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The House Committee on Higher Education offers the following substitute to HB 217:
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Chapter 4 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to1
vocational, technical, and adult education, so as to extend the Dual Achievement Program2
for an additional five years; to provide updated eligibility requirements for the program3
beginning July 1, 2026; to provide for continued eligibility for students already enrolled in4
the program; to provide for QBE funding and accountability assessments to be included in5
the program; to provide for policies, rules, and regulations; to provide for participation6
agreements; to provide for reporting; to provide for automatic repeal; to provide definitions;7
to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.8
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:9
SECTION 1.10
Chapter 4 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to vocational,11
technical, and adult education, is amended by revising Article 6, relating to the Dual12
Achievement Program, as follows:13
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"ARTICLE 614
20-4-140.15
As used in this article, the term:16
(1) 'Dual Achievement Program' or 'program' means the program provided for in this17
article.18
(2) 'Eligible student' means a student who meets the qualifications to participate in the19
program.20
(3) 'Extracurricular activities' and 'interscholastic activities' shall have the same21
respective meanings as set forth in Code Section 20-2-319.6.22
(4) 'QBE formula earnings' means funds earned for the Quality Basic Education Formula23
pursuant to Code Section 20-2-161 and shall include the portion of such funds that are24
calculated as the local five mill share in accordance with Code Section 20-2-164. QBE25
formula earnings shall include the salary portion of direct instructional costs, the26
adjustment for training and experience, the nonsalary portion of direct instructional costs,27
and earnings for psychologists and school social workers, school administration, facility28
maintenance and operation, media centers, and staff development, as determined by the29
Department of Education.30
(3)(5) 'State board' means the State Board of the Technical College System of Georgia.31
(6) 'Resident school' means the public school in which an eligible student is or would be32
enrolled based on his or her primary residence.33
(7) 'Resident school system' means the public school system in which an eligible student 34
is or would be enrolled based on his or her primary residence.35
(4)(8) 'Technical college system' means the Technical College System of Georgia.36
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20-4-141.37
(a)(1) The state board shall, in coordination with the State Board of Education,38
Department of Education, the Department of Juvenile Justice, the Department of39
Corrections, and the Office of Planning and Budget, establish a pilot program to allow40
students who meet eligibility requirements to qualify for enrollment in the Dual41
Achievement Program at a participating unit of the technical college system and, upon42
successful completion of the program, be awarded a high school diploma. The purpose43
of the pilot program is to assess the feasibility of implementing a state-funded program44
for eligible students who have withdrawn from high school to enroll in a unit of the45
technical college system to participate in an academic and technical education and46
training program which, upon successful completion, allows the student to earn a high47
school diploma while also earning a technical college associate degree, a technical48
college diploma, or technical college certificates of credit in specific career pathways.49
(2) To implement the pilot program, notwithstanding any other provision of law to the50
contrary, the State Board of the Technical College System of Georgia state board and the51
State Board of Education shall be authorized to waive or provide variances to state rules,52
regulations, policies, and procedures and to provisions of this title that may be reasonably53
necessary to meet the goals of the pilot program, including, but not limited to, such rules,54
regulations, policies, procedures, and provisions as relate to the calculation, allocation,55
and distribution of QBE formula earnings. Such waivers or variances shall automatically56
expire at the end of five ten years unless an earlier expiration is provided for. The State57
Board of the Technical College System of Georgia state board and the State Board of58
Education shall be authorized to seek waivers or variances of federal laws, rules,59
regulations, policies, and procedures that may be reasonably necessary to meet the goals60
of the pilot program.61
(3) The pilot program, as determined by the state board, may include up to five units of62
the technical college system for a period of five ten years. In an effort to pilot the63
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program under various conditions present in the state, the state board shall seek to include64
in the pilot program units of the technical college system from various geographic areas65
in the state.66
(4) The state board shall review the results of the pilot program and shall no later than67
February 1 November 15 each year during the program provide the General Assembly68
the Office and Planning and Budget and the chairpersons of the House Committee on69
Education, the Senate Education and Youth Committee, the House Committee on Higher70
Education, the Senate Higher Education Committee, the House Committee on71
Appropriations, and the Senate Appropriations Committee with a comprehensive report72
on the program with any recommendations for its continued use and any needed changes73
in the program. Such report shall include a comprehensive list of any such waivers or74
variances implemented or requested as provided for in paragraph (2) of this subsection,75
a statement of necessity for each waiver or variance, and with respect to any such76
requests, request, and whether each request was granted in whole or in part.77
(b) The pilot program established by the state board pursuant to this article shall provide78
for the award of a high school diploma by the state board to students who successfully79
complete the program.80
(c) The state board shall determine the specific competencies concerning the skills and81
knowledge needed for completion of each component of the program; provided, however,82
that the state board shall make such determination regarding the skills and knowledge83
needed to meet the requirements for a high school diploma as provided for in this program84
in consultation with the State Board of Education and the Department of Education.85
(d) In order to minimize the risk of prospective students prematurely withdrawing from86
a secondary school in order to participate in the program, the The state board shall provide87
for preliminary review of academic records, including, but not limited to official secondary88
school transcripts, submitted by prospective students to determine whether such students89
meet the requirements provided for in paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (e) of this Code90
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Section section. If a prospective student meets such requirements, the student shall be so91
notified and allowed to complete a readiness assessment required by the technical college92
system. Students who meet the requirements provided for in paragraphs (1) and (2) of93
subsection (e) of this Code Section section and attain a an acceptable score of admission94
acceptable on the readiness assessment shall be notified that they are eligible to participate95
in the program, subject to meeting the requirements provided for in the applicable96
paragraphs (4) and (5) of subsection (e) (f) of this Code Section section.97
(e) To be eligible to participate in the program, a student shall:98
(1) Be 16 years of age or older;99
(2) Have completed at least six of the nine following state required ninth and tenth grade100
level high school courses: two English courses, two mathematics courses, two science101
courses, two social studies courses, and one health and physical education course; and102
any state required tests associated with any such courses;103
(3) Receive a an acceptable score of admission acceptable on the readiness assessment104
required by the technical college system; and105
(4) Meet the requirements provided for in the applicable paragraph of subsection (f) of106
this Code section.107
(f)(1) Before July 1, 2026, to be eligible to participate in the program, a student shall be108
withdrawn from a public secondary school of this state, shall meet the requirements109
provided for in subsection (e) of this Code section, and shall provide Provide the110
following:111
(A) If an unemancipated minor:112
(i) Verification that the student's parent or legal guardian attended a conference with113
the student's high school principal or the principal's designee as provided for in114
subsection (e) of Code Section 20-2-690.1;115
(ii) A copy of the form provided for in subsection (e) of Code Section 20-2-690.1116
signed by the student's parent or legal guardian;117
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(iii) Written acknowledgment by the student's parent or guardian that withdrawal of118
the student from secondary school may result in loss of eligibility for119
accommodations, specialized instruction, and other services pursuant to the federal120
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 20 U.S.C.A. U.S.C. Section 1400, et seq.,121
and Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C.A. U.S.C. Section122
701, et seq.; and123
(iv) Written acknowledgment that the high school diploma available through the Dual124
Achievement Program requires successful completion of the program; or125
(B) If an emancipated minor or a student who is 18, 19, or 20 years of age:126
(i) Written acknowledgment that the student has conferred with his or her secondary127
school principal or the principal's designee or a qualified designated official of the128
technical college system and discussed alternatives to withdrawing from high school129
without completing graduation requirements and potential consequences of not having130
a high school diploma, including lower lifetime earnings, fewer jobs for which the131
student will be qualified, and the inability to avail oneself of higher educational132
opportunities;133
(ii) Written acknowledgment by the student's parent or guardian that withdrawal of134
the student from secondary school may result in loss of eligibility for135
accommodations, specialized instruction, and other services pursuant to the federal136
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 20 U.S.C.A. U.S.C. Section 1400, et seq.,137
and Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C.A. U.S.C. Section138
701, et seq.; and139
(iii) Written acknowledgment that the high school diploma available through the140
Dual Achievement Program requires successful completion of the program; and.141
(5) Be withdrawn from a public secondary school of this state.142
(2) Beginning July 1, 2026, to be eligible to participate in the program, a student shall143
be enrolled in a public secondary school of this state, shall not have reached 21 years of144
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age, shall meet the requirements provided for in subsection (e) of this Code section, and145
shall provide the following:146
(A) Written acknowledgment that such student shall not be eligible to participate in147
extracurricular activities or interscholastic activities under the sponsorship, direction,148
or control of such student's resident school or resident school system; and149
(B) Written acknowledgment that the high school diploma available through the Dual150
Achievement Program requires successful completion of the program.151
(g) Any student who is enrolled in the program on June 30, 2026, shall remain eligible to152
participate in the program according to the terms and conditions of such student's original153
eligibility to participate in the program.154
(h) By March 1, 2026, the State Board of Education shall adopt any policies, rules, or155
regulations that are necessary to ensure that any student who withdraws from his or her156
resident school or resident school system and subsequently wishes to participate in the157
program shall be permitted to re-enroll in such resident school or resident school system158
in order to participate in the program on and after July 1, 2026. Such policies, rules, and159
regulations shall provide for such students to complete such re-enrollment without having160
to appear at such resident school or resident school system. Upon collaboration with the161
state board, such policies, rules, and regulations may provide for such re-enrollment to be162
facilitated by the technical college system.163
(f)(i) The state board shall award a high school diploma to a student enrolled in the164
program provided for in this article who:165
(1) Completes all student counseling and assessment requirements of the program;166
(2) Completes rigorous coursework at a participating unit of the technical college167
system; and168
(3) Completes:169
(A) A technical college associate degree program;170
(B) A technical college diploma program; or171
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(C) At least two technical college certificate of credit programs in one specific career172
pathway.173
(g)(j) A student who meets the requirements of subsections (f) subsection (h) of this Code174
section shall be deemed to have met all graduation requirements of the State Board of175
Education and shall not be subject to any assessments otherwise required for purposes of176
graduation.177
(h)(k) The state board, in consultation with the State Board of Education, Department of178
Education, the Department of Juvenile Justice, the Department of Corrections, and the179
Office of Planning and Budget, shall establish rules and regulations to implement the180
provisions of this article.181
20-2-141.1.182
(a) By January 1, 2026, the State Board of Education, in collaboration with the state board,183
the Office of Planning and Budget, and the Office of Student Achievement, shall establish184
whatever policies, rules, and regulations are necessary to implement the requirements of185
this article, including, but not limited to, any such policies, rules, or regulations that are186
necessary to accurately account for each student who is participating in the program187
pursuant to paragraph (2) of subsection (f) of Code Section 20-4-141 in the counts required188
by Code Section 20-2-160.189
(b) For each eligible student enrolled in the program on or after July 1, 2026, the State190
Board of Education shall pay to the state board an amount not less than a proportional share191
of QBE formula earnings, QBE grants, and federal funds earned by the resident school192
system for such eligible student. Such proportional share shall be calculated pro rata based193
on the number of one-sixth segments of the school day such eligible student attends at a194
participating unit of the technical college system.195
(c)(1) By April 1, 2026, and by April 1 each year thereafter, the state board and the State196
Board of Education shall publish on the public website of the technical college system197
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a comprehensive list of courses at participating units of the technical college system that198
shall be counted towards high school diploma requirements and shall be considered a199
one-sixth segment of the school day for the purposes of this article. Once such a200
comprehensive list is published on the public website of the technical college system, it201
may only be revised upon written agreement by the state board and the State Board of202
Education detailing the reasons for each revision. In the event such comprehensive list203
is revised pursuant to such a written agreement, the comprehensive list published on the204
public website of the technical college system shall be updated immediately along with205
a copy of such written agreement.206
(2) Each revision to the comprehensive list required by paragraph (1) of this subsection207
shall be prospective, and no revision to such comprehensive list shall result in any208
adverse action for any student enrolled and in good standing at the time of such revision.209
(d) Beginning July 1, 2026, each resident school system with an eligible student who is210
participating in the program pursuant to paragraph (2) of subsection (f) of Code Section211
20-4-141 shall enter into a participation agreement with the state board agreeing that each212
such student:213
(1) Is enrolled in the resident school system and resident school for administrative214
purposes and for the purposes of education accountability assessment programs provided215
for in Article 2 of Chapter 14 of this title only; and216
(2) Shall not be eligible to participate in extracurricular activities or interscholastic217
activities under the sponsorship, direction, or control of such student's resident school or218
resident school system.219
20-4-142.220
This article shall stand repealed on July 1, 2026 2031."221
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SECTION 2.222
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.223
H. B. 217 (SUB)
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