Continuing with the significant requirements from last year's session, the 2026 session of the Georgia General Assembly produced a substantial number of bills affecting public school districts, with the most notable changes concentrated in academic programming, school safety, employee leave and workforce issues, financial oversight, student rights and access, and charter/nontraditional education programs. Taken together, these measures will require local boards of education and district administrators to review policies, plan for implementation, and, in several areas, coordinate early with finance, human resources, technology, and school safety personnel.
Some of the legislation will likely carry operational or funding implications for school districts, even where the bill itself does not appropriate new money. Below is a high-level summary of the bills passed this session that most directly affect local school districts.
Immediate Priorities: 2026 Policy Adoption and Operational Readiness
Student Device Restrictions – “Bell-to-Bell” Enforcement (HB 1009)
One of the most immediate and operationally sensitive changes is the requirement that districts adopt and enforce student personal electronic device policies on a “bell-to-bell” basis. Unlike prior local policies that often focused on classroom use, this law requires restrictions to apply throughout the entire instructional day.
Following the adoption of this for K-8 in a bill last session, policies had to be adopted by January 1, 2026, with implementation for grades K-8 by July 1, 2026, and grades 9-12 by July 1, 2027.
This is not simply a policy exercise. Districts should be prepared for enforcement challenges and should prioritize clearly defined expectations for storage, discipline, and communication, as well as training for administrators and teachers to ensure consistent application.
School Safety Requirements (SB 148, SB 589)
School safety legislation this session imposes several near-term requirements that will necessitate both policy action and operational investment.
SB 148 updates automated external defibrillator (AED) requirements and mandates that districts maintain trained response teams and conduct at least two emergency drills per year. SB 589 requires that student identification badges issued on or after July 1, 2026, include specified 988 crisis hotline language.
Financial Oversight and Governance (HB 1164, SB 472)
Two of the most consequential bills this session significantly expand state oversight of district finances and governance, requiring submission of annual audit readiness certifications and adding additional consequences tied to financial mismanagement. There are July 1, 2026, deadlines in these bills, so school districts will need to take steps for compliance quickly.
Employee Benefits and Workforce (HB 1118, SB 148, SB 150)
HB 1118 creates a new category of paid maternal birth leave (120 hours) with a deadline for changes in October of this year.
SB 148 increases allowable use of sick leave for personal or professional reasons from three to five days.
In addition, SB 150 extends provisions allowing certain retired teachers to return to work in high-need areas through June 30, 2030, providing districts with additional staffing flexibility.
Academic Programming: 2026-2028 Implementation Planning
Literacy (HB 1193)
The Georgia Early Literacy Act requires districts to adopt unified literacy plans by January 1, 2027, and align instruction with science-of-reading principles. The law expands requirements related to literacy screening, intervention, and coaching and is likely to drive staffing and instructional material decisions.
Mathematics (HB 1030)
The Math Matters Act requires districts to provide 60 minutes daily or 300 minutes weekly of math instruction in grades 4-5 beginning in the 2027–2028 school year. Districts also must implement advanced math pathways, including automatic enrollment for qualifying students and parent opt-out procedures. The State Board of Education must adopt standards by January 1, 2027.
Computer Science (SB 179)
SB 179 establishes a future graduation requirement for computer science beginning in the 2031-2032 school year (Class of 2037), requiring long-term planning for course availability and staffing.
Student Rights, Compliance, and Operational Procedures
Title VI Compliance (SB 523)
SB 523 creates a statewide Title VI enforcement structure. Districts must align nondiscrimination policies and complaint procedures and respond to notices of noncompliance within 30 days. A statewide coordinator will be designated by September 29, 2026.
Student Expression and Access (SB 552)
SB 552 requires equal access for student groups engaging in political or philosophical expression and requires viewpoint-neutral policies in schools with a limited open forum.
Student Records and Foster Care Enrollment (SB 431)
SB 431 requires districts to enroll foster care students within three school business days and updates requirements related to student records access and transfer, which revises and supersedes HB 268 passed last school year.
Mandated Reporting (HB 1409)
HB 1409 updates child abuse reporting requirements, including a requirement that reports be made within 24 hours, with an effective date of July 1, 2027.
Terminal Student Diplomas (HB 1284)
HB 1284 requires districts to establish a process for awarding diplomas to terminally ill students, including posthumous awards.
Charter, Nontraditional, and Alternative Programs
(HB 907, HB 1293, HB 1302, SB 369)
There are several bills that serve to increase flexibility for students and parents, including addressing drop-out prevention, allowing students to remain enrolled in their resident systems for administrative purposes while participating in alternative pathways, and establishing a framework for nontraditional education programs.
Finance and Revenue Impacts
(SB 33 and Related Measures)
One of the most significant developments this session is SB 33, which will directly affect school district revenue.
SB 33 imposes a mandatory statewide homestead exemption that caps increases in assessed value of homestead property at the prior year’s inflation rate. As a result, districts may not realize the full benefit of increases in property values for maintenance and operations (M&O) tax purposes. Districts will no longer have the ability to opt out.
The cap would take effect upon enactment, meaning it could affect current-year budget projections, not just future years.
Districts should treat SB 33 as a potential immediate revenue constraint and coordinate with finance teams to reassess projections and reserve strategies.
What Districts Should Do Now
Districts should consider using a checklist (our team has developed one we can share) to identify required board actions and deadlines and begin coordinating across departments. Immediate priorities include device policy adoption and enforcement, school safety systems, financial oversight compliance, and employee leave policies. Districts should also evaluate potential revenue impacts under SB 33 and incorporate those assumptions into current and future budget planning, while beginning longer-term planning for academic program changes that take effect in the 2027-2028 school year and beyond.
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