---
title: SB 253. State Board of Education; establish a three-year pilot robotics program for eligible public schools; provide
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/sb253
cite_as: SB 253, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb253
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb253.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb253/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70784
date: 2025-02-26
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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omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 95
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb253.md?full=1
bill_number: SB 253
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: Senate
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2025-02-25
last_action: Senate Read and Referred
sponsors:
- Sonya Halpern
- Clint Dixon
- Billy Hickman
- RaShaun Kemp
- Shawn Still
- Nan Orrock
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SB253/2025
upstream_id: 1983837
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- school robotics program
- STEM education
- education grants
- public high schools
- state education funding
---
# SB 253. State Board of Education; establish a three-year pilot robotics program for eligible public schools; provide
## Text
Senate Bill 253
By: Senators Halpern of the 39th, Dixon of the 45th, Hickman of the 4th, Kemp of the 38th,
Still of the 48th and others
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
elementary and secondary education, so as to provide for the State Board of Education to
establish a three-year pilot robotics program for eligible public schools; to provide for
eligibility; to provide for grant funds for eligible public schools to develop and implement
school robotics programs and to support students from such schools participating in
interscholastic robotics competitions; to provide for applications and selection to participate
in the pilot program; to provide for assessment and reporting on the impacts of the pilot
program; to authorize the State Board of Education to promulgate rules and regulations to
implement the pilot program; to provide for waivers and variances of state rules, regulations,
policies, and procedures if necessary; to provide for automatic repeal; to provide for related
matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to elementary and
secondary education, is amended in Article 7, relating to additional state aid, by designating
Code Sections 20-2-330 through 20-2-334 as Part 1 and by adding a new part to read as
follows:
"Part 2
20-2-335.
(a)(1) The State Board of Education shall establish a pilot robotics program to:
(A) Provide funding for:
(i) Eligible public schools to develop and implement a school robotics program for
their students; and
(ii) Students from eligible public schools to participate in interscholastic robotics
competitions;
(B) Motivate students to pursue education and career opportunities in science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics;
(C) Improve students' knowledge in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and
mathematics;
(D) Improve students' teamwork and communication skills;
(E) Foster students' digital literacy; and
(F) Study the impacts of such school robotics programs for possible state-wide
implementation.
(2) Subject to appropriations by the General Assembly, the pilot program shall include
funding for up to $2 million in grants each school year, for up to three school years
beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, to eligible public schools selected by the State
Board of Education to participate in the pilot program.
(3) To be eligible to participate in the pilot program, a public school shall:
(A) Serve students in any one of grades nine through 12;
(B) By November 1, 2025, submit an application to participate in the pilot program,
which application shall include:
(i) The school's statement of intent for the use of grant funds including plans for:
(I) Employing qualified personnel to participate in the school robotics program
either with pay or as volunteers;
(II) Procuring equipment and supplies to be used as part of the school robotics
program;
(III) Use of facilities as part of the school robotics program;
(IV) Promoting student involvement in the school robotics program; and
(V) Assessing and reporting on the impacts of the school robotics program on the
school and the participating students; and
(ii) A resolution adopted by the school's local board of education or other governing
body stating:
(I) Its commitment to support the school's participation in the pilot program; and
(II) The local financial and other resources that will be provided to the school for
use as part of the school robotics program;
(C) Be among the public schools that performed in the lowest 25 percent of all public
schools based on the cumulative individual school ratings prepared by the Office of
Student Achievement, as provided for in subsection (d) of Code Section 20-14-33, for
the two most recent school years for which the Office of Student Achievement issued
such ratings; provided, however, that, once an eligible public school has been selected
to participate in the pilot program by the State Board of Education, the school shall
remain eligible for the duration of the pilot program notwithstanding the provisions of
this subparagraph; and
(D) Not have sponsored or otherwise supported students participating in an
interscholastic robotics competition during the previous five school years.
(4) Up to ten eligible public schools shall be selected by the State Board of Education
to participate in the pilot program. In an effort to implement the pilot program in various
types of public schools represented in the state, the State Board of Education shall seek
to include eligible public schools:
(A) Of varying student enrollment sizes;
(B) In rural, suburban, and urban areas of the state; and
(C) In various geographic areas of the state.
(5) The State Board of Education shall establish pilot program requirements and criteria
for selecting eligible public schools to participate in the pilot program in accordance with
the provisions of this Code section.
(6) The State Board of Education shall be authorized to establish reporting requirements
for the public schools participating in the pilot program.
(7) To implement the pilot program, notwithstanding any other provision of law to the
contrary, the State Board of Education shall be authorized to waive or provide variances
to state rules, regulations, policies, and procedures and to provisions of this chapter that
may be reasonably necessary to meet the goals of the pilot program.
(8) The State Board of Education shall promulgate rules and regulations necessary to
carry out the provisions of this Code section.
(b)(1) By August 1, 2025, the Department of Education shall develop an application
process and seek applications from eligible public schools for the pilot program to be
submitted no later than November 1, 2025.
(2)(A) The Department of Education shall monitor and annually assess the status of the
pilot program with cooperation and input from the public schools and local school
systems participating in the pilot program.
(B) Beginning no later than June 1, 2026, and by June 1 of each year thereafter, the
Department of Education shall provide to the State Board of Education a report of the
annual assessment provided for in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph.
(c) This Code section shall stand repealed in its entirety on July 1, 2029."
SECTION 2.
This Act shall become effective on July 1, 2025.
SECTION 3.
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 Senate bill would create a three-year pilot program funding robotics teams at up to ten public high schools, prioritizing lower-performing schools, starting with the 2026-2027 school year.
### Plain-language summary
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.
### What it does
- 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.
### Who it affects
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.
### Why it matters
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.
### Key provisions
- 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.
## Status
- Status: Introduced (2025-02-25)
- Last action: Senate Read and Referred (2025-02-26)
- Sponsors: Sonya Halpern, Clint Dixon, Billy Hickman, RaShaun Kemp, Shawn Still, Nan Orrock
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70784
> The history, votes, and amendments (95 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb253.md?full=1