SB 253: State Board of Education; establish a three-year pilot robotics program for eligible public schools; provide

Georgia currently has no dedicated state grant program for school robotics teams. This bill directs the State Board of Education to set up a three-year pilot program that would give eligible public high schools grant money to start or run robotics programs and to help students travel to and compete in interscholastic robotics competitions. Up to ten schools serving grades nine through 12 could be chosen, and priority goes to schools ranked in the bottom 25 percent of school performance ratings and that have not previously supported a robotics team in the past five years. Schools must apply by November 1, 2025 with a plan for using the money and a resolution of local school board support. The program covers up to $2 million per school year for three years, and the whole Code section automatically repeals on July 1, 2029. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025.

• Directs the State Board of Education to create a three-year pilot robotics grant program for public high schools starting with the 2026-2027 school year.
• Allows up to $2 million in grants per school year, subject to the General Assembly actually providing the funding, for up to three years.
• Limits participation to no more than ten eligible public schools, selected to represent varying sizes, rural/suburban/urban areas, and geographic regions.
• Requires eligible schools to be in the bottom 25 percent of performance ratings and to not have had a robotics team in the past five years, though schools keep eligibility once selected.
• Requires schools to apply by November 1, 2025 with a spending plan and a local school board resolution of support.
• Lets the State Board of Education waive other state rules and regulations as needed to run the pilot, and sets the program to automatically expire July 1, 2029.

Public high schools in Georgia, especially lower-performing schools without existing robotics programs, along with their students, teachers, and local school boards. The Department of Education and the State Board of Education would administer applications, funding, and reporting for the program.

For up to ten selected high schools, this could mean new funding for robotics equipment, staff, and competition travel, potentially opening science and technology opportunities to students who did not previously have them. The funding depends on future state budget appropriations, so schools might not receive money even if selected.

• Section 1 adds new Code Section 20-2-335 creating the pilot program under the State Board of Education, with goals including boosting STEM interest, teamwork skills, and digital literacy.
• Sets grant funding at up to $2 million per school year for up to three years, starting with the 2026-2027 school year, subject to legislative appropriation.
• Eligibility requires serving grades 9-12, ranking in the bottom 25 percent of school performance ratings from the Office of Student Achievement, and no robotics team sponsorship in the past five years.
• Applications are due November 1, 2025 and must include a use-of-funds plan and a local school board resolution of support.
• Up to ten schools will be chosen with an effort to represent different enrollment sizes, rural/suburban/urban settings, and geographic regions of the state.
• The Department of Education must set up the application process by August 1, 2025 and report annually to the State Board of Education starting June 1, 2026.
• The State Board of Education may waive other state rules and regulations as reasonably necessary to run the pilot program.
• The new Code section automatically repeals on July 1, 2029, and the Act takes effect July 1, 2025.

1. 2025-02-26Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
2. 2025-02-25Senate Hopper (Senate)

• Sonya Halpern (D, SD-039)Primary sponsor
• Clint Dixon (R, SD-045)
• Billy Hickman (R, SD-004)
• RaShaun Kemp (D, SD-038)
• Shawn Still (R, SD-048)
• Nan Orrock (D, SD-036)

• school robotics program
• STEM education
• education grants
• public high schools
• state education funding