06 LC
33 1202
Senate
Bill 515
By:
Senators Moody of the 56th, Weber of the 40th, Douglas of the 17th, Starr of the
44th and Thomas of the 54th
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
AN ACT
To
amend Part 3 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of
Georgia Annotated, relating to educational programs under the "Quality Basic
Education Act," so as to expand the grades of eligibility for the remedial
education program; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws;
and for other purposes.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION
1.
Part
3 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia
Annotated, relating to educational programs under the "Quality Basic Education
Act," is amended by striking subsection (a) of Code Section 20-2-154, relating
to the remedial education program, and inserting in lieu thereof the
following:
∀(a)
All children and youth who are eligible for a general and career education
program under Code Section 20-2-151 and who are also eligible under the criteria
specified in this Code section shall be provided, in accordance with policies
adopted by the State Board of Education, the remedial education program services
needed to address their respective reading, mathematics, or writing
deficiencies. The following students shall be eligible for remedial education
services:
(1)
Students in grades
nine
six
through 12 may be eligible for services if they meet two or more of the
following criteria:
(A)
The student has been through the formal student support team process and has
documented evidence to support the placement in remedial education;
(B)
The student has been retained in the grade;
(C)
The student is receiving services under Part A of Chapter 1 of Title 1 of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended by the Improving
Americás
Schools Act of 1994 (Public Law 103-382);
(D)
The student has been recommended by the teacher who has documented any of the
following student information:
(i)
Low performance in the reading series system;
(ii)
Low performance in the mathematics series; or
(iii)
The student is unable to verbally express ideas and cannot write or dictate a
meaningful sentence; or
(E)
Current test information in the student file indicates the student has a score
at or below the twenty-fifth percentile; and
(2)
Students in grades
nine
six
through 12 who are receiving services under the special education program as
authorized by Code Section 20-2-152 and whose Individualized Education Programs
(IEṔs)
specify that they meet the eligibility requirements specified in paragraph (1)
of this subsection and that their special education program is not designed to
address their respective reading, mathematics, or writing
deficiencies.
No
more than 25 percent of the full-time equivalent population in eligible grades
as specified in paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection shall be eligible for
the remedial program; provided, however, that the State Board of Education may
develop regulations whereby a higher percentage may be eligible if the
percentage of students receiving free and reduced price lunches exceeds 50
percent.∀
SECTION
2.
All
laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.