The next time Georgia applies for tens of millions of dollars in education grants, state lawmakers will hear the details beforehand if a bill that passed the Senate Monday becomes law.
Senate Bill 310 requires reporting of any grant application for more than $20 million that affects pre-kindergarten through high school education. Officials would have to tell the Senate Education and Youth and House Education committees if the grant would cause any state policy change or unfunded costs.
Testimony in committee hearings suggested the legislation was triggered by the state’s acceptance in 2010 of a recession-era federal grant that led to policy changes, including the establishment of teacher evaluations. It was the second time in a decade the state had received a grant over $20 million.
Georgia was awarded $400 million as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. In exchange for the Race to the Top grant, the Georgia Department of Education agreed to establish a test-based evaluation system, which later became the subject of significant criticism.
Other bills in this session aim to roll back some of the teacher grading requirements that were adopted as a result of that agreement.
The bill’s author, Sen. William T. Ligon, Jr., R-Brunswick, was challenged by Democrats. Sen. Vincent Fort, D-Atlanta, said the state would be at a disadvantage in future grant applications as a result of SB 310 because it could be interpreted as “less committed.”
Ligon said the bill does not require legislative approval of a grant application, only notification and analysis of the effects.
“I fail to see how transparency can keep you from getting a grant,” he said. The bill passed 36-18, mostly with Republican support.
SB 310 will go to the state House of Representatives for consideration,where the members can amend it, approve it or leave it without action.
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