Georgia Poised To Open Wide The Doors For Advanced Math Instruction.

Two bills working through the Legislature have the potential to improve math education and increase opportunity for Georgia’s K-12 students.

SB 171 (introduced last year by Sen. Jason Anavitarte, now carried by Sen. Max Burns) and HB 1030 (introduced this year by Rep. Sandy Donatucci) are slightly different, but both seek to strengthen math education so that many more students are able to take advanced math, like trigonometry, geometry, and even calculus in high school.

The key elements of these bills are:

School Requirements

• Per SB 171, all local school systems will offer an advanced math pathway in grades 6-8, and they’ll be able (but not required) to offer it as early as third grade.
• Per HB 1030, schools will provide at least an hour of core math classes every day starting in grades 4 and 5.

Automatic Enrollment
School districts will automatically enroll students in advanced math courses if they meet the program’s qualifications. 

• Parents or guardians will have the option to withdraw their child from the classes if they think the standard math track is a better fit for their child.
• Parents of students who don’t qualify for the advanced math classes will still be able to enroll their child if the student’s score on the previous year’s math assessment is above a certain level.

Additional Assistance for Teachers 
The bills enable local school systems to provide extra training and resources to teachers so they can help students build positive mindsets around math and excel in the classes.

Supportive Student Services
The bills grant school systems the ability to offer tutoring or bridge programs to support students in the faster-paced courses.

Annual Reporting
Georgia’s Department of Education will publish annual reports on student demographics, enrollment, and test scores to make sure the advanced math curriculum is meeting its equity and achievement goals.

How will this new policy benefit students? We explain on the Georgia Center for Opportunity website:

Research indicates that students who pass Algebra I by ninth grade are twice as likely to graduate from high school. They’re also more likely to succeed in college and then accept meaningful jobs in STEM fields, which are critical to the nation’s economic success. And outside of work, the essential skills math teaches—analytical, logical, and problem-solving skills—will empower young people to serve as engaged members of their communities.

The advanced math track will give young Georgians the chance to experience the sense of dignity and purpose that comes from rewarding work—both academic and professional. And for students who are part of vulnerable families, this opportunity sets the stage for them to break out of generational cycles of poverty and to achieve their full potential. Their success will then ripple out, transforming their future families, workplaces, and neighborhoods.

Both bills have received broad bipartisan support, thus far. As the 2026 session winds down in a few weeks, I’m hoping these bills continue to move and eventually wind up on Governor Kemp’s desk for his signature.