HB 7 - Education; state & local supts; cert; Prof Standards Commission

First Reader Summary

A BILL to amend Code Section 20-2-31 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the qualifications of the office of State School Superintendent, so as to change certain requirements for eligibility for the office of State School Superintendent; to amend Article 5 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to local school superintendents, so as to delete certain provisions; and for other purposes.

Page Numbers - 1/ 2

Code Sections - 20-2-31/ 20-2-108

HB 7                                               LC 19 3167 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                        A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 
                               AN ACT 
 
 
  1- 1  To amend Code Section 20-2-31 of the Official Code of 
  1- 2  Georgia Annotated, relating to the qualifications of the 
  1- 3  office of State School Superintendent, so as to change 
  1- 4  certain requirements for eligibility for the office of State 
  1- 5  School Superintendent; to amend Article 5 of Chapter 2 of 
  1- 6  Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating 
  1- 7  to local school superintendents, so as to delete certain 
  1- 8  provisions relating to the certification and classification 
  1- 9  of local school superintendents by the Professional 
  1-10  Standards Commission; to provide for related matters; to 
  1-11  repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. 
 
  1-12       BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA: 
 
  1-13                           SECTION 1. 
 
  1-14  Code Section 20-2-31 of the Official Code of Georgia 
  1-15  Annotated, relating to the qualifications of the office of 
  1-16  State School Superintendent, is amended by striking said 
  1-17  Code section in its entirety and inserting in lieu thereof a 
  1-18  new Code Section 20-2-31 to read as follows: 
 
  1-19    "20-2-31. 
 
  1-20    To render a person eligible to hold the office of State 
  1-21    School Superintendent, he or she shall be a person of good 
  1-22    moral character, of high educational standing, have had at 
  1-23    least three years' practical experience as a teacher, hold 
  1-24    a five-year four-year degree from an accredited college or 
  1-25    university, and be at least 25 years of age.  No person 
  1-26    holding the office of State School Superintendent shall be 
  1-27    required to hold any professional certificate issued by 
  1-28    the Professional Standards Commission." 
 
  1-29                           SECTION 2. 
 
  1-30  Article 5 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of 
  1-31  Georgia Annotated, relating to local school superintendents, 
  1-32  is amended by striking subsection (b) of Code Section 
  1-33  20-2-101, relating to the appointment of county school 
 
 
 
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  2- 1  superintendents, and inserting in lieu thereof a new 
  2- 2  subsection (b) to read as follows: 
 
  2- 3    "(b) No person shall be eligible to be appointed or 
  2- 4    employed as superintendent of schools of any county or 
  2- 5    independent school system unless such person is of good 
  2- 6    moral character and, has never been convicted of any crime 
  2- 7    involving moral turpitude, and possesses acceptable 
  2- 8    business or management experience as specified by the 
  2- 9    Professional Standards Commission or the minimum valid 
  2-10    certificate or a letter of eligibility for said 
  2-11    certificate required by the Professional Standards 
  2-12    Commission." 
 
  2-13                           SECTION 3. 
 
  2-14  Said article is further amended by striking in its entirety 
  2-15  Code Section 20-2-108, relating to certification and 
  2-16  classification of local school superintendents, and 
  2-17  inserting in lieu thereof a new Code Section 20-2-108 to 
  2-18  read as follows: 
 
  2-19    "20-2-108. 
 
  2-20    Each local school superintendent shall be certified and 
  2-21    classified by the Professional Standards Commission as 
  2-22    teachers are now classified and certified under Code 
  2-23    Section 20-2-282.  Local school superintendents shall not 
  2-24    be subject to certification and classification by the 
  2-25    Professional Standards Commission.  The superintendents 
  2-26    shall receive salaries according to a schedule of minimum 
  2-27    salaries fixed by the state board based on classification 
  2-28    and certification in the same manner teachers are paid 
  2-29    under Code Section 20-2-212; provided, however, that in no 
  2-30    event shall the salary of a superintendent be less than 
  2-31    $27,000.00 per year, such salary to be paid in equal 
  2-32    monthly installments out of state funds; and in addition 
  2-33    thereto, the local board of education shall allow 
  2-34    additional compensation for the services to be rendered as 
  2-35    may be in its judgment proper and just." 
 
  2-36                           SECTION 4. 
 
  2-37  All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are 
  2-38  repealed. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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