HB 200: State Board of Education; establish a three-year pilot immersive writing program for eligible public elementary schools; provide

This bill changes several parts of Georgia's education code (Title 20, Chapter 2). It updates the state's minimum school facility standards so that any new elementary school construction started on or after July 1, 2027 must include a playground meeting specific accessibility and design rules, such as minimum size, shaded area, wheelchair-accessible equipment, sensory panels, and communication boards for children of all abilities. The bill also directs the State Board of Education to run a three-year pilot immersive writing program for students in grades two through five, funded by up to $2 million a year in grants starting with the 2026-2027 school year, subject to the legislature actually providing the money. Schools must apply by January 1, 2026, and the Department of Education must report yearly on results starting in 2027; the program automatically ends July 1, 2029. Separately, the bill encourages local school systems to let patriotic youth groups such as the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts use school facilities, and requires a written explanation if access is denied. The changes take effect July 1, 2025.

• Requires new elementary schools built starting July 1, 2027 to include a playground meeting detailed accessibility and design standards, including size, shading, fencing, and adaptive equipment.
• Creates a three-year pilot program letting eligible elementary schools apply for grants (up to $2 million per year total) to fund immersive writing programs for grades two through five.
• Sets a January 1, 2026 application deadline for schools wanting to join the writing pilot program and requires annual state reports on its results.
• Automatically repeals the writing pilot program's authorizing law on July 1, 2029 unless renewed.
• Encourages local school systems to allow patriotic youth groups, such as the Boy Scouts of America and Girl Scouts of the USA, to use school facilities, and requires a written reason if access is denied.
• Makes minor wording updates to the state's existing minimum school facility requirement law (O.C.G.A. § 20-2-261).

Elementary school students in grades two through five, public school districts planning new elementary school construction, the State Board of Education and Department of Education, school principals who must respond to facility use requests, and youth groups like the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts seeking access to school buildings.

Future elementary schools would have to build more inclusive, accessible playgrounds, and some schools could receive new state grant money to try immersive writing programs aimed at boosting literacy. Local school systems would also get a clearer, written process when denying youth groups access to facilities.

• Section 1 amends O.C.G.A. § 20-2-261 to require any new elementary school construction started on or after July 1, 2027 to include a playground meeting listed design standards, such as a minimum 10,000 square feet, fencing, at least 20 percent shaded area, and specific adaptive equipment like accessible swings and sensory panels.
• Section 2 adds new O.C.G.A. § 20-2-335, creating a State Board of Education pilot immersive writing program for grades two through five, funded by up to $2 million per year for up to three school years starting 2026-2027, contingent on legislative funding.
• Section 2 requires eligible schools to apply by January 1, 2026, and directs the Department of Education to develop an application process by October 1, 2025 and to report annual assessments to the State Board starting no later than June 1, 2027.
• Section 2 provides that the pilot program law will automatically repeal on July 1, 2029.
• Section 3 revises O.C.G.A. § 20-2-12 to define 'patriotic society' and encourage local school systems to permit such groups, including the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, to use school facilities, requiring written reasons if access is denied.
• Section 4 sets the effective date of the Act as July 1, 2025.

1. 2026-01-12Senate Recommitted (Senado)
2. 2026-01-12Senate Taken from Table (Senado)
3. 2025-04-02Senate Tabled (Senado)
4. 2025-03-27Senate Read Second Time (Senado)
5. 2025-03-27Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senado)
6. 2025-03-06Senate Read and Referred (Senado)
7. 2025-03-04House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Cámara de Representantes)
8. 2025-03-04House Third Readers (Cámara de Representantes)

• Debra Bazemore (D, HD-069)Patrocinador principal
• Bethany Ballard (R, HD-147)
• Carolyn Hugley (D, HD-141)
• Tanya Miller (D, HD-062)
• Todd Jones (R, HD-025)
• Matt Dubnik (R, HD-029)
• John Kennedy (R, SD-018)

1. AprobadaVotación: Cámara de Representantes4 de marzo de 2025

   167 a favor, 2 en contra (7 sin votar, 4 ausentes)

   Passage: House Vote #175

• school playgrounds
• elementary education
• literacy programs
• school facilities
• youth groups access