General Assembly Passes Bill to Create Special District for Failing Schools

The Georgia House has approved Governor Nathan Deal’s plan allowing a state takeover of schools dubbed “chronically failing.”

The House easily passed the amendment Wednesday morning by a vote of 121-47.  An accompanying bill, which was not voted on during the morning session, requires a simple majority to pass.

Both pieces of legislation have passed the state Senate, with the amendment receiving exactly the two-thirds support needed for a constitutional change.

Georgians will now vote next year on whether to approve the amendment, which would create an Opportunity School District (OSD) to rescue children from chronically failing public schools.

Under Deal’s plan, an appointed superintendent accountable to the governor could add up to 20 schools to the district each year and have the power to close schools, or convert them into charter schools, or overhaul school system management.

The district could not include more than 100 schools total in future years.

Schools would become eligible for the OSD if they score below 60 for three years in a row on the state’s index for measuring student performance and growth.

Deal’s office estimates nearly 140 schools would be eligible based on recent state performance evaluation results.

“I commend members of the General Assembly for putting aside partisan politics to prioritize the needs of our children,” Deal said. “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.

Both Franklin County and Hart County schools, except for South Hart Elementary, scored high in the 2014 Climate Rating results and all schools in both counties scored well on the College and Career Readiness Performance Index or CCRPI.

Organizations representing teachers, school boards and other education stakeholders largely oppose the plan.
Members voting against the amendment Wednesday said it gives a governor too much power over education in the state -whoever that might be.

The constitutional amendment will require support from a majority of voters in 2016.

“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,” Deal said Wednesday.