Senate Bill 171
By: Senators Anavitarte of the 31st, Hickman of the 4th, Burns of the 23rd, Kemp of the
38th, Payne of the 54th and others
AS PASSED SENATE
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 the State Board of Education to develop an advanced mathematics pathway; to
require the state board to adopt policies related to such advanced mathematics pathway; to
authorize local school systems to offer the advanced mathematics pathway in grades three
through five; to require local school systems to offer the advanced mathematics pathway in
grades six through eight; to provide for reporting; to authorize local school systems to
provide related supports and services; 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:
<ins>"20-2-159.6.
(a) On or before January 1, 2027, the State Board of Education shall develop an advanced
mathematics pathway for grades three through eight which culminates in students taking
a high school level mathematics course in middle school and shall adopt policies for such
advanced mathematics pathway. Such policies shall:
(1) Provide for criteria for students to qualify for such advanced mathematics pathway;
(2) Provide for the automatic enrollment of qualifying students in such advanced
mathematics pathway for grades six through eight;
(3) Permit the parent or guardian of a student who qualifies for automatic enrollment to
opt his or her child out of such automatic enrollment;
(4) Permit the parent or guardian of a student who does not qualify for automatic
enrollment to enroll such student in such advanced mathematics pathway if such student
scored above the fiftieth percentile statewide on the end-of-grade assessment in
mathematics in the school year immediately preceding the school year in which such
student intends to enroll in such advanced mathematics pathway; and
(5) Require that information be provided to students and parents or guardians on the
advanced mathematics pathway and enrollment in such advanced mathematics pathway.
(b)(1) Each local school system shall be authorized to offer the advanced mathematics
pathway developed by the State Board of Education in grades three through five. Such
local school systems shall be authorized to offer additional supports and services to
students enrolled in such pathway and to teachers who provide instruction to students in
the advanced mathematics pathway.
(2) Each local school system shall offer the advanced mathematics pathway developed
by the State Board of Education in grades six through eight.
(3) Each local school system shall be authorized to offer additional supports and services
to students enrolled in the advanced mathematics pathway.
</ins>
<ins>(c) The Department of Education shall submit a report by December 1 of each year to the
Governor, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the
chairperson of the Senate Education and Youth Committee, and the chairperson of the
House Committee on Education. Such report shall include the following information from
each local school system from the preceding school year disaggregated by ethnicity, sex,
socioeconomic status, disability, language proficiency, grade level, and school, as
applicable:
(1) The number of students who qualified for automatic enrollment in the advanced
mathematics pathway and were automatically enrolled in the advanced mathematics
pathway;
(2) The number of students who qualified for automatic enrollment in the advanced
mathematics pathway and opted out of such automatic enrollment;
(3) The number of students who did not qualify for automatic enrollment and enrolled
in the advanced mathematics pathway;
(4) A list of courses offered as part of the advanced mathematics pathway and any
related services or supports offered to students; and
(5) The scores on the end-of-grade assessment in mathematics for each category of
students listed in paragraphs (1) through (3) of this subsection."
</ins> SECTION 2.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.