Section 49-5-156. Short title; legislative findings; development of program; awarding of grants; applications; recognition; reporting to General Assembly

   (a) This Code section shall be known and may be cited as the "Georgia Mentoring Act of 2000."

(b) The General Assembly finds that:

   (1) Every child in this state is encouraged to have a caring adult who, along with parents and teachers, is able to offer support, friendship, encouragement, and motivation to help the child excel academically and lead a productive life;

   (2) As a society, we look to a child's family to provide a supportive home environment and realize that the primary responsibility for child rearing must remain with the family. However, we are keenly aware of increases in child abuse and neglect, the escalation of drug and alcohol abuse, and that many children who could excel in school are not receiving all the help and support they need to succeed;

   (3) Untapped human resources exist in local communities throughout the state that can provide many children with an additional caring, positive academic role model or mentor. These individuals will help those children progress in school and help direct and reinforce the many opportunities that will further enhance each child's life;

   (4) The members of the private sector throughout this state should be commended for their generous financial support of public schools. Now there is another significant contribution they can and must make to Georgia's children and youth: the investment of human capital in our children's future as academic volunteers and mentors;

   (5) Programs which provide encouragement and support to children through the use of mentors have resulted in significant increases in graduation rates at the secondary level and in much improved enrollment rates in postsecondary education for some of our most vulnerable youth;

   (6) Local, regional, and state-wide resource referral systems must be established to link more efficiently children and potential academic volunteers and mentors with existing programs and organizations; and

   (7) Volunteer and mentor service must be encouraged and appropriately recognized.

(c) In order to develop a state-wide strategy to provide academic support and guidance to each student who requires it, there is created the Georgia Mentoring Program, to be administered by the Governor's Office for Children and Families. Subject to appropriation by the General Assembly, the office shall:

   (1) Develop a state-wide plan with the goal of matching every child who needs one with an academic mentor. For purposes of this Code section, the term "academic mentor" or "academic volunteer and mentor" means a volunteer who, as a participant in a local project funded under this Code section, supports the needs of the individual child with whom the volunteer is matched, including without limitation, strengthening the child's academic preparation and achievement;

   (2) Develop standards for the operation of local projects for the provision of academic volunteer and mentor services;

   (3) Develop criteria and procedures for funding local projects for the provision of academic volunteer and mentor services, based on local need. Such criteria shall include, but not be limited to, the following indicators: size of the school age population, school dropout rates, and student achievement;

   (4) Develop and implement a state-wide public awareness and recruitment campaign for academic mentors; and

   (5) Compile a state-wide resource directory of successful academic mentor programs and organizations.

(d) The Governor's Office for Children and Families shall award grants to local school systems to administer the academic volunteer and mentor service program within the local school district, subject to appropriation by the General Assembly. Funds awarded under this Code section shall be expended exclusively for the recruitment, screening, training, and placement of academic mentors in accordance with the purposes of this Code section and for evaluation of the program established by this Code section. Local school systems which receive grants shall contract with nonprofit organizations or local government agencies for program operations. In selecting the organization or agency with which to contract, the local school system shall consider the experience of the organization or agency with operating volunteer mentor projects. Each entity receiving funds under this Code section shall consult and cooperate with any teacher in whose classroom it is proposed that an academic mentor be placed. No displacement of any certified or classified school employee shall occur as a result of the use of any academic mentor pursuant to this Code section.

(e) Any local school system desiring a grant under this Code section shall submit an application to the Governor's Office for Children and Families. In addition to such other information as the office may require, each application shall include the following:

   (1) A description of activities for which assistance is requested;

   (2) A list of coapplicants, if any;

   (3) The number of children expected to be served;

   (4) A statement of the goals of the program to be supported by the grant;

   (5) A statement of the applicant's experience in the recruitment, placement, and training of volunteers and mentors;

   (6) A statement of how the applicant intends to recruit, screen, train, and place academic mentors;

   (7) A statement of how the applicant will ensure that (A) academic volunteers and mentors will be required to undergo a criminal background check and (B) no displacement of existing school employees will occur as a result of the use of academic volunteers and mentors;

   (8) A statement of the efforts the applicant will make to maximize the use of existing state, federal, and local funds from both public and private sources for the purposes of the project; and

   (9) A plan for integration of the applicant's efforts with other community based children's services.

(f) The General Assembly further finds that outstanding academic volunteer and mentor service should be encouraged and recognized. For that purpose, the Governor is authorized to provide an award to recognize outstanding academic volunteer or mentor service in the schools for each fiscal year in which funds are appropriated for the program established under this Code section. Local school systems may nominate an individual or individual program that has had a significant and positive impact upon the lives of children for the award.

(g) No later than one year following the date on which funding is provided for the purposes of this Code section, and annually thereafter in any fiscal year for which funds are appropriated for the purposes of this Code section, the Governor's Office for Children and Families shall submit to the General Assembly a report describing the progress and accomplishments of the Georgia Mentoring Program. The report shall also identify any barriers to the full achievement of the goals of the program and shall include any recommended legislative changes in that regard.

Code 1981, § 49-5-156, enacted by Ga. L. 2000, p. 1098, § 2; Ga. L. 2008, p. 568, §§ 12, 13/HB 1054.