---
title: SB 431. Education; enrollment of foster care students within two school days of a request for enrollment by such student's parent or legal custodian; require
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/sb431
cite_as: SB 431, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb431
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb431.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb431/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72486
date: 2026-05-11
status: passed
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: 1192
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb431.md?full=1
bill_number: SB 431
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: Senate
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2026-05-11
last_action: Effective Date 2026-05-11
sponsors:
- Kay Kirkpatrick
- Bo Hatchett
- Chuck Payne
- Steve Gooch
- Elena Parent
- Beth Camp
text_version: Enrolled
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SB431/2025
upstream_id: 2100524
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- foster care
- school enrollment
- student records privacy
- education funding
- disability services
---
# SB 431. Education; enrollment of foster care students within two school days of a request for enrollment by such student's parent or legal custodian; require
## Text
Senate Bill 431
By: Senators Kirkpatrick of the 32nd, Hatchett of the 50th, Payne of the 54th, Gooch of the
51st and Parent of the 44th
AS PASSED
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to education, so as to
revise definitions of the term "education record"; to include additional cross-references
relative to access to student education records by parents and legal custodians; to repeal a
specific time limitation upon a parent or legal custodian's right to request education records;
to replace certain terms used in such title with "school business day"; to require the timely
enrollment of foster care students; to provide for reporting noncompliance and for corrective
action plans; to revise provisions relative to provisional enrollment; to provide for reports;
to allow inclusive postsecondary education (IPSE) grants to be used at qualified private
postsecondary institutions; to provide for award amounts; to repeal a sunset provision; to
provide for definitions; to provide for an effective date; to provide for related matters; to
repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to education, is amended in
Article 1 of Chapter 1, relating to general provisions, by repealing Code Section 20-1-9,
relating to "local school system," "local boards of education," and "county boards of
education" defined, and enacting a new Code Section 20-1-9 to read as follows:
"20-1-9.
Except as may otherwise be specifically provided, as used in this title, the term:
(1) 'Area school system' means a local school system authorized by and created pursuant
to Article VIII, Section V, Paragraph I of the Georgia Constitution that comprises the
consolidation of two or more county school systems, independent school systems,
portions thereof, or any combination thereof.
(2) 'County school system' means a local school system authorized by Article VIII,
Section V, Paragraph I of the Georgia Constitution, that is not an area school system or
an independent school system, and that comprises the portion of a county that is not part
of an area school system or an independent school system.
(3) 'Independent school system' means a local school system authorized by Article VIII,
Section V, Paragraph I of the Georgia Constitution that existed at the time of the
ratification thereof and that is not a county school system or an area school system.
(4) 'Local board of education' means the board of education for a local school system.
(5) 'Local school system' means any area school system, county school system, or
independent school system authorized by Article VIII, Section V, Paragraph I of the
Georgia Constitution.
(6) 'Public school' means and includes:
(A) Traditional public schools that are part of a local school system;
(B) Charter schools that are established pursuant to Article 31 or Article 31A of
Chapter 2 of this title, including both local charter schools and state charter schools, as
such terms are defined in Code Sections 20-2-2062 and 20-2-2081, respectively; and
(C) Completion special schools established pursuant to Article 31C of Chapter 2 of this
title.
(7) 'School business day' includes, but is not limited to, school days and means any day
except Saturday, Sunday, or a legal holiday when:
(A) At least one school administrator is required to report to the school in person for
duty for all or part of the day; provided, however, that this requirement shall not be met
when such school administrator's presence is for the exclusive purpose of securing or
maintaining school facilities; and
(B)(i) The school is not designated as closed for students and school personnel, or a
similar designation, on its official school calendar; or
(ii) The school is not closed for students and school personnel pursuant to a lawful
order by the Governor, the local board of education or other governing body, the local
school superintendent, or another government agency or official with legal authority
to issue such order.
(8) 'School day' means any day when:
(A) A school is in operation and providing for in-person or virtual instruction or other
educational programs or services to students enrolled in such school; and
(B)(i) The school is not designated as closed for students, on break, on holiday, not
in session, or a similar designation on its official school calendar; or
(ii) The school is not closed for students pursuant to a lawful order by the Governor,
the local board of education or other governing body, the local school superintendent,
or another government agency or official with legal authority to issue such order.
(9) 'School district' shall have the same meaning as local school system.
(10) 'School system' shall have the same meaning as local school system."
SECTION 2.
Said title is further amended in Article 15 of Chapter 2, relating to student data privacy,
accessibility, and transparency, by revising paragraph (4) of Code Section 20-2-662, relating
to definitions, as follows:
"(4) 'Education record' means an education record as defined in the federal Family
Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and its implementing regulations, 20
U.S.C. Section 1232g; and 34 C.F.R. Part 99.3. An education record does not include the
types of student data excepted in FERPA, does not include student data collected by an
operator when it is used for internal operations purposes, does not include or student data
that is not formatted for or expected to be accessed by school, local board of education,
or department employees, nor does it include student data that a local board of education
determines cannot reasonably be made available to the parent or eligible student."
SECTION 3.
Said title is further amended in Subpart 1 of Part 1 of Article 16 of Chapter 2, relating to
transfer students, by adding new subsections and by revising paragraph (2) of subsection (a),
subsection (c), and subsection (e) of Code Section 20-2-670, relating to disclosures and
information required for permanent enrollment in a grade higher than third, provisional
enrollment, and transfer of education records, to read as follows:
"(2) 'Education records' means any education record, as such term is defined in the
federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and its implementing
regulations, 20 U.S.C. Section 1232g; and 34 C.F.R. Part 99.3, that is maintained by a
local education agency, a public or private elementary or secondary school, the
Department of Juvenile Justice school system, or a party acting on behalf of such entity
and is directly related to a student. Such term shall include, but shall not be limited to,
records of such student's enrollment, attendance, class schedules, academic transcripts,
grades, student discipline, student financial information, health records, special education
records, and psychological evaluations. Such term shall include the student's critical
records."
"(c)(1) A In the event that a student cannot be permanently enrolled in a receiving school,
such student may be provisionally enrolled in a receiving school for not more than ten
school days on a conditional basis; provided, however, that such provisional enrollment
shall not commence until the next school day after such student's parent or legal custodian
executes a document:
(A) Disclosing the information required in paragraph (1) of subsection (b) of this Code
section; and
(B) Providing the name and address of each sending school such student attended
during the previous 24 months and authorizing the immediate release of such student's
critical records to the receiving school.
(2) If the receiving school does not receive such student's critical records from each
sending school such student attended during the previous 24 months, the receiving school
shall be authorized to temporarily assign such student to remote learning until such
critical records are received or the case management consultation provided for in
subsection (i) of this Code section is completed.
(3) If a student provisionally enrolled in a receiving school is found to be ineligible for
enrollment pursuant to the provisions of Code Section 20-2-751.2, or is subsequently
found to be so ineligible, he or she shall be dismissed from enrollment in such receiving
school until such time as he or she becomes so eligible.
(c.1)(1) Notwithstanding any provision of this Code section to the contrary, no receiving
school shall fail or refuse to immediately enroll a foster care student, as such term is
defined in Code Section 20-2-692.2, and under no circumstances later than three school
business days following the receipt of a completed enrollment registration form for such
foster care student from his or her parent or legal custodian; provided, however, that
requirements for completing such registration forms shall not be so strictly enforced as
to unreasonably delay the timely enrollment of foster care students. Such enrollment may
be either permanent or provisional and enrollment shall not be construed to waive the
requirements of subsections (b) and (c) of this Code section applicable to the parent or
legal custodian of such foster care student.
(2) If a receiving school does not enroll a foster care student within the time required by
paragraph (1) of this subsection the receiving school not having received such foster care
student's critical records, the receiving school principal or his or her designee shall
immediately provide the parent or legal custodian of such foster care student with
accurate contact information, including name and official email address and telephone
number, for:
(A) The RESA student affairs officer of the RESA in which the receiving school is
located; and
(B) The Department of Education's chief privacy officer.
(3) Upon a recommendation by the Department of Education's chief privacy officer or
the RESA student affairs officer provided for in paragraph (2) of this subsection, the
Department of Education shall be authorized to require the receiving school to comply
with an appropriate corrective action plan."
"(e) Each time a transferring student's education records, including, but not limited to,
critical records, are transferred to a receiving school, such student's parent or legal
custodian shall be notified in writing, including, but not limited to, email, by the receiving
school of the transfer of such records and shall, upon written request made within five
school business days of the date of such notice, be entitled to receive a copy of such
records from the receiving school. Within five school business days of the receipt of a
copy of such records, such student's parent or legal custodian may make a written request
for and shall be entitled to a meeting with the principal of the sending school or of the
receiving school or his or her designee for the purpose of correcting the content of such
records as provided in Code Section 20-2-667. The parties may mutually agree for such
meeting to occur at a date and time outside of such five-day period."
"(g.1)(1) Each RESA student affairs officer shall prepare quarterly reports of the
following matters that originated during the most recent quarter of the school year:
(A) Disputes he or she received pursuant to subsection (g) of this Code section; and
(B) Contacts he or she received pursuant to subsection (c.1) of this Code section.
(2) The quarterly reports required by paragraph (1) of this subsection shall identify each
school involved in such dispute or contact and shall summarize the outcome of all
resolved matters and the current status of all pending matters.
(3) Within 30 days of the conclusion of each quarter of the school year, each RESA
student affairs officer shall submit his or her report to the Department of Education's chief
privacy officer.
(4) By November 1 of each year, the Department of Education's chief privacy officer
shall provide a summary report of the information included in the quarterly reports
required by paragraph (1) of this subsection to the Lieutenant Governor, the Speaker of
the House of Representatives, and the chairpersons and the members of the House
Committee on Education and the Senate Education and Youth Committee."
SECTION 4.
Said title is further amended in Subpart 3 of Part 1 of Article 16 of Chapter 2, relating to
records, by revising subsections (a) and (b) of Code Section 20-2-720, relating to inspection
of students' records by parents or legal custodians, as follows:
"(a) As used in this Code section, the term:
(1) 'Education record records' shall have the same meaning as provided for set forth in
Code Section 20-2-662 20-2-670.
(2) 'Legal custodian' means an entity or individual other than a parent with legal
authority to act on behalf of a student. Such term shall include the Department of
Juvenile Justice and the Division of Family and Children Services of the Department of
Human Services.
(3) 'Local board of education' means the governing body of each local education agency
as such terms are defined in Code Section 20-2-167.1. Such term shall include the school
system of the Department of Juvenile Justice.
(4) 'Parent' means an individual other than a legal custodian who has legal authority to
act on behalf of a student as a natural or adoptive parent or a legal guardian.
(b) No local board of education shall have a policy of denying, or which effectively
prevents, the parents or legal custodians of students who are in attendance at or who have
been enrolled in any facility within such system the right to inspect and review the
education records of their child as provided in Code Section Sections 20-2-667, 20-2-670,
and 20-2-786."
SECTION 5.
Said title is further amended by replacing the terms "school day", "school days", "business
day", and "business days" with "school business day" or "school business days", respectively,
wherever the former terms appear in:
(1) Code Section 20-1-11, relating to advocating for divisive concepts, prohibition on
discrimination, practice of tolerance and mutual respect encouraged, complaint resolution
policies, inspection of records, and waivers prohibited;
(2) Code Section 20-2-315, relating to sexual discrimination in sports, designations of
teams, equal opportunity for all sexes, facilities, accommodations, and violations;
(3) Code Section 20-2-324.6, relating to complaint resolution policy for materials
"harmful to minors";
(4) Code Section 20-2-667, relating to parental and student review of education record
and model policies;
(5) Subsection (f) of Code Section 20-2-670, relating to disclosures and information
required for permanent enrollment in a grade higher than third, provisional enrollment,
and transfer of education records;
(6) Subsection (a.1) of Code Section 20-2-697, relating to cooperation of principals and
teachers in public schools with visiting teachers and attendance officers, attendance
reports and records kept by public schools, and letter indicating enrollment;
(7) Code Section 20-2-786, the "Parents' Bill of Rights"; and
(8) Code Section 20-2-2064, relating to approval or denial of petition under the "Charter
Schools Act of 1998."
SECTION 6.
Said title is further amended in Subpart 12 of Part 3 of Article 7 of Chapter 3, relating to
inclusive postsecondary education grants, by revising Code Section 20-3-494, relating to
definitions, eligibility, and implementation, as follows:
"20-3-494.
(a) As used in this subpart, the term:
(1) 'Authorized IPSE program' means an inclusive postsecondary education (IPSE)
program for students with intellectual disabilities that has been authorized by the Georgia
Student Finance Authority for the purposes of awarding IPSE grants to eligible students.
(2) 'Intellectual disability' means a person:
(A) With a cognitive impairment, characterized by significant limitations in:
(i) Intellectual and cognitive functioning; and
(ii) Adaptive behavior as expressed in conceptual, social, and practical adaptive
skills; and
(B) Who is currently, or was formerly, eligible for a free appropriate public education
under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
(3) 'IPSE grant' means an inclusive postsecondary education (IPSE) grant for education
awarded in accordance with this subpart.
(4) 'Qualified postsecondary institution' means a unit of the University System of
Georgia or a unit of the Technical College System of Georgia an eligible postsecondary
institution, as such term is defined in Code Section 20-3-519, that offers an authorized
IPSE program.
(b) To be eligible for an IPSE grant, a student shall:
(1) Meet the requirements provided for in paragraph (1) of subsection (a) and
subsection (b) of Code Section 20-3-519.1; and
(2) Meet enrollment standards by being admitted and enrolled in an authorized IPSE
program at a qualified postsecondary institution.
(c) Subject to the amount of funds appropriated by the General Assembly and other
available funding, eligible students enrolled in an authorized IPSE program on or before
July 1, 2028:
(1) Shall receive an IPSE grant in an amount equal to:
(A) For students enrolled in institutions of the University System of Georgia or units
of the Technical College System of Georgia, the current academic year standard
undergraduate tuition amount at each such student's respective qualified postsecondary
institution; or
(B) For students enrolled in eligible private postsecondary institutions, as such term is
defined in Code Section 20-3-519, the current academic year HOPE award amount at
each such student's respective qualified postsecondary institution; and
(2) May receive an additional IPSE grant in an amount not to exceed the fees charged
for the current academic year for each student's respective IPSE program.
(d) The Georgia Student Finance Authority, in collaboration with the University System
of Georgia, the Technical College System of Georgia, other qualified postsecondary
institutions, and the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities, shall define such
terms and conditions and establish such policies, procedures, rules, and regulations as are
reasonable and necessary for the implementation of this subpart, which shall include, but
shall not be limited to, requirements that each authorized IPSE program shall:
(1) Serve students with intellectual disabilities;
(2) Require that a participating student be enrolled in courses with non disabled
nondisabled peers for at least 50 percent of the courses in which such participating
student is enrolled as part of an authorized IPSE program;
(3) Provide individual supports and services for the academic and social inclusion of
students with intellectual disabilities in academic courses, extracurricular activities, and
other aspects of the qualified postsecondary institution's regular postsecondary program;
(4) With respect to students with intellectual disabilities participating in the authorized
IPSE program, provide a focus on:
(A) Academic enrichment;
(B) Socialization;
(C) Independent living skills, including self-advocacy skills; and
(D) Integrated work experiences and career skills that lead to gainful employment;
(5) Integrate person centered planning in the development of the course of study for each
student with an intellectual disability participating in the authorized IPSE program;
(6) Create and offer a meaningful credential for students with intellectual disabilities
upon the completion of the authorized IPSE program; and
(7) Participate with the Georgia Student Finance Authority, the University System of
Georgia, the Technical College System of Georgia, other qualified postsecondary
institutions, and the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities in the evaluation of
the authorized IPSE program."
SECTION 7.
This Act shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its becoming law
without such approval.
SECTION 8.
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.
Senate Bill 431 requires Georgia public schools to enroll foster care students within three school business days of receiving a completed enrollment form, and makes several other changes to student records law and college grants for students with intellectual disabilities.
### Plain-language summary
Georgia law already sets rules for how schools handle transferring students' records and provisional enrollment, but this bill adds specific protections for foster care students. It requires a receiving school to enroll a foster care student, either permanently or provisionally, no later than three school business days after getting a completed enrollment form from the student's parent or legal custodian. If a school cannot enroll the student because it hasn't received the student's records, the school must connect the family with a regional education officer and the Department of Education's chief privacy officer, who can require the school to follow a corrective action plan.
The bill also redefines terms like 'school business day' throughout Title 20, tweaks the definition of 'education record' to match federal privacy law (FERPA), removes a five-day deadline for parents requesting copies of transferred records, and adds quarterly reporting requirements on disputes and foster care enrollment delays. Separately, it expands the Inclusive Postsecondary Education grant program so students with intellectual disabilities can use grants at qualified private colleges, not just University System or Technical College System schools, and removes a 2028 sunset date on the program. The law would take effect as soon as the Governor signs it.
### What it does
- Requires public schools to enroll a foster care student, permanently or provisionally, within three school business days of receiving a completed enrollment form from a parent or legal custodian.
- Creates a notification and escalation process, connecting families to a regional education officer and the Department of Education's chief privacy officer when a school fails to enroll a foster care student on time.
- Authorizes the Department of Education to require a corrective action plan for schools that don't comply with the foster care enrollment deadline.
- Replaces various references to 'school day' and 'business day' with a new defined term, 'school business day,' across several sections of Georgia's education code.
- Removes the current five-school-business-day deadline for parents to request copies of their child's transferred education records.
- Expands the Inclusive Postsecondary Education (IPSE) grant program to cover eligible private postsecondary institutions and removes the program's scheduled 2028 end date.
### Who it affects
Foster care students and their parents or legal custodians, public school administrators and principals, local boards of education, Regional Educational Service Agency (RESA) staff, the Department of Education's chief privacy officer, and students with intellectual disabilities who use Inclusive Postsecondary Education grants at colleges and universities.
### Why it matters
Foster care students often move between schools quickly and can face enrollment delays while records are transferred. The three-day enrollment deadline and complaint escalation process aim to prevent gaps in schooling. The IPSE grant expansion means more students with intellectual disabilities could use state grant money at private colleges, not just public ones.
### Key provisions
- New Code Section 20-1-9 (Section 1) defines terms like 'school business day,' 'school day,' and 'local school system' used throughout Title 20.
- Section 3 adds subsection (c.1) to O.C.G.A. § 20-2-670, requiring enrollment of foster care students within three school business days and setting up notification and corrective action procedures when schools fail to comply.
- Section 3 also adds subsection (g.1), requiring RESA student affairs officers to file quarterly reports on enrollment disputes and foster care contacts, with an annual summary due to legislative leaders by November 1.
- Section 5 replaces 'school day,' 'business day,' and similar terms with 'school business day' across eight different Code sections, including the Parents' Bill of Rights (O.C.G.A. § 20-2-786).
- Section 6 revises O.C.G.A. § 20-3-494 to let eligible private postsecondary institutions qualify for IPSE grants and sets grant amounts based on HOPE award levels for those private institutions.
- Section 6 also removes the requirement that IPSE grants only apply to students enrolled 'on or before July 1, 2028,' eliminating the program's sunset date.
- Section 7 states the law takes effect as soon as the Governor signs it or it otherwise becomes law.
## Status
- Status: Passed (2026-05-11)
- Last action: Effective Date 2026-05-11 (2026-05-11)
- Sponsors: Kay Kirkpatrick, Bo Hatchett, Chuck Payne, Steve Gooch, Elena Parent, Beth Camp
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72486
> The history, votes, and amendments (1,192 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb431.md?full=1