SR 237: Professional Standards Commission; provide recommendations to support the state's K-12 education workforce and teacher and school leader pipeline; urge

Georgia lawmakers have identified ongoing teacher shortages and difficulty retaining experienced educators as problems facing the state's K-12 schools. This resolution does not create new law or funding. Instead, it urges the Professional Standards Commission, the body that oversees educator certification in Georgia, to lead a collaborative effort with the Department of Education, the Department of Early Care and Learning, the Teachers Retirement System of Georgia, the Office of Student Achievement, the University System of Georgia, the Technical College System of Georgia, and the Georgia Student Finance Commission. The resolution asks these groups to study issues like innovative pathways into teaching, tracking graduate outcomes from teacher education programs, partnerships to fund student teachers, public awareness of teaching as a career, and mentorship and retention strategies. It sets a deadline of December 1, 2025 for the Commission to report recommendations to the Senate, and a separate timeline set by the Office of Planning and Budget for reporting to the Governor.

• Urges the Professional Standards Commission to lead a collaborative study with multiple state education agencies on the K-12 teacher and school leader pipeline.
• Directs that recommendations address innovative entry pathways into teaching, such as apprenticeship programs and 'tutors to teachers' models.
• Calls for data collection on teacher education program graduates, including placement, effectiveness, and retention rates after one, three, five, and ten years.
• Asks for exploration of funding to compensate student teachers and whether to reinstate HOPE scholarship access to support the teacher workforce.
• Sets a deadline of December 1, 2025 for the Commission to submit recommendations, along with any proposed legislation or budget changes, to the Senate.
• Directs the Secretary of the Senate to distribute copies of the resolution to the named agencies.

The Professional Standards Commission, the Department of Education, the Department of Early Care and Learning, the Teachers Retirement System of Georgia, the Office of Student Achievement, the University System of Georgia, the Technical College System of Georgia, and the Georgia Student Finance Commission, along with current and prospective K-12 teachers and school leaders in Georgia.

If the named agencies act on this resolution, Georgians could eventually see new teacher pathways, mentorship programs, or funding proposals aimed at easing teacher shortages. Because it is a resolution rather than binding law, it creates no immediate legal requirements or funding on its own.

• Paragraph (1) urges the Professional Standards Commission to lead the collaborative effort with the listed agencies and education associations.
• Paragraph (2) lists five priority areas the recommendations should address, including innovative teaching pathways, graduate outcome data, funding partnerships, public awareness, and retention strategies.
• Paragraph (3) calls for the recommendations to emphasize data evaluation and evidence based practices.
• Paragraph (4) sets the reporting deadlines: to the Governor per an Office of Planning and Budget timeline, and to the Senate by December 1, 2025.
• The final resolved clause directs the Secretary of the Senate to distribute copies to the involved agencies.

1. 2025-04-02Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Senado)
2. 2025-04-02Senate Third Read (Senado)
3. 2025-03-25Senate Read Second Time (Senado)
4. 2025-03-21Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senado)
5. 2025-02-21Senate Read and Referred (Senado)
6. 2025-02-20Senate Hopper (Senado)

• Billy Hickman (R, SD-004)Patrocinador principal
• John Kennedy (R, SD-018)
• Steve Gooch (R, SD-051)
• Jason Anavitarte (R, SD-031)
• Chuck Payne (R, SD-054)

1. AprobadaVotación: Senado2 de abril de 2025

   53 a favor, 0 en contra (0 sin votar, 3 ausentes)

   Adoption By Substitute: Senate Vote #384

• teacher shortage
• K-12 education
• teacher retention
• education workforce
• school leadership