Senate Bill 300
By: Senators Jones of the 10th, Davenport of the 17th, Anderson of the 43rd, James of the
28th, Mangham of the 55th and others
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Part 9 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia
Annotated, relating to grants for educational programs, so as to establish a program to
support recruitment of teachers by providing grant funds to be paid by public schools to
student teachers participating in the required student teaching component of their teacher
education programs; to provide for applications for grants; to provide for maximum
payments; to require the State Board of Education to establish rules and regulations to
implement the program; to provide for definitions; to provide for a short title; to provide for
related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Student Teacher Promotion Act."
SECTION 2.
Part 9 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,
relating to grants for educational programs, is amended by revising Code Section 20-2-252,
which is reserved, as follows:
"20-2-252.
<ins>(a) As used in this Code section, the term 'student teacher' means a college or university
student in a teacher education program approved by the Professional Standards
Commission in an institution of the University System of Georgia or in a private
postsecondary institution who, as part of such teacher education program, is engaged in
student teaching.
(b)(1) The State Board of Education shall provide public schools and local school
systems with grants, subject to appropriation by the General Assembly and pursuant to
applications made by such public schools and local school systems. A student teacher
who is assigned to a school that has not applied for a grant shall be permitted to apply for
grant funds directly with the State Board of Education. The purpose of such grants shall
be to support recruitment of teachers by providing grant funds to be paid by such public
schools and local school systems to student teachers who participate in the student
teaching component of their teacher education program with such public school or local
school system.
(2) The total amount of such grant funds paid to each student teacher shall not exceed
$7,500.00. The public schools or local school systems receiving such grants from the
State Board of Education may expend grant funds only for purposes of providing for the
payment of grant funds to student teachers who are actively engaged and in good standing
in the student teaching component of their teacher education program with such public
school or local school system. Public schools and local school systems shall be
authorized to make payments of grant funds to such student teachers in installments
during the student teaching component of their teacher education programs.
(c)(1) The State Board of Education, in consultation with public schools and local school
systems, the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia, and the Professional
Standards Commission, shall establish rules and regulations to implement the provisions
of this Code section.
</ins>
<ins>(2) The State Board of Education shall be authorized to establish reporting requirements
on the public schools and local school systems participating in the grant program.
(d) The Department of Education shall develop and publish on its public website an
application process and seek applications from public schools and local school systems for
the grant program no later than September 1, 2025.</ins> <del>Reserved."
</del> SECTION 3.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.