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:
<ins>"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;
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<ins>(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.
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<ins>(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.
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<ins>(c) This Code section shall stand repealed in its entirety on July 1, 2029."
</ins> 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.