'Parent trigger' bill passes in House - WALB.com, Albany News, Weather, Sports

'Parent trigger' bill passes in House

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By Taylor Sanders - email
Bill would give parents more say so for their child's education Bill would give parents more say so for their child's education
'Parent trigger bill' brings education reforms 'Parent trigger bill' brings education reforms
ALBANY, GA (WALB) -

State lawmakers are working on a bill that could give parents the power to force school systems to undergo drastic reforms.

State house members passed a bill last week, nicknamed the 'Parent Trigger' bill. The bill would force school boards across the state to consider changing a traditional public school into a charter school, if enough parents requested it.

9 out ten public school students in Georgia attend a traditional public school like those in the Dougherty County school system. But parents across the state say many of these school systems aren't providing the necessary learning tools for their students.

It's all part of a state-wide school-choice movement. House members pushed a bill through last week that agrees with those concerned parents.

House Bill 123 would require either 60 percent of student households or 60 percent of the teachers in that school system to sign a petition in order to change to a charter school.

But many opponents say a section of the bill would allow parents and teachers to vote by secret ballot at a special called meeting. They say this would open the door for a small group to make a decision for an entire school system.

Other opponents say it disregards the need to invest more time and money into traditional public schools.

The bill passed in the House Tuesday and will  now move on to the Senate where the idea of school-choice is just as popular with many state senators.

  • Click Here for the full version of House Bill 123.

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