Georgia For Change
Our Mission
Georgia For Change advocates for common-sense policy that betters the state of Georgia by using a mix of both activism and legislative action.
Our First Project
We believe that the key to a better future lies in the education of our youth. That is why we wrote SB170 (Students and Teachers SPEAK Act) so that a student is an advisor to the State Board of Education. By doing this, students will inform the policies that directly impact THEIR education. We believe student voices are the path forward. That's why our student organization, Georgia Students For Change, worked with Senator John Albers to make this idea a reality. In the state Senate, it garnered a bipartisan coalition of 36 co-sponsors and passed unanimously with a vote of 50-0. The text as passed by the Senate: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20232024/216388
President Hays and Executive Director Szczupak pictured with Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones and Senator John Albers following their unanimous passage of SB 170 through the Georgia State Senate.
The Next Step
The Students' Mental Health is Health Act will clarify that absences in Georgia Schools due to mental and behavioral health are excused and just as valid as those for physical health. We believe that mental and behavioral health is just as important as physical health and schools should recognize it as such. This will clarify the existing statute and get rid of any ambiguity that may arise, providing clear guidelines for departments and boards of education to follow. This will be introduced in the 2025 Legislative Session.