SB63: SB63 "Quality Basic Education Act"; local school systems offer certain exams to home study students; require

Under current Georgia law, home study (homeschool) students in grades 6 through 12 do not always have guaranteed access to standardized tests such as the PSAT/NMSQT, SAT, PreACT, ACT, the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery, or advanced placement exams through their local school system, even when that system offers those tests to its own enrolled students. This bill adds a new section to Georgia's Quality Basic Education Act (O.C.G.A. Title 20). If a local school system offers any of these tests to its enrolled students, it must also make the same test available to home study students who live in that district. The school system must post the test date, registration dates, and procedures on its public website, and note that home study students may take the test. School systems cannot charge home study students a fee that enrolled students do not pay, or add any requirement beyond what is already required for a home study program under O.C.G.A. § 20-2-690.

• Requires local school systems that offer the PSAT/NMSQT, SAT, PreACT, ACT, Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery, or an advanced placement exam to also make that test available to qualifying home study students in the district.
• Requires school systems to post test dates, registration dates, and procedures on their public website, including a statement that home study students can take the test.
• Bans school systems from charging home study students a fee that enrolled students do not have to pay.
• Bans school systems from imposing any extra requirement on home study students beyond what Georgia's home study law (O.C.G.A. § 20-2-690(c)) already requires.
• Defines 'home study student' as a student in grades six through 12 in a home study program that meets the requirements of O.C.G.A. § 20-2-690(c).

Home study (homeschool) students in grades 6 through 12 and their families, along with local school systems across Georgia that offer standardized tests such as the SAT, ACT, or advanced placement exams to their enrolled students.

Home study students who want to take college entrance or placement exams through their local public school system would gain a guaranteed right to do so, with the same fees and no extra hoops, and clearer public information about test dates and how to register.

• Adds new Code Section 20-2-324.8 to Part 15 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated.
• Subsection (a) defines 'home study student' as a grades 6-12 student in a home study program meeting O.C.G.A. § 20-2-690(c).
• Subsection (b) requires local school systems offering listed tests to enrolled students to also offer them to resident home study students and to post notice, registration dates, and procedures on the system's website.
• Subsection (c) bars school systems from charging home study students fees not charged to enrolled students or adding requirements beyond O.C.G.A. § 20-2-690(c).
• Section 2 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2025-05-14Effective Date 2025-07-01
2. 2025-05-14Act 360
3. 2025-05-14Senate Date Signed by Governor (Senate)
4. 2025-04-10Senate Sent to Governor (Senate)
5. 2025-04-04Senate Agreed House Amend or Sub (Senate)
6. 2025-03-27House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (House)
7. 2025-03-27House Third Readers (House)
8. 2025-03-21House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)

• Clint Dixon (R, SD-045)Primary sponsor
• Steve Gooch (R, SD-051)
• Randy Robertson (R, SD-029)
• Marty Harbin (R, SD-016)
• Billy Hickman (R, SD-004)
• Bo Hatchett (R, SD-050)
• Sam Watson (R, SD-011)
• Greg Dolezal (R, SD-027)
• Jason Anavitarte (R, SD-031)
• Kim Jackson (D, SD-041)
• Max Burns (R, SD-023)
• Ricky Williams (R, SD-025)
• Ed Setzler (R, SD-037)
• Lee Anderson (R, SD-024)
• Russ Goodman (R, SD-008)
• Carmen Rice (R, HD-139)

1. PassedSenate voteMarch 4, 2025

   53 yea, 0 nay (1 not voting, 2 absent)

   Passage As Amended: Senate Vote #152

2. PassedHouse voteMarch 27, 2025

   166 yea, 0 nay (9 not voting, 5 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #319

3. PassedSenate voteApril 4, 2025

   51 yea, 0 nay (3 not voting, 2 absent)

   Agree To House Substitute: Senate Vote #448

• homeschooling
• standardized testing
• public schools
• education policy
• SAT and ACT access