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Eleventh legislative day - Tuesday, February 3, 2026

Senate Retirement Committee passes Ed bill
to extend program that encourages retired educators
to return to teaching in hard-to-fill subject areas

The Senate Retirement Committee this afternoon passed SB 150 to extend the state program that allows retired teachers to return to teaching in subject areas that are difficult for schools to fill in all schools statewide. The bill would apply to teachers who already retired with 25 years of service and will remove RESAs' role in determining these hard-to-fill positions. The current law, which expires this year, only allows retirees with 30 years of service to qualify.

Senate Education Committee passes mathematics bill

SB 171 passed the Senate Education Committee today. The bill would require the State Board of Education to develop an advanced mathematics pathway in grades three to eight. Local school systems could offer the advanced mathematic course to students in grades three through five but it would be required in grades six through eight. The bill passed the committee.

The committee will meet again Thursday but no agenda has been published.

New bill creates pilot program to expand Georgia's pre-K program to children three-years of age

A bi-partisan bill to establish a pilot program to expand the state's pre-K program to three-year-old children has been filed. The bill is HB 1146 sponsored by Rep. Phil Olaleye, D-Atlanta.

Bills lowers mandatory age of education to five-year olds

SB 438 would reduce the age of compulsory education from six to five years of age and require they attend a full-day kindergarten program for one school year prior to enrolling in first grade for one school year before enrolling in first year.

Bill would require instruction in cursive writing

SB 425 would require that public schools provide in cursive writing in grades three through five. Cursive writing is already required in Georgia standards for these grades.

House Education Committee meets Thursday

The full House Education Committee will meet Thursday to consider five bills that passed out of subcomittees earlier this week. The bills are:

HB 383, the "Georgia High School NIL Protection Act," which would set new rules and regulations for high school athletes receiving Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) compensation.

HB 907 concerns "completion schools," once known as "alternative schools." The bill would require greater cooperation between the resident school and the completion school.

HB 971 would allow home-schooled and private school students to enroll in college and career academies located in certain RESA service areas and adjacent local school systems.

HB 1009 requires school systems to adopt policies to prevent high school students from using their cell phones during school day, effective for the 2027-2028 school year.

HB 1023 requires weapon detection systems in schools with multiple entrances. The bill proposes an exemption for "any point of entry to such buildings that remain locked, are equipped with alarms, and are not intended for student use or are intended for student use only on an emergency basis." Some school districts have expressed concern over the costs of implementation.

GAE DAY at the Capitol in 30 Days!

The next Legislative Alert will be Tuesday, February 4

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