A group of Georgia lawmakers have introduced a bill to make the position of state school superintendent an appointed position rather than an elected one.
According to WABE News, the state school superintendent would be appointed by members of the Georgia State Board of Education rather than selected by voters.
If passed during the current legislative session, House Resolution 174 would appear on the ballot in 2026 as a proposed state constitutional amendment.
The amendment would also give members of the Georgia House of Representatives and Georgia Senate the power to vote on the state board of education members, who would then appoint the superintendent.
Under current law, the governor appoints board members.
Republican State Rep. Matt Dubnik of Gainesville, chair of the Appropriations Education Subcommittee, introduced HR 174 earlier this month. House Speaker Pro-Tempore Jan Jones and House Education Committee Chair Chris Erwin, both Republicans, have also signed onto the proposal.
Dubnik said the state school board should pick its superintendent like local school boards do.
In a statement to WABE, current State School Superintendent Richard Woods said the right to elect the state superintendent should not be taken away from Georgians.
“Georgia parents, educators, business leaders, and taxpayers expect to have a direct way to weigh in on the state’s educational priorities, issues, quality, and direction,” he said in the statement.
