Georgia Senate - 1995/1996 Sessions

SB 63 - Bd. of Ed. - operate single school for the deaf

Page Numbers - 1/ 2/ 3

1. Slotin  39th           2. Guhl  45th              3. Newbill  56th


Senate Comm: Ed        /         House Comm:           /                                            
Senate Vote: Yeas       Nays                                                                        
           ---------------------------------------------                                            
              Senate          Action          House                                                 
           ---------------------------------------------                                            
             1/12/95   Read 1st time                                                                
           ---------------------------------------------                                            
                                                                                                    
Code Sections amended:                                                                              


SB 63 95                                          LC 14 6361

      SENATE BILL 63

      By:  Senators Slotin of the 39th, Guhl of the 45th and
           Newbill of the 56th

                        A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
                               AN ACT


  1- 1  To amend Code Section 20-2-152 of the Official Code of
  1- 2  Georgia Annotated, relating to special education services
  1- 3  under the "Quality Basic Education Act," so as to provide
  1- 4  that the State Board of Education shall operate a single
  1- 5  state school for the deaf; to state legislative findings; to
  1- 6  provide for the location of such single school and the
  1- 7  closing of other state schools for the deaf; to provide for
  1- 8  related matters; to provide for a schedule for
  1- 9  implementation; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other
  1-10  purposes.

  1-11       BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SB 63 9
                         SECTION 1.

  1-12  The General Assembly makes the following findings:

  1-13      (1) The facilities of the Georgia School for the Deaf
  1-14      are very dated, while those of the Atlanta Area School
  1-15      for the Deaf are relatively new and modern;

  1-16      (2) The Georgia School for the Deaf has building and
  1-17      grounds staff costs which are more than twice the
  1-18      average for other similar state facilities;

  1-19      (3) Enrollment at the two schools for the hearing
  1-20      impaired has dropped from a high of 794 in 1975 to
  1-21      approximately 350 today; and if current trends continue
  1-22      then enrollment will continue to decline;

  1-23      (4) The Georgia School for the Deaf has experienced a
  1-24      tremendous increase in cost per student, reflecting a
  1-25      large amount of fixed overhead which is exaggerated by
  1-26      the decline in students;

  1-27      (5) Lower enrollments have made it difficult for these
  1-28      schools to offer a diversity of courses;

  1-29      (6) For all of the above reasons and other reasons, the
  1-30      state should consolidate the functions of the Georgia
  1-31      School for the Deaf and the Atlanta Area School for the


                              S. B. 63
                                 -1- (Index)

                                                  LC 14 6361

  2- 1      Deaf at a single facility; and such a consolidation will
  2- 2      result in substantial financial savings to the state;
  2- 3      and

  2- 4      (7) Such consolidated facility should be located at the
  2- 5      Atlanta Area School for the Deaf because:

  2- 6        (A) The newer physical plant at that facility can be
  2- 7        operated more economically;

  2- 8        (B) Land is available for acquisition adjacent to that
  2- 9        facility as needed to accommodate the expansion
  2-10        required for consolidation;

  2-11        (C) This option will broaden the courses available to
  2-12        students at the consolidated facility and other nearby
  2-13        facilities and will increase access to medical
  2-14        services for the students;

  2-15        (D) This option will distribute travel time around the
  2-16        state more equitably among students; and

  2-17        (E) This option will make the 500 acre tract of land
  2-18        on which the Georgia School for the Deaf is located
  2-19        available for other state uses, potentially reducing
  2-20        capital outlays for other state programs.

                         SECTION 2.

  2-21  Code Section 20-2-152 of the Official Code of Georgia
  2-22  Annotated, relating to special education services under the
  2-23  "Quality Basic Education Act," is amended by striking
  2-24  subparagraph (c)(1)(E) and inserting in its place a new
  2-25  subparagraph to read as follows:

  2-26        "(E) Operating the Georgia School for the Deaf, the
  2-27        Georgia Academy for the Blind,;a single state school
  2-28        for the hearing impaired, with such name as may be
  2-29        selected by the State Board of Education, which single
  2-30        state school for the deaf shall be located on and
  2-31        adjacent to facilities previously operated as the
  2-32        Atlanta Area School for the Deaf,; and other special
  2-33        schools as approved by the General Assembly."

                         SECTION 3.

  2-34  The State Board of Education shall adopt a schedule and plan
  2-35  for the implementation of this Act such that this Act shall
  2-36  be fully implemented not later than September 1, 1997; and
  2-37  on and after that date the State Board of Education shall



                              S. B. 63
                                 -2- (Index)

                                                  LC 14 6361

  3- 1  operate only the single state school for the deaf provided
  3- 2  for in this Act.

                         SECTION 4.

  3- 3  All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are
  3- 4  repealed.









































                              S. B. 63
                                 -3- (Index)