SUMMARY:  LC 33 5927-EC    LC 33 6080ECS (SCS)

A constitutional amendment to "authorize the state to assume the supervision, management, and operation of public elementary and secondary schools which have been determined to be failing through any governance model allowed by law."  That authorization would include "the power to receive, control, and expend state, federal, and local funds appropriated...in accordance with general law."

The substitute bill changed the wording related to funding to ensure the OSD schools that become state charters continue to get local funding after they are out of the OSD. 

If the amendment passes both chambers by a 2/3 majority, the following question will be placed on the November 2016 ballot:  

Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended to allow the state to intervene in chronically failing public schools in order to improve student performance? 

POINTS TO CONSIDER:

The language being placed in the Constitution is very broad particularly since the state determines all aspects of this process -- the accountability system, definition of failing -- and can change any of the operational details through general law.

The cap on the size of the OSD is not in the Constitutional amendment so could be changed at any time.

The state is once again turning to a funding model that takes local dollars for state schools and this time they take the facility too.  If the school taken over becomes a state charter, the facility and local funding remains with the school forever.

See SB 133 for the enabling legislation