Parent Trigger Law
2013-2014 Regular
Session - HB 123
Parent and Teacher Empowerment Act
A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to elementary and secondary education, so as to enact the "Parent and Teacher Empowerment Act"; to provide for petitions to convert existing schools to charter schools or to impose turnaround models; to provide for definitions; to allow for petitions by parents or teachers; to provide for turnaround models; to provide for notice to the State Board of Education; to provide for local board approval; to provide for applicability; to provide for rules and regulations; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Nov 5, 2012
State Representative Edward Lindsey, R-Atlanta, the
Georgia House Majority Whip, announced today his intention to push
for passage of a Parent Trigger Bill during the 2013 legislative
session of the Georgia General Assembly. The measure will give
parents a greater voice in school governance.
"We have been working with parents and educators on this issue
for some time," said Rep. Lindsey. "However, the events at North
Atlanta High School highlight the need for this kind of
legislation. Parents, students, and school staff were completely
cut out of the decision making process. That is no way to instill
needed confidence to improve our schools."
A parent trigger bill will make it easier for parents to petition
to convert their existing traditional public school into a local
public charter school, which would give parents greater control
over their children's education and give the school greater
flexibility in improving student achievement.
"An integral part of improving education in Georgia is greater
parent buy-in to their children's education. The parent trigger
proposal will assist parents with this in both well-established and
struggling low performance schools," Rep. Lindsey continued. "A
quality education for all of our state's children is critical to
their future and ours. All parents should be given a greater voice
in achieving this."