SB 595: State Board of Education; establish a student personal development and career readiness program; authorize

Currently Georgia law does not set up a formal statewide program combining mental health support, soft skills instruction, and career readiness services in public schools through third-party providers. This bill would authorize the State Board of Education to create such a program and to approve outside organizations, called program providers, to run it in schools that choose to participate. Providers would have to offer on-site mental health support, soft skills and life skills instruction, case management, and staff training, all at no cost to students. Providers must show at least a 50 percent academic improvement rate among served students and keep average per-student costs at $1,500 or less. The bill also creates a grant program, subject to money the General Assembly decides to appropriate, to help pay for materials, staffing, training, and administration. Starting in 2027, providers and the state board must file annual reports on participation, results, and funding with state leaders.

• Authorizes the State Board of Education to establish a student personal development and career readiness program that public schools may voluntarily join.
• Creates an annual application process where the state board approves third-party program providers by September 15 each year and posts the approved list publicly.
• Requires approved providers to offer free on-site mental health support, soft skills instruction, life skills coaching, case management, and staff training to participating schools.
• Sets minimum performance and cost standards for providers: at least a 50 percent academic improvement rate and no more than $1,500 average cost per student.
• Establishes a grant program, funded only if the General Assembly appropriates money, to help pay providers' curricula, staffing, training, and administrative costs.
• Requires providers to report yearly starting in 2027 on participation and results, with the state board then reporting that data to the Governor and legislative leaders by December 1.

Public elementary and secondary schools and their students statewide, the State Board of Education, which runs the approval and grant process, third-party organizations seeking to become approved program providers, and state leaders including the Governor and legislative education committees who receive annual reports.

If schools opt in, students could gain access to free mental health support, soft skills coaching, and career readiness help delivered by outside providers rather than school staff alone. Because funding depends on future legislative appropriations, the program's actual reach and impact would hinge on how much money lawmakers choose to allocate.

• Code Section 20-2-2140 defines key terms such as 'academic improvement rate,' 'average cost per student,' and 'approved program provider.'
• Code Section 20-2-2141 lets the state board create the program and sets an annual approval cycle: applications available by August 15, approvals and public listing by September 15.
• Code Section 20-2-2142 requires providers to offer free mental health support, soft skills and life skills instruction, case management, and teacher training, and sets minimum performance standards (50 percent academic improvement rate, $1,500 average cost per student cap).
• Code Section 20-2-2143 creates a grant program, contingent on legislative appropriations, to fund curricula, staffing, training, and administrative expenses, with the state board setting eligibility and monitoring rules.
• Code Section 20-2-2144 requires providers to submit annual reports starting in 2027 on participation, academic improvement rate, and per-student cost, which the state board must then relay to the Governor and legislative leaders by December 1 each year.

1. 2026-02-26Senate Read and Referred (Senado)
2. 2026-02-25Senate Hopper (Senado)

• Donzella James (D, SD-028)Patrocinador principal
• Michael Rhett (D, SD-033)
• Jaha Howard (D, SD-035)
• Randal Mangham (D, SD-055)
• RaShaun Kemp (D, SD-038)
• Kim Jackson (D, SD-041)
• Tonya Anderson (D, SD-043)
• Elena Parent (D, SD-044)
• Kenya Wicks (D, SD-034)
• Gail Davenport (D, SD-017)
• Sally Harrell (D, SD-040)
• Sonya Halpern (D, SD-039)
• Nan Orrock (D, SD-036)

• student mental health
• career readiness
• public education funding
• school programs
• education policy