---
title: HB 972. Education; require written notice to parents and guardians of students in grades four through eight at least twice each school year stating whether such student has attained grade level reading proficiency
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hb972
cite_as: HB 972, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb972
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb972.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb972/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72230
date: 2026-01-16
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.
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previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb971.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb973.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md
omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 129
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb972.md?full=1
bill_number: HB 972
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2026-01-14
last_action: House Second Readers
sponsors:
- Bryce Berry
- Phil Olaleye
- Carmen Rice
- Tangie Herring
- Leesa Hagan
- Rick Townsend
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB972/2025
upstream_id: 2080507
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- education
- reading proficiency
- parent notification
- public schools
- Quality Basic Education Act
---
# HB 972. Education; require written notice to parents and guardians of students in grades four through eight at least twice each school year stating whether such student has attained grade level reading proficiency
## Text
House Bill 972
By: Representatives Berry of the 56th, Olaleye of the 59th, Rice of the 139th, Herring of the
145th, Hagan of the 156th, 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 public school governing bodies to provide written notice to parents and guardians
of students in grades four through eight at least twice each school year stating whether such
student has attained grade level reading proficiency; 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
adding a new Code section to read as follows:
"20-2-153.2.
Beginning in the 2026-2027 school year, each local board of education and other public
school governing body shall develop and implement a policy to provide written notice to
the parent or guardian of each student enrolled in grades four through eight stating whether
such student has attained grade level reading proficiency. Such written notice shall be
provided no less than twice each school year."
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 local school boards to tell parents at least twice a year, in writing, whether their child in grades four through eight is reading at grade level.
### Plain-language summary
Georgia law currently does not require schools to regularly tell parents whether their child is reading at grade level in the middle grades. This bill would add a new section to the Quality Basic Education Act requiring local boards of education and other public school governing bodies to create and carry out a policy for notifying parents about their child's reading proficiency.
Starting in the 2026-2027 school year, schools would have to send written notice to the parent or guardian of every student in grades four through eight stating whether that student has reached grade level reading proficiency. This notice would have to go out at least twice during each school year. The bill does not specify the format of the notice or set penalties for noncompliance; it leaves the details of the policy to each local board.
### What it does
- Adds a new Code section (O.C.G.A. ยง 20-2-153.2) requiring local school boards to create a policy for notifying parents about their child's reading proficiency.
- Requires written notice to parents or guardians of students in grades four through eight about whether the student has reached grade level reading proficiency.
- Sets a minimum frequency of at least twice per school year for these written notices.
- Sets the start date for this requirement as the 2026-2027 school year.
### Who it affects
The bill affects parents and guardians of public school students in grades four through eight, local boards of education and other public school governing bodies that must create and carry out the notice policy, and school staff responsible for assessing reading proficiency and sending the notices.
### Why it matters
Parents of students in grades four through eight would get a regular, direct, written update on whether their child is reading at grade level, rather than relying on report cards or informal communication, which could help families identify reading struggles earlier and seek additional support.
### Key provisions
- Section 1 adds new Code section 20-2-153.2, requiring each local board of education and public school governing body to develop and implement a written notice policy.
- The notice must state whether a student in grades four through eight has attained grade level reading proficiency.
- The written notice must be sent no less than twice each school year.
- The requirement begins in the 2026-2027 school year.
- Section 2 repeals any conflicting laws, a standard provision with no independent substantive effect.
## Status
- Status: Introduced (2026-01-14)
- Last action: House Second Readers (2026-01-16)
- Sponsors: Bryce Berry, Phil Olaleye, Carmen Rice, Tangie Herring, Leesa Hagan, Rick Townsend
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72230
> The history, votes, and amendments (129 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb972.md?full=1