125 (D) The placement committee shall:126 (i) Review the overall academic achievement of the student in light of the127 performance on the end-of-grade assessment and the standards and criteria as adopted128 by the local board of education and make a determination to pro mote or retain. A129 decision to promote must be a unanimous decision and must deter mine that if130 promoted and given accelerated, differentiated, or additional i nstruction during the131 next year, the student is likely to perform at grade level as d efined by the Office of132 Student Achievement in accordance with Code Section 20-14-31 by the conclusion133 of the school year; and134 (ii) Prescribe for the student, whether the student is retaine d or promoted, such135 accelerated, differentiated, or additional instruction as neede d to perform at grade136 level by the conclusion of the subsequent school year, ; prescribe such additional137 assessments as may be appropriate in addition to assessments administered to other138 students at the grade level during the year, ; and provide for a plan of continuous139 assessment during the subsequent school year in order to monitor the progress of the140 student;141 (E) For students receiving special education or related servic es, the Individualized142 Education Plan Committee shall serve as the placement committee; and143 (F) The decision of the placement committee may be appealed only as provided for by144 the local board of education.145 (c) This Code section does not preclude the retention by the s chool principal or the146 principal's designee of a student who performs satisfactorily o n the end-of-grade147 assessments specified in paragraph (1) of subsection (b) of this Code section as provided148 for by the local board of education.149 H. B. 740 - 6 - 25 LC 61 9002 (d) This Code section does not create a property interest in promotion.150 (e) The State Board of Education shall establish policies and procedures for151 implementation of this Code section."152 SECTION 4.153 Said article is further amended by revising Code Section 20-2-2 84, relating to criteria for154 local boards of education and model placement and promotion policy, as follows:155 "20-2-284.156 (a) No later than July 1, 2003, each local board of education shall develop and adopt a157 placement and promotion policy in accordance with the criteria established by the State158 Board of Education as provided in Code Section 20-2-283 with re spect to grades three,159 five, and eight and consistent with the Georgia Academic Placement and Promotion Policy.160 (b) No later than July 1, 2026, each local board of education shall develop and adopt a161 placement and promotion policy in accordance with the criteria established by the State162 Board of Education as provided in Code Section 20-2-283 with respect to kindergarten and163 grades one and two and consistent with the Georgia Academic Placement and Promotion164 Policy. Except for those end-of-grade assessments specified in Code Section 20-2-283, the165 placement and promotion policy as developed and adopted by each l o c a l b o a r d o f166 education shall state how the end-of-grade assessments administered under Code Section167 20-2-281 for grades one through eight will be weighted or otherwise utilized by the school168 principal or the principal's designee in determining the overall academic achievement of169 a student and an appropriate plan of accelerated, differentiated, or additional instruction,170 placement, promotion, or retention of a student.171 (c) To assist each local board of education, the State Board of Education shall develop a172 model placement and promotion policy which may be utilized by a local board of173 education."174 H. B. 740 - 7 - 25 LC 61 9002 SECTION 5.175 Said article is further amended by revising Code Section 20-2-285, relating to timetable for176 implementation of policy, as follows:177 "20-2-285.178 The State Board of Education shall provide for a timetable of implementation of this Code179 section and the Georgia Academic Placement and Promotion Policy which shall include:180 (1) Kindergarten beginning with the 2026-2027 school year;181 (2) The first grade beginning with the 2027-2028 school year;182 (3) The second grade beginning with the 2028-2029 school year;183 (4) The third grade beginning with the 2003-2004 school year;184 (2)(5) The fifth grade beginning with the 2004-2005 school year; and185 (3)(6) The eighth grade beginning with the 2005-2006 school year."186 SECTION 6.187 All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.188 H. B. 740 - 8 - ## 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. House Bill 740 would extend Georgia's grade-retention rules, now applied at third, fifth, and eighth grade, down to kindergarten, first grade, and second grade, requiring schools to hold back students who don't meet new reading and readiness benchmarks. ### Plain-language summary Georgia law already requires local school boards to have placement and promotion policies for grades three, five, and eight, tied to end-of-grade reading and math tests, under what's called the Georgia Academic Placement and Promotion Policy. House Bill 740, titled the Stop Social Promotion Act, extends that same framework down to kindergarten, first grade, and second grade. The bill directs the Department of Education to create promotional standards and criteria for first grade readiness, and it requires the State Board of Education to adopt criteria for kindergarten through second grade placement and promotion policies by January 1, 2026. Local school boards must adopt matching policies by July 1, 2026. The bill sets a phase-in schedule: kindergarten starts in the 2026-2027 school year, first grade in 2027-2028, and second grade in 2028-2029. It also keeps existing protections, including parent notification, retesting, extra instruction, and an appeal process through a placement committee before a student can be held back. ### What it does - Directs the Department of Education to develop promotional standards and criteria for first grade readiness, replacing looser 'guidelines' language in current law. - Extends Georgia's existing grade-retention framework, previously applied at grades three, five, and eight, to also cover kindergarten, first grade, and second grade. - Requires the State Board of Education to adopt placement and promotion criteria for kindergarten through second grade by January 1, 2026. - Requires local school boards to adopt matching kindergarten through second grade placement and promotion policies by July 1, 2026. - Sets a phase-in schedule starting kindergarten retention rules in 2026-2027, first grade in 2027-2028, and second grade in 2028-2029. - Keeps the existing process for retained students: written parental notice, retesting, extra instruction, and a placement committee appeal requiring a unanimous vote to promote. ### Who it affects Public school students in kindergarten through second grade and their parents or guardians, classroom teachers, school principals, local school boards, and the Department of Education and State Board of Education, which must write new statewide standards and timelines. ### Why it matters If enacted, more young Georgia students could be held back a grade based on reading or readiness benchmarks rather than automatically advancing with their age group. Families would face new notification and appeal steps, and schools would need new testing, instruction, and committee procedures for younger grades. ### Key provisions - Section 1 names the bill the 'Stop Social Promotion Act.' - Section 2 amends O.C.G.A. § 20-2-151 so readiness information is used by the Department of Education to develop formal promotional standards and criteria for first grade, not just guidelines. - Section 3 rewrites O.C.G.A. § 20-2-283 to add kindergarten, first grade, and second grade to the list of grades where a student can be held back for not meeting reading or readiness benchmarks, alongside existing third, fifth, and eighth grade rules. - Section 3 preserves the retention process: written notice to parents, a retest, additional instruction, and, if the student still falls short, an option to appeal to a placement committee that can promote only by unanimous vote. - Section 4 amends O.C.G.A. § 20-2-284 to require local school boards to adopt kindergarten through second grade placement and promotion policies by July 1, 2026. - Section 5 amends O.C.G.A. § 20-2-285 to set the implementation timetable: kindergarten in 2026-2027, first grade in 2027-2028, and second grade in 2028-2029. - Section 6 repeals any conflicting laws. ## Status - Status: Introduced (2025-03-06) - Last action: House Second Readers (2025-03-11) - Sponsors: Sandra Scott, Viola Davis, Kim Schofield - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/71218 > The history, votes, and amendments (129 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb740.md?full=1