A summary of Georgia's quality basic education act

,
Georgia's uaJity Basic
Education , Act
Georgia DepaJ;'tment of E~ducation

A Summary of Georgia's Quality Basic Education Act
The Quality Basic Education Act (QBE) is divided into 14 parts, each of which describes a major component of this comprehensive approach to improving education. All provisions of each part of QBE are conditional upon funding by the General Assembly.
Part 1 Definition, Purposes and Goals
Part 1 defines a Quality Basic Education in terms of the major needs and goals to be met by the public school program. The major needs include the following.
A statewide basic curriculum Quality educational programs Sufficient and equitable financing Improved statewide standards of performance Improved status and rewards for teaching Quality professional development and incentive programs Resources for continuous program improvement Complete and timely infol"mation for parents and the general public Appropriate facilities Provision of equal access to a quality education program for all students
The major goals relate to teachers and students. The number of teachers leaving the profession because of dissatisfaction will be reduced. The need for teachers holding emergency certificates or teaching out of field will be eliminated. The percentage of students graduating from high school will increase. More students will master the basic skills in all subject areas. Students will improve their performance as measured by the Basic Skills Tests and the Scholastic Aptitude Tests (SAT).
Part 2 The Statewide Basic Curriculum
Part 2 requires the Georgia Board of Education to develop a statewide basic curriculum, including the competencies that all students must master before completion of high school. This uniformly sequenced core curriculum must be included in the curriculum in each local school system. The local system may expand or enrich as it sees fit.
Every four years the Georgia Board of Education will establish a task force - including both educators and the general public - to review the student competencies and the state curriculum and recommend any changes or updates needed to keep them current and relevant to the goals of QBE.
While the particular courses of the statewide curriculum are generally not detailed in the act, four courses of study specifically required to be taught to each student by previous legislation are identified. They are federal and state governments (including county and municipal governments), history of the United States and of Georgia, alcohol and drug abuse information related to operating a motor vehicle, and health and physical education.
Beyond these four courses of study, local school systems have wide latitude in developing the courses needed to provide the state basic curriculum and any enrichment courses that they may wish to provide with local funds.

Part 3 Programs
Eligibility
The first section of Part 3 describes the eligibility of students to enroll in public school programs, including minimum ages and exceptions for children transferring in from other states.
All children who attain the age of five by September 1 and all students who have not yet attained a high school diploma are eligible for programs of general or special education. The Georgia Board of Education is authorized to determine eligibility requirements for specific programs. General and occupational education are to be integrated into a comprehensive program which will contribute to the total development of the individual.
A child who was a legal resident of another state for at least two years before moving to Georgia and who was enrolled in a recognized kindergarten or first grade is eligible for enrollment in the appropriate program in Georgia, provided that the child attained the required age for the program by December 31.
No child will be required to attend school before becoming seven years old; but if the child enters school at a younger age, he or she becomes subject to the rules and regulations regarding compulsory attendance.
Authorized Programs
The remaining sections of Part 3 describe the programs which the state authorizes and supports that are needed to deliver a Quality Basic Education to all children.
The general and career education programs include
1. A full-day kindergarten program available in all local school systems by school year 1987-88. All public school systems will offer this program, which must include classroom instruction for at least 4 1/2 hours per day for 180 days per year. The purpose of the kindergarten program is to prepare the child for a successful first grade experience. No child will remain in kindergarten for more than two years, but students will be placed in the appropriate first-grade program.
2. A primary grades program which, for funding purposes, consists of grades one through three. The purpose of this program is the mastery of the basic skills needed to achieve successfully in the higher grades. To be eligible for the first grade, a child must achieve a passing score on a school readiness assessment and be age six by September 1. If a child does not achieve a passing score on the second annual assessment, he or she is referred for assessment for special education or special instructional assistance.
3. A middle grades program which, for funding purposes, consists of grades four through eight. The purposes of this program are to assure mastery of essential skills, assist students in the transition into adolescence, and prepare students to select courses in high school that are consistent with their abilities and aspirations. Middle grades students will also be provided opportunities to master more advanced skills and knowledge.
4. A high school program which, for funding purposes, consists of grades nine through 12. It includes provisions for both vocational and nonvocational laboratory courses.
In addition to the general and career education programs, the QBE Act authorizes additional programs for students with special needs. These programs include
1. Special education programs. Preschool children (ages zero through four) who have severe handicapping conditions may receive special services. State funds may be used for these children at state schools and psychoeducational centers, but local systems which serve such children must use only federal or local funds. School-age students may receive special education services if they have emotional, physical, communicative or intellectual characteristics which require a modified school pro-
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gram to enable them to achieve to their potentials. This description includes the gifted as well as the mentally or physically handicapped child. Two general delivery models are authorized. A student who received instruction by a certified special education teacher for more than half the school day is in a self-contained program. One who is instructed by such a teacher for less than half the school day is in a resourced program.
2. The special instructional assistance program. Children in grades kindergarten through five who have been identified as having problems in developing the skills needed to perform up to expectations for their ages will be served by this program. However, students who are receiving similar services in either a special education or remedial program are not eligible.
3. The remedial education program. This program is intended for students who are significantly behind in their achievement relative to their grade level. This program provides intense, individualized basic skills instruction designed to bring students up to grade level as quickly as possible. Eli gibility in grades two through five is based on achievement that is at least one-half year below grade level (or the 25th percentile on a standardized test); eligibility in grade nine is based on achieving one year below grade level; and eligibility in grades 10 through 12 is based on scoring below the criterion score on the Basic Skills Tests in either reading or mathematics. Students receiving similar service in other programs are not eligible.
4. The school climate management program. This program is designed to help schools improve performance through better management techniques and more widespread participation in school operations by parents, teachers, students and the general public.
5. The in-school suspension program. This program provides an alternative to suspension or expulsion for disruptive students. Such students may be placed in locations isolated from other students where they follow strict rules of behavior, continue their regular classroom assignments, and receive intense instruction in basic academic skills. Since disruptive students are typically achieving at levels lower than their peers, an in-school suspension program addresses their academic needs while removing them as a disruptive element from the regular classroom.
6. The limited-English speaking program. This program assists students whose native language is not English to develop fluency in English.
Part 4 The QBE Funding Formula
Part 4 describes the elements of the new QBE funding formula and how the formula will be used to assure needed funds for state-supported programs.
Student Elittib~lity for Funding
Local school systems must report enrollment three times during the school year for funding purposes. In this report the school day is divided into six parts and the student is counted six times according to which program he or she is participating in during each of those parts of the day. Students in the following programs or situations may not be counted for the portion of the day that they are in them.
1. Study hall 2. Noncredit courses 3. Driver's education 4. Enrichment courses as defined by QBE or the state board (generally one which does not
devote a major portion of time to the competencies adopted by the state board) 5. Courses which require competitive participation in an extracurricular activity 6. Serving as a student assistant, unless this activity is an approved career or vocational educa-
tion work program
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----~ - - - - - - - -
7. Individual study courses which have no outline of course objectives available 8. Other courses designated by the state board 9. The student is not enrolled in a program or not attending regularly 10. A resident student paying tuition or fees to participate in a course 11. A nonresident student paying tuition or fees in excess of the local cost per student 12. A student who has not attended within 10 days of the count Students who are in the 12 programs listed in the next section will be counted for each portion of the day that they are enrolled in them for funding purposes.
Each student is counted for each one-sixth of the school day for the eligible program in which he or she is enrolled. The resulting total, when divided by six, is known as the full-time equivalent (FTE) program count. An average of the counts reported at three different times during the year will be used in the funding formula.
Program Weights
Since different programs vary in their cost to operate, each of the 12 programs is assigned a different program weight. These weights reflect the cost of teachers, aides and other instructional personnel; instructional materials; facility maintenance and operations (M&O) costs, media center personnel and materials costs; school and central office administration costs and staff development.
The middle grades program is defined as the base program for the purpose of determining relative program costs. The costs of each component of the middle grades program (grades 4-8) are totaled and the result is given a weight of one. The other 11 programs are assigned weights that reflect their cost relative to that of the middle grades program. The following weights are assigned in law.

Program Name

Assigned Weight

1. Kindergarten . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.329

2. Primary grades (1-3)

1.237

3. Middle grades (4-8)

1.000

4. High school general education (9-12)

0.996

5. High school nonvocational labs (9-12)

1.295

6. Vocational labs (9-12)

1.322

7. Mildly handicapped-resourced . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.139

8. Moderately handicapped-resourced .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.486

9. Moderately handicapped-self-contained

3.018

10. Severely handicapped-self-contained

3.897

11. Gifted

1.430

12. Remedial education

1.314

The Governor is authorized to appoint a task force every three years to recommend to the General Assembly any needed changes in the program weights.
The Training and Experience Factor The amount of funds included in the program weights for teachers and administrators is the minimum amount on the state teacher salary scale. To adjust for varying levels of training, experience and responsibility, a percentage increase is added for each school system. This increase is different for each system.
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Total Funds Needed for QBE Formula
To annually determine the total funds needed for the QBE formula in each local system, the following process is described.
1. Multiply the average of the three most recent FTE counts for each eligible program by the program weight.
2. Multiply the product in (1) by the Base Amount (for grades 4-8) established in the General Appropriations Act.
3. Add to the product in (2) the "program adjustment amount for training and experience."
Midyear Adjustment
Because the QBE formula is based on FTE counts which are taken primarily in the previous school year, there will be a need to adjust the total amount as more recent counts become available. If the more recent counts result in an increase in funds needed, the state board will request the additional funds from the General Assembly. If a local system's new FTE count is less than was originally calculated, the allotment will remain the same.
Local Fair Share
The Local Fair Share is the amount of the total cost of QBE for a local system that must be paid for with local funds. The Local Fair Share for each local system is an amount of money equal to the amount that can be raised by levying five mills on the 40 percent equalized property tax digest. (For FY 87 the Local Fair Share will be based on four mills rather than five.) The digests are reduced by an amount which reflects homestead exemptions, including an allowance for the elderly.
Local systems may use any fund source to raise the Local Fair Share except the following.
1. Federal funds not designed to replace local revenues
2. State funds
3. Student tuition and fees
4. Funds transferred from another local school system or other public education agency
Each local system will receive an amount of state funds that is the QBE program cost for that system minus the Local Fair Share amount.
Equalization of Optional Local Funding
Most local systems will raise funds in addition to the Local Fair Share to support additional local costs and enrichment programs beyond QBE. There is great variation among systems in the amount of money they can raise per student for each additional mill levied. The more additional mills levied, the more unequal becomes the educational opportunity among school systems.
QBE provides a method to partially offset this problem. For each of the first three mills levied beyond the Local Fair Share, the state will provide the funds needed to make the amount raised per student equal to the amount raised per student in the 90th percentile system. To find the 90th percentile system, first determine for all 187 local systems the amount of funds which could be raised per mill per weighted FTE student using the same digest as used for the Local Fair Share. Then rank the systems from most to least raised and count down from the top until the system is identified which raises more than about 90 percent of the systems in Georgia (Le., the 19th system from the top).
For each mill raised or its equivalent - up to three - beyond the Local Fair Share, the state will pay the difference in the per student amount for each weighted FTE student. Thus, the 168 poorest local systems in Georgia will receive additional funds if they raise up to the equivalent of three additional mills over the Local Fair Share. Ifthe full amount needed for equalization is not appropriated, the amount available will be distributed proportionally among qualified local systems based upon their total earnings.
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Contracts Between Local Systems
Some Georgia school systems contract with other systems to educate all of their students in one or more grades. The sending system usually pays an amount of money to the receiving system under a contract in order to help with the local costs of serving these transfer students.
Under the equalization formula of the QBE Act, the sending system's amount of available local funds per student per mill becomes artificially high because its FTE count is low. The receiving system's amount of available local funds per student is artificially low because it counts the students from the sending system.
As a result, the sending system may not qualify for equalization grants for which it would otherwise qualify and the receiving system may qualify for equalization funds for which it would not otherwise qualify.
To address this situation, the QBE Act does two things. First it specifies that for contracts existing prior to January I, 1985, the state shall provide a grant to the sending system equal to the amount that the system pays to the receiving system each year, beginning in FY 87 and extending for the life of the contract. Second, if the receiving system qualifies for an equalization grant, the amount of the equalization grant will be reduced by the amount being paid by the sending system under the contract. These provisions will apply only until the contracts either expire or are renegotiated.
Accountability for Program Costs
Each local system is required to spend at least 90 percent of the funds designated for direct instructional costs for each of the 12 programs on those programs. In addition, a minimum of 90 percent of the total systemwide funds designated for each of the media and staff development categories must be spent for those purposes. If less than 90 percent is spent as required, the state board will increase the next year's Local Fair Share by the amount which was spent incorrectly.
Within each program, local systems may decide what portions of the required 90 percent will be spent for teacher salaries, aide salaries, instructional materials and other appropriate instructional expenses.
Uniform Budget and Accounting System
The QBE Act requires the development of a computerized uniform budget and accounting system which will include at least the following information.
Identification of the instructional programs involved Whether each program is basic or enrichment in purpose The source or sources of funds for each program The major cost components of each program (e.g., personnel, M&O, administration, etc.)
A task force (provided for in Part 14) representing several state agencies will identify additional information which may be necessary to identify costs for the Quality Basic Education program.
Other Provisions of Part 4
Part 4 of the QBE act also authorizes the Georgia Board of Education to
set due dates for submission of school system budgets to the state, prescribe methods of receiving and disbursing federal funds, guarantee free public education to resident students, set conditions for shortening the school year, provide for the operation of summer school, provide for year-round operation of school facilities and programs, and provide for cooperative purchasing.
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Part 5 Essential Educational Resources

Part 5 describes the following components of essential inStructional resources and support services which are to be reflected in the QBE Formula program weights.

Components Reflected in Program Weights

Program Area

Beginning teacher salaries*

All

Preparation period for high school teachers

High schools

Instructional aides

Kindergarten Primary grades Programs for handicapped students Remedial education

Clerical assistance to teachers for part of the school day

Middle grades

Art, music, physical education specialists

Primary grades Middle grades

Guidance counselors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . High schools

Development and supervision of extendedday and extended-year activities

High schools

Laboratory supervisors

High school nonvocational labs High school vocational labs

Sick and personal leave, employer's

All

portion of retirement and health

insurance and professional development

once every five years

Essential instructional materials and

All

equipment and travel

Facility maintenance and operation

All

Media specialist for base size schools

All

Media center materials (excluding

All

computer hardware and software, which

are provided for by a categorical grant)

Principals, assistant principals, and .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . All secretaries for base size schools and operational support for an administrative office

Superintendent, assistant superintendents, . . . . . . . . . . . . . All school visiting teacher, secretaries, accountant and operational support for an administrative office for a base size school system

Special education leadership personnel and school psychologists/psychometrists for a base size school system

Special education programs

*All personnel resources are reflected in the program weights as entry level salaries.

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The program weights will reflect school and system sizes in terms of FTE counts which ensure the effective delivery of schoolwide and systemwide educational services. For schools and systems below those sizes the program weights will generate funds which will cover a proportional share of the recommended resources.
The Georgia Board of Education is also authorized to prescribe the maximum number of students which may be taught by a teacher in an instructional period. A local system may apply for exemption from the maximum number if it can supply an educationally sound justification. However, the student-teacher ratio may not be reduced unless approved by the General Assembly or unless the local system bears all costs.
Part 5 also describes the continued operation of the school lunch and school transportation programs.
Part 6 Personnel
Part 6 prescribes provisions for recruiting, certifying, classifying, evaluating, employing, paying and rewarding public school personnel.
Certification
The Georgia Board of Education is required to provide for the certification, classification and licensing of public school personnel, including procedures for revoking and denying certificates.
An applicant for an initial renewable Georgia certificate must pass a test battery which assesses specific content knowledge and skills related to the certificate. The state board is authorized to require applicants for the initial renewable certificate also to pass tests which assess broad general knowledge, oral and written communication skills and on-the-job performance.
An applicant for a renewable certificate must have passed a specific subject matter test. In addition, the Georgia Board of Education is authorized to require applicants for a renewable certificate to have passed tests of oral and written communication skills and on-the-job performance.
Each applicant must be provided at least three opportunities to take any required tests and must pass the tests only once for a certification level and field.
These provisions relate to personnel applying for a renewable certificate. They do not apply to teachers who are teaching in a field in which they hold a life certificate.
The new certification provisions make it easier to recruit qualified individuals with a bachelor's degree in selected liberal arts fields into teaching to meet critical shortage needs and to staff hard-to-fill positions. To make certain that these individuals can effectively relate to children, the conditions for certification also include satisfactory completion of a college course on human growth and development, a one-year supervised internship in the appropriate teaching field and passing the subject area test, the on-the-job assessment and other general tests which may be required of all applicants.
Other provisions make it easier for the individual with a bachelor's degree in a liberal arts field and a master's degree in education to obtain the initial renewable T-5 certificate. Such an individual must complete a one-year supervised classroom internship in the appropriate teaching field and pass any other tests required of this certification level.
The act continues to require that all candidates for certification must have completed courses in the identification of children with special education needs and, for grades kindergarten through eight, in health education and physical education.
All renewable certificates are valid for five years. Life certificates remain in force even if the holder advances to the next higher certification in the same field.
Aides, paraprofessionals and permitted personnel are defined so as to allow retired teachers to qualify.
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Such persons who work as instructional aides must hold a high school diploma or the general educational development (GED) equivalency diploma.
Local school systems must make an effort to recruit fully certified teachers and administrators for vacant positions. This effort mHst include notification to colleges in the school system's region of the state and the department of education at least three months in advance of the date of need. Also, vacancies must be advertised in the legal organ of the county in which the system operates. If the position has been available for three months or less, however, the system may request provisional or probationary certification if needed by the individual to be hired.
Evaluation
All personnel employed by the public schools or regional agencies must be evaluated each year, including elected or appointed school superintendents. When deficiencies are identified, a plan for eliminating them must be provided and evidence of progress toward completion of the improvement plan shall be a part of the next annual evaluation.
Schedule of Minimum Salaries
The Georgia Board of Education is required to establish a schedule of minimum salaries which provides increments above the base salary for degree level and length of satisfactory service.
The minimum salary base for the bachelor's degree and no experience must be comparable to the beginning salary of recent graduates of the University System of Georgia with bachelor's degrees who are entering jobs in Georgia with comparable entry requirements. This latter salary will be multiplied by 10/12 to establish the minimum salary base for teachers. Local systems may supplement the state minimum salary. Administrators may receive additional state salary supplements in recognition of their additional schoolwide or systemwide responsibilities.
Teacher Career Ladder
The Georgia Board of Education is directed to devise by July 1, 1986. a teacher career ladder program which has as its purpose providing salary supplements to teachers who consistently demonstrate outstanding competency and performance. Such performance may include the achievement of students beyond the level typically expected for their ability. The board will appoint a broadly representative task force to advise it concerning the development and implementation of the teacher career ladder program.
Although not a career ladder component. there is also a provision authorizing the Georgia Board of Education to devise. with advice from a task force, a plan to reward certified nonteaching personnel for outstanding performance.
Part 7 Authority and Responsibility
Part 7 deals with the respective authority and responsibilities of state and local education agencies.
The Georgia Board of Education is given the authority to adopt rules and regulations to implement QBE and to address problems that arise in its implementation. It is also authorized to ensure that citizens are informed about the costs. quality and performance of the public schools.
As the executive officer of the Georgia Board of Education, the state school superintendent is responsible for the administration and enforcement of school laws and board policies.
The Georgia Board of Education may withhold funds from local systems which do not comply with laws. rules and regulations. However. local systems may use due process procedures and judicial review to appeal any adverse state board decision.
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Local boards of education are responsible for executing the provisions of state law at the local level. In addition they must
implement the state-mandated uniformly sequenced core curriculum and the required instructional programs;
assure high quality in locally offered enrichment courses; inform local residents as to cost, quality and performance of their schools; develop job descriptions for certified positions; develop and adhere to nondiscriminatory recruit-
ment and selection policies.
Part 8 Incentives for Improvement
Part 8 authorizes several types of categorical grants to local systems - for projects designed to improve school programs, for the improved use of technology and for incentive awards to recognize high levels of performance. It provides for changes in the conditions under which local systems may be exempted from certain rules and regulations. It also authorizes the state board to provide for ongoing educational research.
Improvement (Innovation) Grants The Georgia Board of Education will provide matching funds to help local systems develop innovative approaches to persistent education problems. Those systems which develop successful programs will receive state funds to train other systems to implement the program. The systems which receive the training will receive matching funds to help defray the costs of implementation, such as teacher staff development and purchasing material. Where a local match is required, the amount will be based on ability to pay. Local systems that are implementing an improvement activity and are being hampered by certain existing state board rules and regulations may apply for designation as a demonstration school system and be granted relief from those rules and regulations. However. they may not be relieved of QBE categorical expenditure or other statutory requirements. All improvement activities must be closely monitored. and each one must have a rigorous evaluation design.
Technology Grants Both the state and local boards must develop long-term electronic technology plans which describe their needs for the effective use of technologies such as computers in improving their academic and administrative performance. The state board will provide matching grants to help local systems implement their technology plans. The state board will also develop ways to evaluate technology in terms of its usefulness to local school systems.
Incentive Award Grants The Georgia Board of Education will provide incentive award grants to recognize public schools and systems for outstanding performance or improvement. Comparisons to determine quality of performance will be made only among schools and systems having similar grade levels and student populations. The amount of the awards will be based on FTE counts and other factors established by the state board. Schools and systems receiving the awards can use them for improving staff development or instructional programs.
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Educational Research The state board is authorized to provide for a wide range of education research and/or other efforts to improve education and may contract with outside individuals and agencies as necessary.
Part 9 Continuing Professional Development
Part 9 provides for the continuing professional development of all certified personnel throughout their careers. It recognizes that school administration and teaching are dynamic occupations which like other professions - require continuous study to maintain excellence.
Local Board Training Newly elected or appointed local board members will receive an orientation on the system of education in Georgia which will include study of school finance, school law, the QBE act and evaluation of superintendents and boards. The state board is authorized to require experienced local board members also to participate in staff development.
Funds for Professional Development Each program weight discussed in Part 5 will reflect the equivalent of at least one-half of one percent of the amount for professional salaries to be used for continuing professional development.
Georgia Education Leadership Academy The purpose of the Georgia Education Leadership Academy is to provide continuing development programs for public school leadership personnel to update and expand their leadership skills. The state board is to establish guidelines to ensure participation of leadership personnel in the academy and their mastery of leadership knowledge and skills. An advisory board which is representative of local school administrators, colleges and universities, the General Assembly and the governor will have input into the operation of this academy.
Comprehensive Staff Development Plans Each local school system must develop and submit to the Georgia Board of Education an annual comprehensive staff development plan. The plan shall provide for programs to address deficiencies of school and system personnel identified through personnel evaluation, staff development needs identified through evaluation of the instructional program and other development needs deemed necessary by the state or local board.
Part 10 Capital Outlay
Part 10 continues the present law which specifies a procedure to provide adequate facilities in which quality learning can take place. Each local system will develop a five-year capital outlay plan which describes its facilities needs, including renovation and modernization as well as new construction. In forecasting facility needs for each local system, the Georgia Board of Education must implement a computerized student projection for five years, using at least live birth data and grade retention rates. As each local system's plan is approved by the state board, its cost requirements will be added to those of other local systems, resulting in a total statewide capital outlay need. Each local system is provided an entitlement which is determined by its proportionate share of the total state need. These entitlements in turn help to determine the amount of funds that a local system
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receives each year from the General Assembly for capital outlay. Each requested project must be accompanied by itemized expenditure information. Each local system continues to pay a share of the cost of facilities based on its ability to pay, not less than 10 percent but not more than 25 percent.
Part 11 Regional Educational Services
Part 11 establishes a statewide network of regional educational service agencies (RESAs). These agencies replace the current CESAs. The two regional agencies currently serving the needs of special education teachers and their students - the Georgia Learning Resources System (GLRS) and the Psychoeducational Centers - are currently operated either by RESAs or by local boards of education. The operating local boards may elect to turn these regional responsibilities over to the RESAs. If RESAs operate these agencies, they must provide services to all systems, regardless of whether or not they are members of RESA. Local systems must notify the RESA each year if they do not intend to be members. The service area for each RESA will be determined by the Georgia Board of Education so that the number of local systems, public schools, square miles and students served will be as comparable as is feasible. Each RESA will be governed by a board of control, one-third of whose members must not be educators or holders of public office. The board of control will be elected by a caucus of member local boards, each of which will send the same number of members to the caucus. RESAs will be evaluated for effectiveness at least every five years in much the same manner as are local school systems. Each member local system's contribution to the basic operating cost of the RESA will be determined by its ability to pay. The state will pay 75 percent of the basic operating cost of the RESA program statewide.
Part 12 Planning and Evaluation
Part 12 describes the procedures necessary for evaluation and accountability of local school systems.
Strategic Plans State, regional and local boards are required to develop long-term plans which describe their program needs, objectives for meeting the needs, resources to be directed toward them, a time-table and an evaluation design.
Student Testing Because student achievement is the cornerstone of educational effectiveness, a comprehensive student assessment program is required. This program includes nationally norm-referenced tests for grades two, four, seven and nine. State standardized tests are required for grades one, three, six, eight and 10. These tests will cover all major content areas but will emphasize reading, writing and mathematics. There will also be required a school readiness assessment for students prior to entering first grade. The Georgia Board of Education is authorized to use these tests as criteria for promotion and for graduation from high school. Handicapped students who cannot pass a test required for graduation from
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high school but who meet the requirements for their Individualized Education Plans may receive a special education diploma.
In addition Georgia will participate in the National Assessment of Educational Progress beginning in FY 87.
Comprehensive Evaluation
Each public school and local system will be evaluated at least every five years. This evaluation will consider at least the following.
1. The extent to which the strategic plan has been implemented
2. The extent of implementation of the state's core curriculum
3. The extent of compliance with state policies, rules and regulations
4. The effectiveness of programs and services measured against comparable students
5. The effectiveness of personnel evaluation and development procedures and the relevance of staff development programs to local staff needs
6. The accuracy of student count procedures
7. The accuracy of fiscal procedures
8. The extent of methods to inform the public about their schools
9. Other matters deemed necessary by the state board
Standards developed to evaluate these areas must be stated so that the level of quality can be determined.
The evaluation team will consist of educators from other systems, representatives from college teacher preparation programs and local citizens. The team will be coordinated by a professional evaluator who is an employee of the Georgia Board of Education.
Regional Education Service Agencies (RESAs) will undergo a similar comprehensive evaluation every five years.
Results of Evaluation
The results of all evaluations will be compared to those of other schools or systems with similar demographic characteristics.
Schools and systems which receive satisfactory evaluations will be designated standard. Those receiving exemplary evaluations will receive a state grant similar to the incentive awards discussed in Part 8. Those with unsatisfactory evaluations will be designated nonstandard. All results of all evaluations must be reported to the public.
If a school or system is designated nonstandard, additional program assessments will be made every six months, and a comprehensive evaluation must be conducted within two years. All such units must submit a corrective plan to the state board.
If satisfactory progress is not being made, the state board may increase the local fair share by the amount necessary to correct the deficiencies. Thus, if a local system will not operate a program up to minimum standards, the state's taxpayers will not have to pay for it.
The state board may also file a civil action in the local superior court. If the court finds that local school officials have impeded implementation of the corrective plan, it may appoint a trustee to operate the school system.
The state board will submit annual reports to the House and Senate education committees concerning the results of evaluation and quarterly reports concerning the progress being made on the implementation of the QBE Act.
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Part 13 Organization and Size
Part 13 deals with school and system organization and size. It includes incentives for middle school organization, consolidation of small schools and provisions for sparsity grants. Local boards of education are authorized to organize or reorganize schools and grade levels.
Middle Schools An incentive grant of an additional 13 percent of QBE formula funds is provided for local systems which operate middle school programs according to criteria set by the Georgia Board of Education. Grades six, seven and eight are eligible. Grades six and seven or grades seven and eight are also eligible if they meet the state board criteria for the middle school program. In addition two or more systems which have a contractual arrangement to provide an approved middle school program may qualify for this additional funding. Such programs are characterized by organized teacher teams, a dual emphasis on basic skills reinforcement and preparation for high school content and course options and emphasis on individual development and transition into adolescence.
Consolidation Local systems which consolidate with other local systems will not be required to finance any portion of state-approved construction or renovation costs necessitated by the consolidation. If a local school of less than a specified size (450 FTE for elementary school, 624 FTE for middle school and 485 FTE for high school) is consolidated with another school so that the new school is larger than the specified size, then the local system will be required to pay only half of the normal local share for any state-approved construction or renovation necessitated by the consolidation.
There are two conditions for these financial incentives. One is that no student would be required to travel a greater distance and time than is specified in state board policy without a specific exemption from the state board. The second is that all buildings will continue to be used for an education purpose if practical and feasible.
Sparsity Assistance There are three conditions under which a local system may receive sparsity assistance. First, a local system must be unable due to sparsity to offer a full QBE program to all or some of its students. Second, consolidation or merger within and between systems would not create schools or systems of sufficient size for QBE or would result in excessive travel time for students. Third, the system in question attempted to consolidate but the other system involved rejected it. If any of these conditions apply, the state board will conduct a study which confirms that consolidation is not feasible. The study will determine what resources are needed to provide students with a program comparable to that of other systems but which the system is not earning because of its small student population. The system will then be granted the amount of funds needed to provide the needed resources.
This state board study must be conducted and completed every five years. To remain eligible, the local system must not have rejected an opportunity to consolidate during the five-year period. The sparsity grants will be adjusted annually to reflect adjustments in the QBE formula and to ensure that sparsity assistance is still needed.
Current isolated schools will continue to receive their special funding, but they will also fall under the provisions of sparsity when the appropriate study is completed.
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Part 14 Other Provisions
Part 14 deals with miscellaneous items which do not directly relate or fit into any of the previous sections of QBE. These include the following.
Other Educational Programs The state board is authorized to implement other programs including young farmer programs, youth camps and food-processing programs.
State Schools The state board is authorized to operate state schools for the deaf and blind.
Educational Television The state board may delegate authority for educational television to the Public Telecommunications Commission. The commission is authorized to enter into contracts with the Atlanta Public Schools to deliver educational television.
Adult Education The state board may fund adult education programs for those persons 18 and older and for out-ofschool youths who have less than an eighth grade education or its equivalent. Such funds may also be used to coordinate community education programs.
Postsecondary Vocational Education Replacing the board currently operating under the Governor's Executive Order, the State Board of Postsecondary Vocational Education is established and is to consist of 15 members appointed by the Governor and representing business, industry or economic development. This board will operate postsecondary vocational schools, including the residential schools in North and South Georgia, and the Quick Start program. Its vocational programs may offer two-year degrees, but courses intended for transfer to the University System must be approved for that purpose by the Board of Regents.
Public Libraries The state board will fund public libraries, including the provisions of library services to the deaf and blind and other handicapped citizens.
Programs for the Gifted The state board may operate the Governor's Honors Program for gifted and talented youths in the summer. The state board is also authorized to operate a residential high school for highly gifted and talented students. It will consist of the 11th and 12th grades. Enrollment is voluntary, and the written consent of the parent or legal guardian is required. The program will provide a quality education for such highly gifted students which would be beyond the financial resources of most local school systems.
Interasency Cooperation The Georgia Board of Education is authorized to form the Coordinating Committee for Exceptional Individuals in cooperation with the Governor's Office, the State Board of Human Resources and the Department of Offender Rehabilitation. The purpose is to more effectively coordinate the efforts of these agencies to serve the handicapped. The committee will be staffed by full-time professional personnel and shall report annually.
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Statewide Educational Information System A statewide educational information network will be developed to ensure that the information needed to implement QBE will be available. A task force will be appointed by the governor to identify the data required and design the information system. The network will be substantially operational by July 1, 1987, and fully completed by July I, 1988. State Board of Education Accountability The Georgia Board of Education is prohibited from initiating any new or expanded program which would result in additional expenditures above those authorized in the appropriations act. The state board is required to maintain expenditure records for each instructional program and categorical grant. In its annual budget request, the state board will specify the student-teacher ratios and cost components used to determine program weights and the base amount as discussed in Part 4. This information must be available to the appropriations and education committees of the General Assembly.
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Federal law prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color or national origin (Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of1964); sex (Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972 and Title 11 of the Carl D. Perkins Vocational Education Act of 1984); or handicap (Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973) in educational programs or -activities receiving federal financial assistance.
Employees, students and the general public are hereby notified that the Georgia Department of Education does not discriminate in any educational programs or activities or in employment palicies.
The following individuals have been designated as the employees respansible for coordinating the department's effort to implement this nondiscriminatory policy.
Title 11 - Ann Lary, Vocational Equity Coordinator Title VI- Peyton Williams Jr., Associate Superintendent
of State Schools and Special Services Title IX - Myra Tolbert, Coordinator Section 504 - Jane Lee, Coordinator of Special Education
Inquiries conceming the application of Title 11, Title VI, Title IX or Section 504 to the policies and practices of the department may be addressed to the persons listed above at the Georgia Department of Education, Twin Towers East, Atlanta 30334; to the Regional Office for Civil Rights, Atlanta 30323; or to the Director, Office for Civil Rights, Education Department, Washington, D.C. 20201.

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Public Information and Publications Division OffICe of Administrative Services Georgia Department of Education Atlanta, Georgia 30334 Charles McDaniel State Superintendent of Schools 1985