Rep. Gabriel Sanchez Introduces Students and Teachers SPEAK Act to Expand Student and Educator Voices in Education Policy

ATLANTA - State Representative Gabriel Sanchez (D-Smyrna) recently introduced House Bill 1190, known as the "Student and Teachers SPEAK Act," which aims to strengthen student and educator input in education policy by formally creating advisory roles for students and teachers at both the state and local levels.

"This legislation is about giving a much-needed voice to the people who experience our education system every day, students and teachers," said Rep. Sanchez. "Their role is essential to building policies that truly support our students across Georgia and ensure our teachers are collaborators in their success."

HB 1190 would amend current law to establish a process for selecting and qualifying students to serve as advisors to the State Board of Education and would allow local boards of education to create their own process. Rep. Sanchez emphasizes that the bill would ensure students most affected by education policy have a structured and meaningful opportunity to share their perspectives with decision-makers. Additionally, HB 1190 would invite the Georgia Teacher of the Year to serve as an advisor to the State Board of Education.

The full text of HB 1190 may be found here.

Representative Gabriel Sanchez represents the citizens of District 42, which includes a portion of Cobb County. He was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2024 and currently serves on the Budget & Fiscal Affairs Oversight, Governmental Affairs and Interstate Cooperation committees.

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