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HB 0338 - Education; system of supports and assistance for low-performing schools in the greatest need; provisions

Tracking Level: Passed
Sponsor: Kevin Tanner
Last Action: 7/1/2017 - Effective Date
House Committee: Education
Senate Committee: Education and Youth
Assigned To:
ChoiceNext Bill
ContractsNext Bill
Local Board GovernanceNext Bill

Staff Analysis of the Legislation

SUMMARY: LC 33 6871 LC 336968S HB 338/AP

  • A Chief Turnaround Officer (CTO) would be appointed by the State Board and report directly to them.
  • The CTO will recommend personnel to serve as turnaround coaches for State Board approval.  The coaches will assist schools identified as in the greatest need of help with ongoing assistance and input.
  • Coaches will be assigned to one or more schools and shall assist in creating local collaborations to address personal and community conditions impacting student achievement.
  • The schools will be identified based on the number of years they have received "an unacceptable rating and any other factors deemed appropriate by the Chief Turnaround Officer." 
  • Local boards can amend their flexibility contracts to agree to receive assistance from the state.  Otherwise, the State Board has up to 60 days to implement one or more of the interventions in current law.
  • Local boards that have no flexibility contract can sign an intervention contract to agree to receive assistance or the State Board will immediately implement one or more of the interventions in current law.
  • Within 90 days of entering into the contract, a turnaround coach, RESA personnel, and possibly a third party provider shall conduct a comprehensive evaluation, make recommendations, and help develop an intensive school improvement plan.
  • After 2 years, if the school is not improving, there are ten possible interventions including continuing the implementation of the plan.
  • Before the implementation of any intervention, the local board can request a hearing before the State Board to show why the proposed intervention should not be implemented or that an alternative is better.
  • An Education Turnaround Advisory Council would report to the State Board their recommendations on the qualifications and method of identifying and selecting the CTO.  They could also submit names of potential candidates for CTO and turnaround coaches. The Council would be made up of the executive directors or their designee(s) of GSBA, GSSA, PAGE, GAE, and the President of Georgia PTA.
  • A Joint Study Committee on the Establishment of a State Accreditation Process is also created in the bill.  The Committee shall also consider the possibility of establishing a school board review commission.
  • After five or more consecutive years of one-half or more of a district's schools receiving an unacceptable rating, the school board can be removed using the same procedures as are currently in place using the accreditation status as the trigger.  If the local board is under a contract amendment or intervention contract and is in substantial compliance with the contract, this is stayed. 

 

 


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