A new Georgia law designed to reduce educational disruptions for children in foster care is now in effect, requiring public schools to enroll foster students within three school business days of a request for enrollment.

Senate Bill 431, signed by Gov. Brian Kemp earlier this year, strengthens protections for students in foster care by establishing a firm enrollment deadline and giving the Georgia Department of Education authority to require corrective action if school districts fail to comply.

Lawmakers said the measure addresses a long-standing problem in which foster children often experience repeated school transfers that can delay enrollment, disrupt learning and even result in lost academic credits. According to a federal study cited by lawmakers, more than 30 percent of foster youth change schools five or more times before turning 18.

If a school does not enroll a foster student within the required timeframe, it must provide the student’s guardian with contact information for regional and state education officials who can help resolve the issue. The Department of Education may also require districts to develop corrective action plans when they fail to meet the law’s requirements.

The legislation builds on previous state efforts to streamline enrollment for foster children and improve the transfer of student records, with the goal of providing greater educational stability for some of Georgia’s most vulnerable students.