Georgia § 20-14-8 - General powers and duties.

§ 20-14-8. General powers and duties.

The council shall have the following general powers and duties, in addition to any and all other powers enumerated in this article, any or all of which may be exercised by the council directly or by the Office of Student Achievement under the direction and supervision of the council: To foster coordination and cooperation among the chief officers of the departments, boards, and offices represented on the council; To develop a seamless and integrated public education system; To require the shared and efficient expenditures for and utilization of facilities, personnel, and other resources; To require the seamless coordination of curriculum among the departments, boards, and offices represented on the council; To require reasonable ease of transition for students among the educational institutions represented on the council; To establish and require high and necessary levels of student achievement at all levels of education; To exercise oversight of accountability systems that are within or among the departments, boards, and offices represented on the council and develop overlay accountability systems through the Office of Student Achievement; To exercise supervision and oversight over the Office of Student Achievement created in Part 2 of Article 2 of this chapter; To coordinate the activities of state, regional, and local cooperative public education agencies, offices, or councils, including, but not limited to, the state's regional educational service agencies or other such groups that may be created in addition or in their place; To ensure the availability and quality of the education work force through preparation, professional development, and nontraditional routes to employment; To oversee the development and implementation of a comprehensive system-wide education student information system that will support the implementation of an education accountability system and improve the seamless operation of public education; To simplify rules and regulations by all departments, boards, and offices represented on the council; To develop a state-wide mentoring program that enhances student achievement at all levels of public education; To establish and coordinate a school safety collaborative with representation from agencies and organizations designated by the council to improve the school climate and enhance school safety; and To mediate disputes among the Department of Education, the University System of Georgia, the Technical College System of Georgia, the Professional Standards Commission, the Department of Early Care and Learning, and the Office of Student Achievement in matters regarding accountability or education system seamlessness. (Code 1981, § 20-14-8 , enacted by Ga. L. 2000, p. 618, § 93; Ga. L. 2004, p. 107, § 22; Ga. L. 2004, p. 645, § 16; Ga. L. 2008, p. 335, § 2/SB 435.) Code Commission notes. - Pursuant to Code Section 28-9-5, in 2000, "offices" was substituted for "office" in paragraph (12).