PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA EDUCATORS

Senate committee meetings were postponed today as the Senate engaged in a lengthy debate on SB 382 , which changes property taxes collected by county governments, including school boards. Once the Senate floor session concluded, several major education bills, including SB 150 , which would expand and reauthorize the return-to-work program for retired educators, were approved in committee. The House had a short floor calendar, with no education bills on the agenda, and no educ

Though Legislative Day 10 did not include education bills on the House or Senate floor, it did see plenty of school-related action by House Education subcommittees. The subcommittees considered several education bills, including HB 1009 , PAGE-supported legislation that would extend existing K-8 bell-to-bell bans on student mobile phones and personal devices to grades 9-12. House Floor Action Senate Floor Action Subcommittee Approves PAGE-Supported Ban on Cell Phones in Grade

Committee work has continued to ramp up, with the House Education Committee meeting today to hear presentations on several education topics. A bill to ban student personal electronic devices during the school day in grades 9-12 has been assigned to a House Education subcommittee for a hearing. The legislation sponsored by Rep. Scott Hilton (R-Peachtree Corners), HB 1009 , is supported by PAGE. The Chattahoochee-Flint RESA Student Advisory Committee was present at the Capito

One of the more interesting aspects of the 2026 Legislative Session is that, since it is the second year of the legislative biennium, bills left over from 2025 remain eligible for passage. Moreover, these leftover bills do not need to restart the legislative process and, in some cases, can achieve final passage with a simple motion. This situation was illustrated today when the Senate took action on several bills, including one on educator leave allowances. House Floor Action

Due to weather conditions on Legislative Day 6, the House and Senate held pro forma floor sessions and did not conduct substantive business. Legislators returned to the Gold Dome Tuesday for Legislative Day 7, though neither chamber considered education bills. Committee meetings are beginning, including the Senate Education & Youth Committee, which met today. Senate Committee Approves Educator Leave Bill The Senate Education & Youth Committee, chaired by Sen. Billy Hickman (

The Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC) met virtually for committee meetings Jan. 7 and in person at the GaPSC office for the full commission Jan. 8. GaPSC Releases Recommendations to Strengthen Educator Workforce Click for Full Document Per the requirements of SR 237 , the GaPSC has released its Strategic Plan for strengthening the state’s educator workforce. The document summarizes the work of the Georgia Roundtable for Strategic Educator Recruitment and Reten

Legislators began their review of Gov. Brian P. Kemp’s proposals for the Amended Fiscal Year (AFY) 2026 budget  and the Fiscal Year 2027 budget  in a three-day joint meeting of the Senate and House Appropriations Committees, which began Tuesday, Jan. 20. Kemp opened the meeting with highlights from his proposed spending plans, including $325 million for a new needs-based financial aid program for higher education, the Dream Scholarship program . State economist, Robert Buschm

The House and Senate flew through their business Friday as Gov. Brian Kemp, House, and Senate members participated in an event at the Capitol to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Upcoming Appropriations Hearings & PAGE Webinar to Review Budget Proposals The legislature will stand in adjournment next week while joint appropriations hearings occur. Policymakers will review the governor's proposed Amended Fiscal Year (AFY) 2026 and Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 budgets. An

Today's legislative agenda was dominated by Gov. Brian Kemp's State of the State address. During the speech, his final State of the State as governor, Kemp outlined several of his 2026 legislative priorities and reported that all state employees and educators will receive a one-time $2,000 salary supplement payment. The GPB recording of the address is available HERE . House Floor Action Senate Floor Action 2026 State of the State In his address, Kemp referenced successes duri

The third day of the 2026 Legislative Session began bright and early for the PAGE Legislative Team as they attended the Georgia Chamber of Commerce Eggs & Issues Breakfast. During this event, legislative leaders outlined their priorities including continuing efforts to improve literacy, invest in state and local infrastructure, and cut income and property tax rates. Gov. Brian Kemp will expand on his Eggs & Issues comments when he delivers his final State of the State address

The Georgia House and Senate convened for the second day of the 2026 session. Each chamber held short days, though the Senate read SB 381 by Sen. RaShaun Kemp (D-Atlanta) for the first time. The bill would provide grants to systems to support the education of students living in poverty. The grant amount for each local education agency (LEA) is calculated as 25% of the base state funding amount per qualifying student. At least 90% of grant funds must be used directly for pr

The Georgia House and Senate convened for the first day of the 2026 session and quickly adopted an adjournment resolution , which sets the calendar for the remainder of the session. Though the floor session was relatively brief and there were no scheduled committee meetings, legislative business will begin to intensify later in the week. Proposed state budgets, including the education budget, are expected to be released in conjunction with the governor's State of the State ad

The Senate Impact of Social Media and Artificial Intelligence on Children and Platform Privacy Protection Study Committee held a meeting Nov. 12 at the Georgia State Capitol, focusing on the use of technology in K-12 schools. Committee members include:  ·    Sen. Sally Harrell (D-Atlanta) (Co-Chair) ·    Sen. Shawn Still (R-Johns Creek) (Co-Chair) ·    Sen. Marty Harbin (R-Tyrone) ·    Sen. Sheikh Rahman (D-Lawrenceville) ·    Sen. Ed Setzler (R-Acworth)   Rep. Scott Hilton

The Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC) met virtually Dec. 11 and 12. GaPSC Releases Recommendations to Strengthen Educator Workforce Click for Full Document Per the requirements of SR 237 , the GaPSC has released its Strategic Plan for strengthening the state’s educator workforce. The document summarizes the work of the Georgia Roundtable for Strategic Educator Recruitment and Retention and provides several legislative recommendations for the 2026 Legislative S

The   Senate Study Committee on Combating Chronic Absenteeism in Schools  met for the final time Nov. 20 at the Georgia State Capitol. Following presentations from multiple student support services providers, committee members recessed to draft the final report. Educators Share Views on Student Absenteeism in Upcoming PAGE Report Results from the 2025 PAGE Legislative Policy Survey indicate educators perceive chronic student absenteeism as a significant challenge. Nearly 87%

The House Education Committee and the Senate Education & Youth Committee held a joint meeting to discuss recommendations to strengthen the educator workforce.   The recommendations are the product of a working group established by  SR 237 ,   sponsored by Sen. Billy Hickman (R-Statesboro) during the 2025 Legislative Session. Per the resolution, the working group is led by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC) and is comprised of representatives from multiple s

The State Board of Education (SBOE) met Nov. 5 and 6. A meeting agenda is available through the button below.  School Governance Standards Updated to Address Safety The board revised the Standards for Effective Governance of Georgia School Systems to add a new domain focused on school safety to existing standards. John Jackson, immediate past president of the Georgia School Boards Association (GSBA), spoke in support of the new domain and thanked board members for their con

The Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC) met virtually Nov. 12 and 13. Executive Secretary Update GaPSC  Executive Secretary Jody Barrow provided updates on SR 237,  which cha rges the GaPASC to develop recommendations to improve educator recruitment and retention. The Georgia Roundtable for Educator Recruitment and Retention has concluded its work, and Barrow said he will present a summary of recommendations to a joint meeting of the House and Senate Education C

The     House Study Committee on Student Attendance in PreK-12 Education   held its final meeting Nov. 5 at the Georgia State Capitol. The meeting addressed school mental health resources with a specific focus on school social workers. Committee members also shared their policy priorities ore about Issues Facing Special Education Teachers In PAGE's Educator Workforce Survey Report Learn More about Educator Views on Student Absenteeism in Upcoming PAGE Report Thank you to the

The   Senate Study Committee on Combating Chronic Absenteeism in Schools  met Oct. 16 at the Georgia State Capitol. Committee Chair John Kennedy (R-Macon) opened the meeting  with an explanation of  the difference between chronic absenteeism and truancy .   He explained  that student truancy is generally defined by excessive unexcused absences, while chronic student absenteeism encompasses both excused and unexcused absences. PAGE Survey Shows Educators Believe Absenteeism is