(a) All public school officials and professional personnel certificated by the Professional Standards Commission shall be provided the opportunity to continue their development throughout their professional careers. The primary purpose of the staff development sponsored or offered by local units of administration and the Department of Education shall be the implementation of this policy. Two additional purposes of such staff development programs shall be to adopt into general practice the findings of scientifically designed research which has been widely replicated, particularly as it relates to teacher and school effectiveness, and to address professional needs and deficiencies identified during the process of objective performance evaluations.

(b) All new members of governing boards of local units of administration shall, before or within one year after assuming office, receive at least 12 hours of orientation to the educational program objectives of Georgia and instruction in school finance; school law, with special emphasis on the "Quality Basic Education Act"; responsiveness to the community; the ethics, duties, and responsibilities of local governing board members; annual performance evaluation of the school superintendent and the local board of education; and such other topics as the State Board of Education may deem to be necessary; provided, however, that at least six of these 12 hours of training shall be specifically related to education finance, generally accepted accounting principles, and budgeting. The board of education of the Department of Juvenile Justice shall be exempt from the six hours of training in education finance, generally accepted accounting principles, and budgeting. All members of boards of local units of administration are required to participate in at least one day of training annually to ensure the effective management and operation of local units of administration. The Georgia Education Leadership Academy is authorized, in cooperation with the Georgia School Boards Association or other agencies and associations, to conduct workshops annually to provide such instruction and to present to each board member completing such annual workshop for the first time an appropriate certificate. The Georgia Education Leadership Academy shall adopt such procedures as may be necessary to verify the attendance at such annual workshops of veteran members of boards of local units of administration. All boards of local units of administration are authorized to pay such board members the same per diem as authorized by local or general law for attendance at regular or special meetings, as well as reimbursement of actual expenses for travel, lodging, meals, and registration fees for such workshops, either before or after such board members assume office.