Left-Over Bill Passed First Day
& Important New One Introduced

Radio Commentary, 90.7, 91.7 New Life FM, January 20, 2012
By Sue Ella Deadwyler

Good morning, Jim. Left in limbo until this session was S.B. 184 that was introduced March 1st last year and passed both House and Senate, but in different versions. S.B. 184 is very important. It addresses the termination, suspension, non-renewal, demotion or reprimand of teachers and other personnel in public schools K – 12.

S.B. 184 passed the Senate on March 16, 2011, but did not get to the House floor for a vote until April 11th, just three days from the end of last year’s session. Because amendments were made in the House, the Senate had to vote again. That vote was delayed until the first day of this session, when it finally passed January 9th. If the governor chooses to sign it, it immediately becomes law. If he does not sign it and does not veto it, it will become law July 1st this year.

When S.B. 184 takes effect, it will require a local school board to primarily consider a teacher’s effectiveness in advancing student achievements when considering which personnel to lay-off, if the workforce must be reduced. The amount of time a teacher has been employed cannot be the primary or determining factor. The bill also creates the Professional Learning Rules Task Force to review current professional learning rules for educators and suggest ways to improve the rules.

Also introduced in 2011 but held over until this session is H.B. 661 concerning the operation, control and management of charter schools. If H.B. 661 passes as written, professional personnel in charter schools would have to comply with the same certification requirements required of professional personnel in other public schools in Georgia. That means, professionals could not be employed in charter schools unless the Professional Standards Commission has issued them a document certifying that their qualifications and classification meet Georgia regulations.

H.B. 661 is extremely important, considering the number of publicly funded charter schools that have been founded and staffed by personnel from outside the United States. Please call the House Education Committee Chairman at 404 656-9210* and ask him to pass H.B. 661 out of his committee. For Georgia Insight I’m Sue Ella Deadwyler, your Capitol correspondent.