11 LC 33 3952

Senate Bill 55

By: Senators Unterman of the 45th, Shafer of the 48th, Rogers of the 21st and Balfour of the 9th

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT

To amend Part 14 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to other educational programs under the "Quality Basic Education Act," so as to enact the "Georgia Student Extracurricular Partnership Act"; to provide for legislative findings; to provide for definitions; to require a public school to allow any public school student in grades kindergarten through 12 living in the attendance zone of the public school to participate in extracurricular activities at such school; to provide for academic requirements; to provide that such student be subject to all nonacademic rules, regulations, and codes of conduct as would apply to other students; to provide for rules and regulations; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:

SECTION 1.

This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Georgia Student Extracurricular Partnership Act."

SECTION 2.

The General Assembly finds that extracurricular student activities are an important complement to the academic curriculum and that participation in extracurricular activities contributes to the development of the social and intellectual skills necessary for students to become well-rounded adults. Further, the General Assembly finds that the state has an investment in every child in this state and his or her education, regardless of where that child is being educated.

SECTION 3.

Part 14 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to other educational programs under the "Quality Basic Education Act," is amended by adding a new Code section to read as follows:

"20-2-319.3.

(a) As used in this Code section, the term:

(1) 'Nonenrolled public school student' means a public school student in grades kindergarten through 12 who resides within the attendance zone of a school but who is not enrolled in such school.

(2) 'Public school' means, without limitation, a traditional public school, a local charter school, as defined in paragraph (7) of Code Section 20-2-2062, a state chartered special school, as defined in paragraph (16) of Code Section 20-2-2062, and a commission charter school, as defined in paragraph (2) of Code Section 20-2-2081.

(b) A public school may allow any nonenrolled public school student to participate in any extracurricular activity offered or conducted by such public school in the same manner as any student currently enrolled at such public school. A nonenrolled public school student desiring to participate in an extracurricular activity shall register with the principal of the public school, or his or her designee, such intent to participate in extracurricular activities of the public school in accordance with rules and regulations established by the State Board of Education. The final approval for such participation shall reside in the discretion of the principal in accordance with local board policies, or in accordance with State Board of Education or Georgia Charter Schools Commission policies, for a state chartered special school or a commission charter school, respectively.

(c) In order to be eligible to participate in an extracurricular activity pursuant to this Code section, a nonenrolled public school student shall maintain at his or her school of attendance compliance with all academic and nonacademic rules and requirements governing participation in such extracurricular activity at the public school.

(d) The State Board of Education shall establish rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this Code section."

SECTION 4.

All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.