HB487: HB487 Quality Basic Education Act; computer science course shall be a high school graduation requirement beginning in 2031; provide

Georgia law already requires most high schools and middle schools to offer computer science courses, but students are not required to take one to graduate. This bill would change that starting in the 2031-2032 school year, when local school boards would have to require every student to complete a computer science course, or a career, technical, and agricultural education (CTAE) course embedded with computer science, before graduating high school. The course could be taken in grades eight through 12 and could be delivered in a classroom, blended, or online format. It could not add to the total number of credits needed to graduate. Under certain conditions, a qualifying computer science or CTAE course could also count toward one unit of math, science, CTAE, foreign language, fine arts, or elective credit, with limits on how many math and science credits can be offset this way. The bill also updates the legislative findings behind the existing computer science requirements.

• Creates a new graduation requirement, starting in the 2031-2032 school year, that all high school students complete a computer science or computer-science-embedded CTAE course.
• Allows the required course to be taken in any of grades eight through 12 and delivered in classroom, blended, or online formats.
• Lets a qualifying computer science course also satisfy one unit of credit in math, science, CTAE, foreign language, fine arts, or electives, with restrictions on substituting for certain advanced math and science courses.
• Caps how many math and science credits a student can offset with computer science courses, while leaving CTAE and elective offsets unlimited.
• Directs the Department of Education to set minimum criteria for approving CTAE courses embedded with computer science, subject to State Board of Education approval.
• Revises the legislative findings section explaining why computer science education is considered important in Georgia.

Georgia high school and middle school students, local school boards and school systems, state charter schools, computer science and CTAE teachers, the Department of Education, and the State Board of Education, all of which have new duties or requirements under the revised law.

Starting in 2031, Georgia high schoolers would not be able to graduate without taking a computer science or CTAE-with-computer-science course, though the bill lets that course double as credit in other subjects so students' total credit load would not increase.

• Section 1 rewrites O.C.G.A. § 20-2-149.3 to add a new paragraph (c)(4) requiring, beginning in the 2031-2032 school year, that all students complete a computer science or embedded CTAE course to graduate.
• The required course can be earned in grades eight through 12 and must meet State Board of Education content standards without increasing total graduation credits.
• A qualifying full-credit computer science course can also satisfy one unit of math, science, CTAE, modern language or Latin, fine arts, or elective credit, but cannot substitute for specified advanced math or required biology and physical science courses.
• Students can offset more than one credit area by taking multiple distinct computer science courses, but no more than one math credit and one science credit can be offset this way.
• A full-credit CTAE course embedded with computer science can similarly satisfy one CTAE or elective credit, with the Department of Education setting approval criteria for such courses.
• Revises the legislative findings in subsection (a) about the importance of computer science education and current low completion rates.
• Section 2 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2025-02-20House Second Readers (House)
2. 2025-02-19House First Readers (House)
3. 2025-02-18House Hopper (House)

• Bethany Ballard (R, HD-147)Primary sponsor
• Matt Dubnik (R, HD-029)
• Brad Thomas (R, HD-021)
• Todd Jones (R, HD-025)
• Scott Hilton (R, HD-048)

• computer science education
• high school graduation requirements
• Quality Basic Education Act
• CTAE courses
• Georgia public schools