The State Board of Education (SBOE) met on Aug. 23 and 24 in Macon at the Georgia Academy for the Blind, the first regular meeting of the board held outside of the Georgia Department of Education office in Atlanta. Students and faculty from the academy performed a song to welcome the board to the school. Leadership from the academy provided an update on school implementation of the Georgia Early Literacy Act as well as progress in other academic areas. The SBOE is directly responsible for managing and maintaining the Division of State Schools, which includes the Georgia Academy for the Blind, Georgia School for the Deaf, and the Atlanta Area School for the Deaf. More information on these schools can be found HERE.
CLICK HERE to view the agenda, which includes links to all items considered by the board.
The next board meeting will take place Sept. 27 and 28.
Georgia Milestone, Dyslexia, and Universal Reading Screening Rule Update Tabled
A rule amendment to align English Language Arts (ELA) and math end-of-course tests with recently adopted ELA and math standards was tabled by the board. The rule amendment also includes dyslexia and universal reading screening provisions as required by state law. The definition for universal reading screeners included the word "screen," which some board members characterized as unclear. GaDOE staff pulled the definition from HB 538, the Georgia Early Literacy Act. The board tabled the rule until the September meeting in order to give GaDOE staff time to update the definition. The delay does not prevent the department from meeting timelines required by HB 538.
New Courses
The board adopted standards for the Entertainment, Sports, and Events Management career pathway for public comment. The pathway consists of two courses: The Business of Entertainment, Sports, and Event Management and Event Planning Applications.
The board posted the following new courses for public comment:
Mental Health Professional (requested by Gov. Brian Kemp's office)