---
title: HR 1668. Education, Department of; local school systems; prioritize the inclusion of ex officio, honorary, and nonvoting student representatives on its local boards of education; urge
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hr1668
cite_as: HR 1668, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1668
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1668.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1668/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74046
date: 2026-03-18
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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index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md
omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 129
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1668.md?full=1
bill_number: HR 1668
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: resolution
status_date: 2026-03-12
last_action: House Second Readers
sponsors:
  - Omari Crawford
  - Mary Oliver
  - Imani Barnes
  - Phil Olaleye
  - Saira Draper
  - Long Tran
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HR1668/2025
upstream_id: 2133307
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
  - student representation
  - local school boards
  - education policy
  - Department of Education
---

# HR 1668. Education, Department of; local school systems; prioritize the inclusion of ex officio, honorary, and nonvoting student representatives on its local boards of education; urge

## Text

House Resolution 1668
By: Representatives Crawford of the 89th, Oliver of the 84th, Barnes of the 86th, Olaleye of
the 59th, Draper of the 90th, and others
A RESOLUTION
Urging the Department of Education and local school systems to prioritize the inclusion of
ex officio, honorary, and nonvoting student representatives on its local boards of education
to increase student engagement and advocacy in the policy issues that determine academic
outcomes for Georgia's children; and for other purposes.
WHEREAS, other states currently allow for local boards of education to appoint a student
board representative in the manner and for a term prescribed by the local board; and
WHEREAS, student board representatives hold the same powers and duties as a member of
the board of directors, including the right to attend and participate in open meetings of the
board, except that the student board representatives may not vote or make motions, determine
quorum, or participate in executive sessions; and
WHEREAS, City Schools of Decatur currently includes a student representative on its board
and can attest to the positive impact of this measure on both the individual student members
and the entire school district resulting from the increased exposure, participation, and input
of student voices in the administration and policy making of the City Schools of Decatur.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that
the members of this body urge the Department of Education and local school systems to
prioritize the inclusion of ex officio, honorary, and nonvoting student representatives on its
local boards of education to increase student engagement and advocacy in the policy issues
that determine academic outcomes for Georgia's children.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that such policy, once developed, shall be presented to the
chairpersons of the House Committee on Education.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized
and directed to make appropriate copies of this resolution available for distribution to
representatives the Department of Education and each local school system.

## Summaries written by Georgia Commons

The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the resolution. Quote the text, not the summary.

A Georgia House resolution urges the Department of Education and local school boards to add nonvoting student representatives to local boards of education, aiming to boost student input on school policy.

### Plain-language summary

This resolution does not change Georgia law. Instead, it urges the Department of Education and local school systems to prioritize adding student representatives to local boards of education. These representatives would serve in an ex officio, honorary, and nonvoting capacity, meaning they could attend and take part in board discussions but could not vote, make motions, or join closed executive sessions.
The resolution points to City Schools of Decatur as an example of a district that already has a student representative and says the practice has benefited both students and the district. It asks that once such a policy is developed, it be presented to the chairpersons of the House Committee on Education, and it directs the Clerk of the House to distribute copies to the Department of Education and local school systems.

### What it does

- Urges, but does not legally require, the Department of Education and local school systems to add student representatives to local boards of education.
- Specifies the representatives would be ex officio, honorary, and nonvoting, able to attend and participate in open meetings but not vote, make motions, or determine quorum.
- Bars student representatives from participating in closed executive sessions of local boards.
- Requests that any resulting policy be presented to the chairpersons of the House Committee on Education.
- Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to distribute copies of the resolution to the Department of Education and each local school system.

### Who it affects

Local boards of education across Georgia, the state Department of Education, students who might serve as board representatives, and the House Committee on Education, which would review any resulting policy.

### Why it matters

Because this is a resolution rather than a bill, it carries no legal force and creates no new requirement. If school systems act on the request, students could gain a formal, if nonvoting, seat at board meetings, potentially increasing student input into decisions about academic policy.

### Key provisions

- The resolution urges the Department of Education and local school systems to prioritize including student representatives on local boards of education.
- Student representatives would hold ex officio and honorary status without voting rights, motion rights, or quorum-counting rights, and could not attend executive sessions.
- Cites City Schools of Decatur as an existing example of a district using a student board representative.
- Requires any resulting policy to be presented to the chairpersons of the House Committee on Education.
- Directs the Clerk of the House to distribute copies to the Department of Education and each local school system.

## Status

- Status: Introduced (2026-03-12)
- Last action: House Second Readers (2026-03-18)
- Sponsors: Omari Crawford, Mary Oliver, Imani Barnes, Phil Olaleye, Saira Draper, Long Tran
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74046

> The history, votes, and amendments (129 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1668.md?full=1