HB1325: HB1325 Education; require local boards of education to provide parents and teachers opportunities to be involved in developing and updating student codes of conduct

Georgia law already requires local school boards to let parents take part in developing and updating student codes of conduct, the rules that govern student behavior and discipline. This bill amends that law (O.C.G.A. § 20-2-736) so teachers get the same guaranteed opportunity to be involved alongside parents. The bill rewrites subsection (c) of the statute to say local boards of education must provide opportunities for parents and teachers to be involved in developing and updating these codes, rather than parents alone. It does not spell out a specific process, meeting format, or deadline for this involvement, leaving those details to local school boards. The bill also repeals any conflicting laws.

• Rewrites part of Georgia's student code of conduct law (O.C.G.A. § 20-2-736) to add teachers to the group that local school boards must let take part in creating and updating conduct codes.
• Removes the language limiting this guaranteed involvement opportunity to parental involvement only.
• Leaves it to each local board of education to decide how it will offer these participation opportunities, since the bill sets no specific procedure.
• Repeals any existing state laws that conflict with this change.

Local boards of education across Georgia, which must now build in opportunities for teacher involvement as well as parent involvement, and public school teachers and parents, who gain a stated role in shaping the rules that govern student discipline.

Teachers, who enforce student codes of conduct daily, would gain a formal opportunity to help shape those rules alongside parents, potentially giving classroom staff more direct influence over discipline policies that affect their schools.

• Section 1 revises subsection (c) of O.C.G.A. § 20-2-736 to require local boards of education to provide opportunities for parents and teachers to be involved in developing and updating student codes of conduct.
• Section 2 repeals all laws and parts of laws that conflict with the Act.

1. 2026-02-19House Second Readers (House)
2. 2026-02-18House First Readers (House)
3. 2026-02-17House Hopper (House)

• Bethany Ballard (R, HD-147)Primary sponsor
• Carmen Rice (R, HD-139)
• Brent Cox (R, HD-028)
• Holt Persinger (R, HD-119)
• Leesa Hagan (R, HD-156)
• Scott Hilton (R, HD-048)

• student discipline
• school boards
• teacher involvement
• parental involvement
• education policy