--- title: HB 893. Education; replace terms charter system and charter systems with performance contract system and performance contract systems collection: bills id: 2025-2026/hb893 cite_as: HB 893, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb893 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb893.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb893/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/71926 date: 2025-04-04 status: introduced corpus_version: bills-2026-08-28 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/hb892.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb894.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 129 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb893.md?full=1 bill_number: HB 893 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: House bill_type: bill status_date: 2025-03-31 last_action: House Second Readers sponsors: - Scott Hilton - Jan Jones - Bethany Ballard - Carmen Rice - Matt Dubnik text_version: Introduced has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB893/2025 upstream_id: 2017635 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - charter schools - education terminology - school accountability - Georgia education law --- # HB 893. Education; replace terms charter system and charter systems with performance contract system and performance contract systems ## Text 25 LC 49 2356 House Bill 893 By: Representatives Hilton of the 48 th, Jones of the 47 th, Ballard of the 147 th, Rice of the 139th, and Dubnik of the 29th A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT To amend Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to education, so as to1 replace the terms "charter system" and "charter systems" with "performance contract system"2 and "performance contract systems," respectively, wherever such terms appear in the Official3 Code of Georgia Annotated; to provide an effective date; to provide for related matters; to4 repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:6 SECTION 1.7 Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to education, is amended by8 replacing "charter system" and "charter systems" with "performa nce contract system" and9 "performance contract systems", respectively, wherever the former terms appear in:10 (1) Code Section 20-1-11, relating to advocating for divisive concepts, prohibition on11 discrimination, practice of tolerance and mutual respect encouraged, complaint resolution12 policies, inspection of records, and waivers prohibited;13 (2) Code Section 20-2-59, relating to rules relative to local boards of education and14 regulation of face masks;15 H. B. 893 - 1 - 25 LC 49 2356 (3) Code Section 20-2-84.4, relating to accountability, flexib ility, and consequences16 components of contract;17 (4) Code Section 20-2-84.5, relating to applicability of incre ased flexibility for local18 school systems to charter systems;19 (5) Code Section 20-2-153.1, relating to Georgia Early Literac y, uniform grade20 appropriate metrics to measure literacy, universal reading scre eners, high-quality21 instructional materials aligned with the science of reading, su pport for literacy22 instruction, and reading intervention plans;23 (6) Code Section 20-2-165.1, relating to charter system earnin gs for each full-time24 equivalent student and use of funds;25 (7) Code Section 20-2-166, relating to state funds, calculation, allotment, and distribution26 relative to financing under the "Quality Basic Education Act";27 (8) Code Section 20-2-167.2, relating to virtual instruction through virtual schools and28 no waivers;29 (9) Code Section 20-2-210, relating to annual performance eval uation and on-time30 graduation rate relative to conditions of employment under the "Quality Basic Education31 Act";32 (10) Code Section 20-2-281, relating to student assessments;33 (11) Code Section 20-2-286, relating to innovative assessment pilot program, procedure,34 and reporting relative to effectiveness of education programs u nder the "Quality Basic35 Education Act";36 (12) Code Section 20-2-324, relating to internet acceptable-use policies required in all37 public schools, minimum policy requirements, policy enforcement, technology protection38 measures required, policy compliance review, approval, and enforcement by State Board39 of Education, and waivers prohibited;40 (13) Code Section 20-2-326, rela ting to definitions relative t o Building Resourceful41 Individuals to Develop Georgia's Economy;42 H. B. 893 - 2 - 25 LC 49 2356 (14) Code Section 20-2-779.2, relating to enforcement of face mask wearing requirement43 prohibited;44 (15) Code Section 20-2-786, the "Parents' Bill of Rights";45 (16) Code Section 20-2-2062, relating to definitions relative to the "Charter Schools Act46 of 1998";47 (17) Code Section 20-2-2063, relating to charter petitions relative to the "Charter Schools48 Act of 1998";49 (18) Code Section 2063.1, relating to Charter Advisory Committ ee established,50 members, and duties;51 (19) Code Section 20-2-2063.2, relating to charter systems;52 (20) Code Section 20-2-2064, relating approval or denial of a petition relative to the53 "Charter Schools Act of 1998";54 (21) Code Section 20-2-2065, relating to waiver of provisions of this title, requirements55 for operating, and control and management relative to the "Charter Schools Act of 1998";56 (22) Code Section 20-2-2066, relating to admission, enrollment , and withdrawal of57 students relative to the "Charter Schools Act of 1998";58 (23) Code Section 20-2-2067.1, relating to amendment of terms of charter for charter59 school, initial term of charter, and annual report relative to the "Charter Schools Act of60 1998";61 (24) Code Section 20-2-2068, relating to termination of a charter relative to the "Charter62 Schools Act of 1998";63 (25) Code Section 20-2-2068.1, relating to charter school funding relative to the "Charter64 Schools Act of 1998";65 (26) Code Section 20-2-2069, relating to Office of Charter Sch ool Compliance and66 Office of District Flexibility;67 (27) Code Section 20-2-2077, relating to enforcement of face mask wearing requirement68 prohibited in charter schools relative to the "Charter Schools Act of 1998";69 H. B. 893 - 3 - 25 LC 49 2356 (28) Code Section 20-4-37, relating to Office of College and C areer Transitions and70 powers and duties; and71 (29) Code Section 20-14-45, relating to turnaround eligible sc hools defined,72 identification, and role of local boards of education.73 SECTION 2.74 This Act shall become effective on July 1, 2025.75 SECTION 3.76 All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.77 H. B. 893 - 4 - ## 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 893 would rename "charter system" and "charter systems" to "performance contract system" and "performance contract systems" throughout Georgia's education code, without changing how those systems operate. ### Plain-language summary Georgia law currently uses the terms "charter system" and "charter systems" to describe school districts that operate under special charters with the state granting them added flexibility in exchange for accountability. This bill does not change how those systems work, who qualifies, or what they must do. Instead, it goes through roughly 29 sections of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated and swaps the wording "charter system" and "charter systems" for "performance contract system" and "performance contract systems" everywhere those terms appear. The affected sections cover topics ranging from literacy instruction and student assessments to face mask policy, internet use rules, the Charter Schools Act of 1998, and school funding formulas under the Quality Basic Education Act. The bill would take effect July 1, 2025, and repeals any conflicting laws. ### What it does - Replaces the term "charter system" with "performance contract system" and "charter systems" with "performance contract systems" across roughly 29 listed Code sections in Title 20. - Leaves the underlying rules, funding formulas, and requirements for these school systems unchanged; only the terminology is swapped. - Touches provisions covering literacy instruction, student assessments, face mask policy, internet use policies, and the Parents' Bill of Rights (O.C.G.A. § 20-2-786), among others. - Amends multiple sections of the Charter Schools Act of 1998 (O.C.G.A. §§ 20-2-2062 through 20-2-2077) to use the new terminology. - Sets the effective date as July 1, 2025, and repeals any laws that conflict with the renaming. ### Who it affects School districts and local boards of education currently designated as charter systems, the Georgia Department of Education, the Office of Charter School Compliance, and anyone who reads or references Georgia's education code, including school administrators, parents, and students in these districts. ### Why it matters Because the bill only renames a legal term rather than altering funding, governance, or accountability rules for these school districts, day-to-day operations for schools and families would stay the same. The practical effect is mainly on how the term appears in state law, contracts, and official documents going forward. ### Key provisions - Section 1 lists 29 Code sections in Title 20 where "charter system" and "charter systems" must be replaced with "performance contract system" and "performance contract systems." - Affected sections include O.C.G.A. § 20-2-84.4 and § 20-2-84.5 on flexibility and accountability agreements for these districts. - Affected sections also include the Charter Schools Act of 1998 provisions on definitions, petitions, funding, and termination of charters (O.C.G.A. §§ 20-2-2062 to 20-2-2077). - Section 2 sets the effective date as July 1, 2025. - Section 3 repeals any existing laws that conflict with this renaming. ## Status - Status: Introduced (2025-03-31) - Last action: House Second Readers (2025-04-04) - Sponsors: Scott Hilton, Jan Jones, Bethany Ballard, Carmen Rice, Matt Dubnik - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/71926 > The history, votes, and amendments (129 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb893.md?full=1