ATLANTA — The Georgia House of Representatives today passed Senate Resolution 287, legislation to allow the creation of an “Opportunity School District” in the state of Georgia. SR 287, sponsored by State Representative Christian Coomer (R-Cartersville), passed by a vote of 121-47. The resolution’s enabling legislation, Senate Bill 133, passed by a vote of 108-53.
“I am proud of my colleagues in the House for seeing the value in this measure and passing this important legislation,” said Rep. Coomer. “Every student in Georgia deserves a world-class education, and unfortunately some schools in Georgia are failing to meet those needs. The Opportunity School District model addresses failing schools with innovative education reform that has been proven successful in other states.”
SR 287 would allow Georgians to vote next year on the creation of an Opportunity School District (OSD) to allow the state to intervene in chronically failing public schools. If approved by Georgia voters, this district would assume all operational and managerial responsibility for failing public elementary and secondary schools. The constitutional amendment would appear on the November 2016 general election ballot and would require support from a majority of voters.
“Access to quality education is paramount for children to succeed,” said Speaker David Ralston. “Though it is rare, when schools fail to serve their students year after year, the state has a responsibility to step in to protect the interests of the children. Governor Deal’s Opportunity School District plan is an important safety net and upholds our responsibility to every young Georgian.”
“I commend members of the General Assembly for putting aside partisan politics to prioritize the needs of our children,” said Governor Nathan Deal. “We have both a moral duty and a self-serving interest in rescuing these children. Every child should have a fair shot at doing better than their parents before them, and we as a society benefit if more Georgians have the education and job skills needed to attract high-paying jobs. I believe the voters of Georgia will wholeheartedly endorse this proposal because they want these children to have a chance in life, they want them to get an education, they want them to have good jobs, support their families and be productive, law-abiding citizens. Our most vulnerable children deserve no less.”
SB 133 is the enabling legislation that will establish the Opportunity School District upon ratification of the constitutional amendment set forth by SR 287. The Opportunity School District will provide oversight to schools that are defined as persistently failing, or as scoring below 60 on the College and Career Performance Index (CCRPI), for three consecutive years. The CCRPI is the Georgia Department of Education’s official measurement of accountability.
The jurisdiction of the school district would fall under the control of the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement, and the Opportunity School District superintendent would be appointed by the Governor and subject to Senate confirmation. The superintendent would be charged with developing operational procedures for the Opportunity School District and providing an annual report of progress and operations to the Georgia General Assembly.
In order to ensure areas needing improvement are addressed appropriately, the Opportunity School District would only select 20 affiliated in any single academic year. The total number of selected schools would not exceed a total of 100 schools at any given time. Schools would remain a part of the Opportunity School District for at least five years, but not more than 10 years. The process for school selection would include opportunities for parent and community feedback through public hearings, but final selection is at the sole discretion of the Opportunity School District superintendent. Before a school’s oversight is transferred to the Opportunity School District, the superintendent must meet with the administration to discuss the school’s evaluation and options for improvement.
For more information on SR 287, please click here.
For more information on SB 133, please click here.
Representative Christian Coomer represents the citizens of District 14, which includes portions of Bartow and Floyd counties. He was elected into the House of Representatives in 2010, and currently serves as Vice Chairman on the Retirement Committee. He also serves on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Public Safety and the Banks & Banking, Judiciary Non-Civil, and Juvenile Justice committees.
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