---
title: O.C.G.A. § 20-2-240. Powers and duties.
collection: code
id: 20-2-240
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 20-2-240 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/20-2-240
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/20-2-240.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/20-2-240/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t20-ch1-2a-(v17)-2022-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=9db936c6_0#page=401
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/code/20-2.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/code/20-2-230.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/code/20-2-241.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/code/index.md
version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: EDUCATION / ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION / QUALITY BASIC EDUCATION / STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
---

# O.C.G.A. § 20-2-240. Powers and duties.

The State Board of Education shall adopt and prescribe all rules, regulations, and policies required by this article and such other rules, regulations, and policies as may be reasonably necessary or advisable for proper implementation, enforcement, and carrying out of this article and other public school laws and for assuring a more economical and efficient operation of the public schools of this state or any phase of public elementary and secondary education in this state. The state board shall establish and enforce standards for operation of all public elementary and secondary schools and local units of administration in this state so as to assure, to the greatest extent possible, equal and quality educational programs, curricula, offerings, opportunities, and facilities for all of Georgia’s children and youth and for economy and efficiency in administration and operation of public schools and local school systems throughout the state. The state board shall have the power to perform all duties and to exercise all responsibilities vested in it by provisions of law for the improvement of public elementary and secondary education in this state, including actions designed to improve teacher and school effectiveness through research and demonstration projects. The state board shall have the power to take such actions as it deems necessary to ensure that the citizens have full awareness and knowledge relative to the costs, quality, and performance of the public elementary and secondary schools of this state. All rules, regulations, policies, and standards adopted or prescribed by the state board in carrying out this article and other school laws shall, if not in conflict therewith, have the full force and effect of law.

## History

Code 1981, § 20-2-230, enacted by Ga. L. 1985, p. 1657, § 1; Code 1981, § 20-2-240, as redesignated by Ga. L. 1987, p. 1169, § 1; Ga. L. 2012, p. 358, § 15/HB 706.

## Editor's Notes

See the Editor’s note at the beginning of this part for information as to the redesignation of the former provisions of this Code section.