The General Assembly of Georgia, recognizing the need for:

(1) Implementing a quality basic education curriculum in public schools state wide which ensures that each student is provided ample opportunity to develop competencies necessary for lifelong learning as well as the competencies needed to maintain good physical and mental health, to participate actively in the governing process and community activities, to protect the environment and conserve public and private resources, and to be an effective worker and responsible citizen of high character;

(2) Providing all children and youth in Georgia with access to a quality program which supports their development of essential competencies in order that they may realize their potential;

(3) Providing an equitable public education finance structure which ensures that every student has an opportunity for a quality basic education, regardless of where the student lives, and ensures that all Georgians pay their fair share of this finance structure;

(4) Establishing and maintaining state-wide standards which ensure that each student has access to a quality program;

(5) Making teaching an attractive and rewarding profession in order to attract, retain, and fully utilize highly competent personnel in all public schools of the state;

(6) Providing effective staff development and attractive incentive programs which will motivate public school personnel to enhance their competencies and perform to their potential throughout their career;

(7) Providing local school systems with the incentives, resources, and technical assistance they need to plan and implement improvements in their programs on a continuing basis;

(8) Providing parents and the general public with information on the quality of schools and the achievement of the public school students in Georgia;

(9) Providing appropriate school facilities in which quality educational programs can be offered, particularly in the small and sparsely populated school systems;

(10) Providing an accountability system to ensure that all students are receiving a quality instructional program so that all students can achieve at their highest level;

(11) Providing a seamless education system to allow for the delivery of educational programs at all levels and the movement of students between programs and education agencies as efficiently and effectively as possible and to provide for coordination on a continuing basis between agencies responsible for education services;

(12) Providing a safe school environment so that students can learn and mature without fear of violence or intimidation; (13) Providing access to nursing services so that teachers can deliver instructional services without the added responsibility of addressing students' nursing needs and so that students can receive nursing services while at school;

(14) Providing academic intervention programs designed to assist students who are performing below grade level in order to increase their mastery of critical academic knowledge and skills;

(15) Providing an alternative educational environment for those students who need a different educational structure in order to properly master critical academic knowledge and skills and to provide an environment where they can stay in school and acquire the knowledge and skills necessary for a productive life;

(16) Providing students with advice and assistance in planning their academic and work careers and achieving those goals;

(17) Providing an evaluation process for all school system personnel to assure the public that personnel are performing at acceptable levels and providing quality educational services to all students;

(18) Providing an environment where parents and the community can participate in school activities and support school personnel as they work with students and address their academic needs;

(19) Providing for parent and community participation in the establishment of school programs, policies, and management so that the school and community are connected in meaningful and productive ways and providing support for teachers and school leaders in addressing the school's needs; and

(20) Providing a means whereby the foregoing might be met in order to provide an opportunity for a quality basic education to the citizens of the state and to discharge the responsibilities and obligations of the state to ensure a literate and informed society

does establish the Quality Basic Education Program. It is declared to be the policy of this state to assure that each Georgian has access to quality instruction, as defined in this article, designed to improve upon a student's learning capacity. It is further declared that no student shall be refused admission into or be excluded from any public school in the state on account of race, creed, color, or national origin.