The State Board of Education (SBOE) approved to post a rule that would require school districts to post annual operating budgets, all locally developed formative assessments, curriculum, and instructional materials for public review. The board also accepted a grant from Gov. Brian Kemp's federal Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) funds to award up to $125 grants to qualifying teachers and paraprofessionals to purchase classroom supplies. New Board Leadership Jason Downey, the board's representative from the eighth congressional district, led his first meeting as board chair. Dr. Stan DeJarnett will serve as vice chair. Committee chairs are:
Matt Donaldson - Budget Committee
Phenna Petty - Rules Committee
Scott Sweeney - District Flexibility & Charter Schools Committee
Lisa Kinnemore - State Schools Committee
Mike Royal - Audit Committee
The SBOE’s Jan. 12 committee agenda is available HERE. The agenda for the board’s Committee of the Whole meeting Jan. 13 is available HERE.
The next meetings are scheduled for Feb. 16 and 17.
Board Approves Curriculum and Testing Transparency Rule for Public Comment The board approved to post rule 160-7-1-.02 Local Educational Agency and School Transparency for public comment. The rule requires school districts and local school boards to implement policies to increase transparency in the following ways:
Ensure parents have access to their child's education records
Public posting of the school district's annual operating budget
Annual reports of locally developed formative assessments, curriculum, and instruction materials
Public review process and board approval of surveys to be used in research projects, grants, or by third-party providers
During the Rules Committee meeting on Wednesday, State School Superintendent Richard Woods said the proposed rule is not intended to burden teachers or change what happens in the classroom. Instead, he characterized the rule as a measure intended to ensure public trust in local school systems. The board also approved to post an amendment to rule 160-4-3-.14 Work-Based Learning Programs for public comment. The amendment allows any student age 15 or older to participate in the work-based learning program and adds the Great Promise Partnership as a category of the work-based learning program following the integration of the Great Promise Partnership with GaDOE. CLICK HERE for more information on how to provide public comment on the proposed rules.
Qualifying Classroom Teachers and Paraprofessionals to Receive $125 Classroom Grants The board accepted a $15.3 million grant from Gov. Kemp that provides $125 to qualifying teachers and paraprofessionals for classroom supplies. The funds are distributed from Kemp's Governor's Emergency Education Relief (GEER) federal funds awarded as part of the COVID-19 relief package. The board also approved a contract with ClassWallet, providers of software that will be used to distribute and manage the classroom grants.