HB694: HB694 State Board of Education; establish five-year school pilot program to increase graduation rates and postsecondary education

Georgia currently has no dedicated state pilot program funding extra school counseling and postsecondary preparation services in secondary schools. HB 694 would direct the State Board of Education to create one. Starting with the 2027-2028 school year, the program would provide up to $3 million per year for up to five years to local school districts chosen to participate. Districts would apply, describing their counselor ratios, partnerships with colleges and nonprofits, early warning systems for at-risk students, and plans for using the money. The state would prioritize districts with high dropout rates or high percentages of students eligible for free and reduced price meals. Participating districts would have to report on outcomes like graduation rates and college enrollment. The Department of Education must open applications by January 1, 2026, with applications due November 1, 2026. The whole program, added as Code Section 20-2-640, would automatically repeal on July 1, 2033. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025.

• Directs the State Board of Education to create a five-year pilot program funding school counseling and postsecondary prep services at selected public secondary schools.
• Provides up to $3 million per school year, for up to five years starting in 2027-2028, to local school districts chosen to participate, subject to state funding approval.
• Requires districts to apply with information on counselor ratios, partnerships with colleges and nonprofits, at-risk student tracking, and spending plans.
• Directs the state to prioritize districts with above-average dropout rates or above-average shares of students eligible for free and reduced price meals.
• Requires annual reporting on counselors hired, services provided, dropout and graduation rates, and postsecondary enrollment for participating schools.
• Allows the State Board of Education to waive normal state rules and regulations if needed to run the pilot program, and sets automatic repeal of the program on July 1, 2033.

Local school districts and their boards, public secondary schools chosen to participate, school counselors certified by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission, students at participating schools, the Department of Education, and the State Board of Education, which administers and funds the program.

Selected school districts, especially those with higher dropout rates or more low-income students, could receive new state money to hire counselors and build college-prep partnerships. Students at those schools could see more counseling support, while the state tracks whether the effort actually improves graduation and college enrollment rates.

• Subsection (a) defines key terms including 'local education agency,' 'participating school,' and 'school counselor' (someone holding a Georgia Professional Standards Commission service certificate).
• Subsection (c) caps funding at $3 million per school year for up to five years, beginning with the 2027-2028 school year, subject to legislative appropriations.
• Subsection (d) lists ten required elements of a district's application, including counselor ratios, partnerships, early warning systems, and plans to sustain services after the grant ends.
• Subsection (e) requires the State Board of Education to set selection criteria and give priority to districts with high dropout rates or high shares of students eligible for free and reduced price meals.
• Subsection (f) requires annual reporting on counselors hired, services funded, dropout and graduation rates, and postsecondary enrollment outcomes.
• Subsection (g) lets the State Board of Education waive other state rules and regulations as needed to carry out the pilot program.
• Subsection (i) sets a January 1, 2026 deadline to develop the application process and a November 1, 2026 deadline for districts to apply.
• Subsection (j) automatically repeals the entire program on July 1, 2033.

1. 2025-03-04House Second Readers (House)
2. 2025-03-03House First Readers (House)
3. 2025-02-28House Hopper (House)

• Karen Lupton (D, HD-083)Primary sponsor
• Marvin Lim (D, HD-098)
• David Wilkerson (D, HD-038)

• school counseling
• high school graduation rates
• postsecondary education
• education funding
• public schools