(a) Local board policies adopted pursuant to Code Section 20-2-735 shall require the filing of a report by a teacher who has knowledge that a student has exhibited behavior that repeatedly or substantially interferes with the teacher's ability to communicate effectively with the students in his or her class or with the ability of such student's classmates to learn, where such behavior is in violation of the student code of conduct. Such report shall be filed with the principal or the principal's designee within one school day of the most recent occurrence of such behavior, shall not exceed one page, and shall describe the behavior. The principal or the principal's designee shall, within one school day after receiving such a report from a teacher, send to the student's parents or guardian a copy of the report and information regarding how the student's parents or guardians may contact the principal or the principal's designee.

(b) If student support services are utilized or if disciplinary action is taken in response to such a report by the principal or the principal's designee, the principal or the principal's designee shall send written notification to the teacher and the student's parents or guardians of the student support services being utilized or the disciplinary action taken within one school day after such utilization or action and shall make a reasonable attempt to confirm that such written notification has been received by the student's parents or guardians. Such written notification shall include information regarding how the student's parents or guardians may contact the principal or the principal's designee.

(a) The Professional Standards Commission shall establish a state mandated process for students to follow in reporting instances of alleged inappropriate behavior by a teacher, administrator, or other school employee toward a student which shall not prohibit the ability of a student to report the incident to law enforcement authorities. Each local school system shall be required to implement and follow such state mandated process and shall include the mandated process in student handbooks and in employee handbooks or policies.

(b) If it is determined through the state mandated process established pursuant to subsection (a) of this Code section that a complaint against a teacher, administrator, or other school employee is unsubstantiated and without merit, the local school system shall, at the request of the aggrieved party, submit a written statement to that effect to all local print and television media outlets that published any articles or reported any news relating to such complaint against the teacher, administrator, or employee.

(c) The Professional Standards Commission shall coordinate a training program on educator sexual misconduct. Such program shall be delivered by trained staff from the Professional Standards Commission, regional educational service agencies, and local school systems. The superintendent of each local school system shall ensure that all certified staff in its school system receive such training.

(d)(1) The staff of the Professional Standards Commission shall be authorized, without notification to the Professional Standards Commission, to immediately open an investigation submitted to the commission by a local school superintendent, with approval of the local board of education, of a complaint by a student against an educator alleging a sexual offense, as provided for in Code Sections 16-6-1 through 16-6-17, 16-6-20, 16-6-22.2, or 16-12-100.

(e) Nothing in this Code section shall be construed to infringe on any right provided to students with Individualized Education Programs pursuant to the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973, or the federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

(a) Any teacher or other person employed at any public or private elementary or secondary school or any dean or public safety officer employed by a college or university who has reasonable cause to believe that a student at that school has committed any act upon school property or at any school function, which act is prohibited by Code Section 16-5-21 or 16-5-24, Chapter 6 of Title 16, and Code Section 16-11-127, 16-11-127.1, 16-11-132, or 16-13-30, shall immediately report the act and the name of the student to the principal or president of that school or the principal's or president's designee; provided, however, that an act which is prohibited by Code Section 16-11-127.1 shall be reported only when it involves a:

(b) The principal or designee who receives a report made pursuant to subsection (a) of this Code section who has reasonable cause to believe that the report is valid shall make an oral report thereof immediately by telephone or otherwise to the appropriate school system superintendent and to the appropriate police authority and district attorney.

(c) Any person participating in the making of a report or causing a report to be made as authorized or required pursuant to this Code section or participating in any judicial proceeding or any other proceeding resulting therefrom shall in so doing be immune from any civil or criminal liability that might otherwise be incurred or imposed, providing such participation pursuant to this Code section is made in good faith.

(d) Any person required to make a report pursuant to this Code section who knowingly and willfully fails to do so shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

Each educational facility which employs campus policemen, including institutions of the University System of Georgia, shall report to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and to the local law enforcement agency incidents of criminal gang activity as defined by Code Section 16-15-3 which occur on or adjacent to the campus of such educational facility.

(2) Requirements.

(a) Each local board of education shall adopt policies designed to improve the student learning environment by improving student behavior and discipline. These policies shall provide for the development of age appropriate student codes of conduct that contain the following, at a minimum:

(g) Local board policies shall require the filing of a report by a teacher documenting a student's violation of the student code of conduct which repeatedly or substantially interferes with the teacher's ability to communicate effectively with the students in his or her class or with the ability of such student's classmates to learn within one school day of the most recent occurrence of such behavior. The report shall be filed with the principal or principal's designee, shall not exceed one page, and shall describe the behavior. The principal or principal's designee shall, within one day of receiving such report, send to the student's parents or guardians a copy of the report, and information regarding how the principal or principal's designee may be contacted.