06 HB
1068/AP
House
Bill 1068 (AS PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE)
By:
Representatives Ehrhart of the
36th,
Tumlin of the
38th,
Parsons of the
42nd,
Manning of the
32nd,
Golick of the
34th,
and others
A
BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
AN ACT
To
amend an Act providing for the election of members of the Board of Education of
Cobb County, approved March 28, 1974 (Ga. L. 1974, p. 3516), as amended, so as
to provide for procedures relating to the establishment or revision of school
attendance zones; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws;
and for other purposes.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION
1.
An
Act providing for the election of members of the Board of Education of Cobb
County, approved March 28, 1974 (Ga. L. 1974, p. 3516), as amended, is amended
by adding a new subsection (f) to the end of Section 2 to read as
follows:
"(f)(1)
Prior to establishing or revising school attendance zones, the board
shall:
(A)
Conduct at least one public hearing prior to developing any proposed plan
establishing or revising attendance zones to get public input regarding the
development of such plan or plans and the location of attendance zones;
(B)
Develop two or more alternate proposed plans establishing or revising attendance
zones. Such alternate plans must be made available to the public at least 24
hours prior to the public hearing at which they will be discussed;
and
(C)
Conduct at least two public hearings to allow input from the public on the
proposed plans establishing or revising attendance zones. Reasonable notice
shall be provided prior to each public hearing.
(2)
The board shall take into consideration the following when establishing or
revising school attendance zones:
(A)
The board shall be required, to the greatest extent possible, to:
(1)
Maintain efficient and effective school sizes;
(2)
Use existing school facilities efficiently;
(3)
Equalize student enrollment and capacity ratios;
(4)
Consider safety of students traveling to and from schools;
(5)
Minimize the time and distance between home and school; and
(6)
Support efficient and direct feeder patterns, when possible.
These
factors shall be given priority over any other criteria;
(B)(1)
No student shall be assigned or compelled to attend any school on the basis of
race, creed, color, or national origin, or for the purpose of achieving equality
in attendance or increased or reduced attendance at any school of persons of one
or more particular race, creed, color, or national origin as may be evidenced by
ethnic diversity charts or maps indicating race of students, unless otherwise
ordered by a federal court or allowed by federal law based on a compelling
interest.
(2)
No attendance zone shall be established or revised on the basis of race, creed,
color, or national origin, or for the purpose of achieving equality in
attendance or increased or reduced attendance at any school of persons of one or
more particular race, creed, color, or national origin as may be evidenced by
ethnic diversity charts or maps indicating race of students, unless otherwise
ordered by a federal court or allowed by federal law based on a compelling
interest; and
(C)
Nothing contained in this paragraph shall prevent the assignment of a pupil in
the manner requested or authorized by the
student́s
parent or
guardian."
SECTION
2.
This
Act shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its
becoming law without such approval.
SECTION
3.
All
laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.