The fourth week of the legislative session featured two key school-focused events: House Speaker Jon Burns (R-Newington) held a press conference on upcoming House school safety legislation, and a joint meeting of the House and Senate education committees included presentations on school safety and literacy.
Speaker Burns Announces School Safety Legislation
Burns and other members of the House held a news conference to unveil a major school safety legislative initiative. The bill, which is not yet available, calls for the creation of a statewide student information database aimed at improving information sharing between school systems, law enforcement, and mental health professionals. The speaker outlined that this system will be run by the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency (GEMA) and will seek to balance threat identification, students support, and privacy requirements. The legislation also calls for creation of an app for anonymous reporting of tips to law enforcement and other relevant personnel.
The announced legislation will also require school systems to create threat management teams and require that students receive instruction on violence prevention and suicide awareness. Other provisions include creation of mental health coordinator positions, tax incentives for firearm storage equipment, and increased penalties for students making terroristic threats.
The bill will be carried by Rep. Holt Persinger (R-Winder).
House and Senate Hold Joint Education Committee Focused on Safety and Literacy
The House Education Committee and Senate Education & Youth Committee held a joint meeting focusing on school safety and literacy. At the start of the meeting, Burns addressed the joint committee, referencing the safety legislation announced earlier in the day. He also spoke to the importance of improving Georgia's literacy rates.
GEMA on the Importance of Information Sharing
A GEMA representative emphasized that school safety is its No. 1 priority, and that its school safety intelligence unit collects information and gives it to law enforcement, as necessary. In the immediate wake of the murders of four victims at a Barrow County high school in September, there was significant spike in threats made against Georgia schools: 214, up from 20 in the same period the previous year. GEMA explained that there is no current legal requirement for local law enforcement or schools to notify the agency of school threats. Thus, it estimates the number of threats is much larger. Gangs and child trafficking were also characterized as significant and growing problems within Georgia schools.
DBHDD on APEX, Telehealth, and School Counselor and School Social Worker Ratios
Kevin Tanner, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD), reported that the APEX program reached 16,000 Georgia students last year. The program is intended to increase student access to mental health services, provide early detection of child and adolescent mental health needs, and strengthen coordination between community-based mental health providers and local schools.
Tanner highlighted the need to lower school counselor and school social worker ratios. He noted persistent provider staffing challenges, especially in rural Georgia. Telehealth services allow clinicians to cover more territory, particularly in rural Georgia, and DBHDD would like to extend telehealth and partnerships with local Regional Education Service Agencies (RESAs).
GOSA, GaDOE and RESA Staff on Literacy Initiatives
Sarah Richards,the state literacy coach with the Governor's Office of Student Achievement (GOSA), Amy Denty, director of literacy for the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE), Stacey Lutz, a contractor and coordinator with GOSA, and Richard Smith, executive director of the First District RESA and the Georgia RESA Network, highlighted ongoing initiatives to improve literacy in Georgia. After providing background information on literacy focused bills and the established framework of the state literacy plan, the speakers pivoted their focus to educator professional development and literacy coaches and emphasized that both are important to ensure state goals are met. The speakers noted efforts to tailor supports for specific school and educator needs while maintaining a common set of standards and goals.
Register Today for 2025 PAGE Day on Capitol Hill
Join us Tuesday, Feb. 18, for PAGE Day on Capitol Hill. In partnership with partnership with the Georgia Association of Educational Leaders (GAEL) and the Georgia Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (GACTE), the event will provide PAGE members an opportunity to learn about important education policy initiatives and meet state policy makers.
Attendees will receive complimentary breakfast and lunch. During the morning session, attendees will hear from legislators and other policymakers on pertinent education policy issues including education funding, Georgia's teacher pipeline, the Teacher Retirement System, and more.
Mid-morning, attendees will engage in advocacy and direct dialogue with legislators under the Gold Dome. The event culminates in a lunch buffet during which state leaders will share remarks.
Upcoming Schedule
Tuesday Feb. 4 - Legislative Day 11
2:00 p.m. Senate Education and Youth Committee, 450 CAP
2:00 p.m. Senate Retirement Committee, 307 CLOB
Wednesday Feb. 5 Legislative Day 12
Thursday Feb. 6 - Legislative Day 13