| 1 | 1 | | 25 LC 61 0142 |
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| 2 | 2 | | House Bill 558 |
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| 3 | 3 | | By: Representatives Gaines of the 120 |
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| 4 | 4 | | th |
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| 5 | 5 | | , Dempsey of the 13 |
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| 6 | 6 | | th |
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| 7 | 7 | | , and Newton of the 127 |
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| 8 | 8 | | th |
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| 9 | 9 | | |
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| 10 | 10 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 11 | 11 | | AN ACT |
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| 12 | 12 | | To amend Chapter 4 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to |
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| 13 | 13 | | 1 |
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| 14 | 14 | | vocational, technical, and adult education, so as to authorize the State Board of the Technical2 |
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| 15 | 15 | | College System of Georgia to establish the adult workforce high school diploma program;3 |
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| 16 | 16 | | to provide for the selection of third-party providers to administer the program; to provide4 |
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| 17 | 17 | | requirements for approved program providers; to provide for disbursement of funds to5 |
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| 18 | 18 | | approved program providers; to provide for reporting; to provide for definitions; to provide6 |
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| 19 | 19 | | for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.7 |
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| 20 | 20 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:8 |
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| 21 | 21 | | SECTION 1.9 |
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| 22 | 22 | | Chapter 4 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to vocational,10 |
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| 23 | 23 | | technical, and adult education, is amended by adding a new article to read as follows:11 |
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| 24 | 24 | | 12 |
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| 25 | 25 | | "ARTICLE 9 |
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| 26 | 26 | | 13 |
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| 27 | 27 | | 20-4-170.14 |
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| 28 | 28 | | As used in this article, the term:15 |
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| 29 | 29 | | H. B. 558 |
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| 30 | 30 | | - 1 - 25 LC 61 0142 |
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| 31 | 31 | | (1) 'Academic skill intake assessment' means a criterion referenced assessment of16 |
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| 32 | 32 | | numeracy and literacy skill with high reliability and validity as determined by third-party17 |
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| 33 | 33 | | research, which assessment may be administered in person or online.18 |
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| 34 | 34 | | (2) 'Adult workforce high school diploma program' and 'program' mean the program19 |
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| 35 | 35 | | provided for in this article.20 |
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| 36 | 36 | | (3) 'Approved program provider' means a third-party entity that applies to participate in21 |
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| 37 | 37 | | the program, is approved by the state board, and agrees to meet all program requirements.22 |
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| 38 | 38 | | (4) 'Average cost per graduate' means the average cost per graduate calculated in23 |
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| 39 | 39 | | accordance with Code Section 20-4-172.24 |
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| 40 | 40 | | (5) 'Cohort' means all students who enter the program between July 1 and June 30 of25 |
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| 41 | 41 | | each program year.26 |
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| 42 | 42 | | (6) 'Eligible student' means an individual who:27 |
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| 43 | 43 | | (A) Resides in this state;28 |
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| 44 | 44 | | (B) Is between 21 and 40 years of age at the time of enrollment;29 |
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| 45 | 45 | | (C) Has not attained a high school diploma;30 |
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| 46 | 46 | | (D) Does not meet any of the ineligibility criteria provided for in subsection (b) of31 |
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| 47 | 47 | | Code Section 20-3-519.1; and32 |
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| 48 | 48 | | (E) Has previously been enrolled in a public primary or secondary school or adult33 |
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| 49 | 49 | | education program in this state.34 |
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| 50 | 50 | | (7) 'Employability skills certification' means a certificate earned by demonstrating35 |
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| 51 | 51 | | professional nontechnical skills through assessment and includes, but is not limited to,36 |
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| 52 | 52 | | the program standards of the United States Department of Labor's 'Skills to Pay the Bills:37 |
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| 53 | 53 | | Mastering Soft Skills for Workplace Success' program.38 |
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| 54 | 54 | | (8) 'Graduation rate' means the graduation rate calculated in accordance with Code39 |
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| 55 | 55 | | Section 20-4-172.40 |
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| 56 | 56 | | H. B. 558 |
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| 57 | 57 | | - 2 - 25 LC 61 0142 |
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| 58 | 58 | | (9) 'Industry recognized credential' means an education related credential or work related41 |
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| 59 | 59 | | credential that verifies an individual's qualification or competence and is issued by an42 |
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| 60 | 60 | | entity with the authority to issue such credential.43 |
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| 61 | 61 | | (10) 'Measurement period' means the two-year period beginning July 1 of the year the44 |
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| 62 | 62 | | cohort begins through June 30 of the subsequent fiscal year.45 |
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| 63 | 63 | | (11) 'Milestones' means measures of student progress for which funds are disbursed to46 |
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| 64 | 64 | | approved program providers pursuant to Code Section 20-4-173.47 |
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| 65 | 65 | | (12) 'Program funding' means funding received by an approved program provider48 |
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| 66 | 66 | | pursuant to Code Section 20-4-173.49 |
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| 67 | 67 | | (13) 'Program year' means the period beginning on July 1 of each year and ending on50 |
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| 68 | 68 | | June 30 of the immediately following year.51 |
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| 69 | 69 | | (14) 'Stackable credential' means a credential that is part of a sequence of credentials that52 |
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| 70 | 70 | | can be accumulated over time to build up an individual's qualifications to advance along53 |
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| 71 | 71 | | a career pathway.54 |
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| 72 | 72 | | (15) 'State board' means the State Board of the Technical College System of Georgia.55 |
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| 73 | 73 | | (16) 'Transcript evaluation' means a documented summary of credits earned in previous56 |
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| 74 | 74 | | public or private accredited high schools compared with this state's requirements to earn57 |
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| 75 | 75 | | a high school diploma.58 |
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| 76 | 76 | | (17) 'Workforce credential' means an industry recognized credential or a stackable59 |
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| 77 | 77 | | credential.60 |
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| 78 | 78 | | 20-4-171.61 |
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| 79 | 79 | | (a) The state board shall be authorized to establish the adult workforce high school62 |
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| 80 | 80 | | diploma program to allow eligible students to qualify for enrollment in the program, and63 |
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| 81 | 81 | | upon successful completion of the program, to be awarded a high school diploma.64 |
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| 82 | 82 | | H. B. 558 |
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| 83 | 83 | | - 3 - 25 LC 61 0142 |
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| 84 | 84 | | (b) The state board shall be authorized to approve program providers to administer the65 |
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| 85 | 85 | | program. Such approved program providers shall be selected through an application66 |
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| 86 | 86 | | process, which application process shall be as follows:67 |
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| 87 | 87 | | (1) Not later than August 15 of each year, the state board shall make available an68 |
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| 88 | 88 | | application for third-party entities to apply to become approved program providers;69 |
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| 89 | 89 | | (2) Not later than September 15 of each year, the state board shall review applications,70 |
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| 90 | 90 | | approve program providers that meet the requirements set forth in this article, and make71 |
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| 91 | 91 | | available a list of approved program providers on the state board's public website; and72 |
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| 92 | 92 | | (3) Approved program providers shall be authorized to begin enrolling eligible students 73 |
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| 93 | 93 | | upon being approved by the state board as an approved program provider.74 |
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| 94 | 94 | | (c) To implement the program, notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary,75 |
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| 95 | 95 | | the state board shall be authorized to waive or provide variances to state rules, regulations,76 |
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| 96 | 96 | | policies, and procedures and to seek waivers or variances of federal laws, rules, regulations,77 |
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| 97 | 97 | | policies, and procedures that may be reasonably necessary to meet the goals of the78 |
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| 98 | 98 | | program.79 |
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| 99 | 99 | | (d) The state board shall be authorized to promulgate rules and regulations necessary to80 |
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| 100 | 100 | | implement the provisions of this article.81 |
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| 101 | 101 | | 20-4-172.82 |
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| 102 | 102 | | (a) Approved program providers shall:83 |
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| 103 | 103 | | (1) Be accredited by:84 |
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| 104 | 104 | | (A) Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges;85 |
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| 105 | 105 | | (B) New England Association of Colleges and Schools;86 |
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| 106 | 106 | | (C) Middle States Commission on Higher Education;87 |
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| 107 | 107 | | (D) Accrediting Commission for Schools, Western Association of Schools and88 |
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| 108 | 108 | | Colleges;89 |
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| 109 | 109 | | (E) Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities;90 |
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| 110 | 110 | | H. B. 558 |
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| 111 | 111 | | - 4 - 25 LC 61 0142 |
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| 112 | 112 | | (F) Georgia Accrediting Commission;91 |
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| 113 | 113 | | (G) Higher Learning Commission;92 |
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| 114 | 114 | | (H) Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges;93 |
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| 115 | 115 | | (I) Cognia; or94 |
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| 116 | 116 | | (J) A successor entity or consolidation of any of the above entities;95 |
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| 117 | 117 | | (2) Offer the following to eligible students at no cost to such students:96 |
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| 118 | 118 | | (A) Academic skill intake assessments and transcript evaluations for eligible students;97 |
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| 119 | 119 | | (B) A documented plan for each eligible student that shall include the requirements for98 |
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| 120 | 120 | | such student to complete the program and earn a high school diploma;99 |
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| 121 | 121 | | (C) Remedial education services in numeracy and literacy;100 |
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| 122 | 122 | | (D) A course catalog that includes all courses necessary to earn a high school diploma;101 |
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| 123 | 123 | | (E) One or more programs through which eligible students can earn a workforce102 |
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| 124 | 124 | | credential;103 |
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| 125 | 125 | | (F) One or more programs through which eligible students can earn an employability104 |
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| 126 | 126 | | skills certification;105 |
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| 127 | 127 | | (G) One or more courses that help eligible students enter or advance within a specific106 |
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| 128 | 128 | | occupation or occupational cluster; and107 |
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| 129 | 129 | | (H) All courses necessary to meet the requirements to earn a high school diploma;108 |
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| 130 | 130 | | (3) Have a graduation rate of not less than 50 percent; and109 |
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| 131 | 131 | | (4) Have an average cost per graduate of not more than $7,500.00.110 |
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| 132 | 132 | | (b) If an approved program provider fails to meet the standards set forth in paragraphs (3)111 |
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| 133 | 133 | | and (4) of subsection (a) of this Code section, the state board shall place such approved112 |
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| 134 | 134 | | program provider on probationary status for the remainder of the program year. If an113 |
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| 135 | 135 | | approved program provider fails to meet such standards by the end of the subsequent114 |
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| 136 | 136 | | program year, such approved program provider shall no longer be an approved program115 |
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| 137 | 137 | | provider.116 |
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| 138 | 138 | | H. B. 558 |
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| 139 | 139 | | - 5 - 25 LC 61 0142 |
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| 140 | 140 | | (c)(1) Average cost per graduate shall be calculated by dividing the total program117 |
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| 141 | 141 | | funding disbursed to an approved program provider for a cohort during the time period118 |
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| 142 | 142 | | from the beginning of the cohort through the end of the measurement period by the total119 |
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| 143 | 143 | | number of students in that cohort who earned a high school diploma during the120 |
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| 144 | 144 | | measurement period.121 |
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| 145 | 145 | | (2) Graduation rate shall be calculated by dividing the number of students in a cohort122 |
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| 146 | 146 | | who earned a high school diploma during the measurement period by the number of123 |
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| 147 | 147 | | students in such cohort for which such approved program provider has received program124 |
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| 148 | 148 | | funding.125 |
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| 149 | 149 | | 20-4-173.126 |
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| 150 | 150 | | (a)(1) Subject to appropriations specifically for the purpose of the program, the state 127 |
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| 151 | 151 | | board shall be authorized to disburse funds appropriated by the General Assembly for the128 |
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| 152 | 152 | | implementation of the program to approved program providers for the following 129 |
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| 153 | 153 | | milestones reached by students in amounts not to exceed:130 |
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| 154 | 154 | | (A) For the completion of each half unit of high school credit when such credit is131 |
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| 155 | 155 | | required to earn a high school diploma, $275.00;132 |
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| 156 | 156 | | (B) For each employability skills certification earned by a student, $275.00;133 |
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| 157 | 157 | | (C) For each workforce credential earned by a student when such credential requires134 |
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| 158 | 158 | | not more than 50 hours of training, $275.00;135 |
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| 159 | 159 | | (D) For each workforce credential earned by a student when such credential requires136 |
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| 160 | 160 | | more than 50 but not more than 100 hours of training, $550.00;137 |
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| 161 | 161 | | (E) For each workforce credential earned by a student when such credential requires138 |
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| 162 | 162 | | more than 100 hours of training, $825.00; or139 |
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| 163 | 163 | | (F) For each high school diploma earned by a student, $1,100.00.140 |
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| 164 | 164 | | H. B. 558 |
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| 165 | 165 | | - 6 - 25 LC 61 0142 |
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| 166 | 166 | | (2) Funds shall be disbursed pursuant to this subsection to approved program providers141 |
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| 167 | 167 | | in the order in which the reports required by subsection (b) of this Code section are142 |
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| 168 | 168 | | received by the state board.143 |
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| 169 | 169 | | (3) No later than the last day of each month, the state board shall notify approved144 |
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| 170 | 170 | | program providers of the total amount of funds disbursed to approved program providers145 |
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| 171 | 171 | | and the amount of funds remaining for the program for the fiscal year.146 |
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| 172 | 172 | | (b) In order to receive the funds provided for in subsection (a) of this Code section,147 |
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| 173 | 173 | | approved program providers shall, no later than the tenth day of each month, submit to the148 |
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| 174 | 174 | | state board a report which shall include all milestones met by students in the previous149 |
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| 175 | 175 | | month.150 |
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| 176 | 176 | | (c) Funds received by approved program providers pursuant to this Code section shall be151 |
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| 177 | 177 | | used for providing and preparing for instruction, instructional materials, and support152 |
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| 178 | 178 | | services for students, including coaching and mentoring. Such funds shall not be used to153 |
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| 179 | 179 | | build or expand brick-and-mortar infrastructure.154 |
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| 180 | 180 | | 20-4-174.155 |
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| 181 | 181 | | (a) Beginning in 2027, no later than August 15 of each year, each approved program156 |
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| 182 | 182 | | provider shall submit a report to the state board which shall include:157 |
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| 183 | 183 | | (1) The number of eligible students participating in the program;158 |
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| 184 | 184 | | (2) The number of units of high school credit earned by such students;159 |
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| 185 | 185 | | (3) The number of employability skills certificates earned by such students;160 |
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| 186 | 186 | | (4) The number of workforce credentials earned by such students; and161 |
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| 187 | 187 | | (5) The number of students who earned a high school diploma through participation in162 |
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| 188 | 188 | | the program.163 |
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| 189 | 189 | | (b) Beginning in 2027, no later than December 1 of each year, the state board shall provide164 |
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| 190 | 190 | | the Governor, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and165 |
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| 191 | 191 | | the chairpersons of the House Committee on Education, the Senate Education and Youth166 |
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| 192 | 192 | | H. B. 558 |
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| 193 | 193 | | - 7 - 25 LC 61 0142 |
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| 194 | 194 | | Committee, the House Committee on Higher Education, and the Senate Higher Education167 |
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| 195 | 195 | | Committee with a report that includes:168 |
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| 196 | 196 | | (1) The information reported to the state board pursuant to subsection (a) of this Code169 |
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| 197 | 197 | | section;170 |
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| 198 | 198 | | (2) The amount of funds disbursed to each approved program provider and the171 |
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| 199 | 199 | | milestones for which such funding was disbursed;172 |
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| 200 | 200 | | (3) The graduation rate for each approved program provider; and173 |
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| 201 | 201 | | (4) The average cost per graduate for each approved program provider."174 |
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| 202 | 202 | | SECTION 2.175 |
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| 203 | 203 | | All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.176 |
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| 204 | 204 | | H. B. 558 |
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| 205 | 205 | | - 8 - |
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