HB907: HB907 Completion Special Schools Act; certain local school systems to either be a party to a collaborative operating agreement with a completion special school or provide certain education programs and services; require

Georgia's Completion Special Schools Act already lets certain public schools focus on dropout prevention, credit recovery, and flexible scheduling for students in grades nine through 12. This bill tightens the relationship between those completion special schools and the regular local school systems that share their attendance zones. Local school systems whose territory falls inside a completion special school's attendance zone must now either sign a collaborative operating agreement with that school or offer similar dropout prevention, credit recovery, and flexible scheduling programs themselves. Completion special schools must send program information to resident school systems every June 1 and December 1, and those systems must post it at high schools and send it electronically to students and parents within seven days. Parents can now register students directly with a completion special school. The bill also revises rules on operating programs outside a school's assigned attendance zone, including special allowances for Department of Defense Youth Challenge Academy students and students in custody, and requires local systems to share contact information for students who stop attending or withdraw, with some exceptions. The changes take effect once the Governor signs the bill or it becomes law without his signature.

• Requires local school systems inside a completion special school's attendance zone to either sign a collaborative operating agreement with it or provide comparable dropout prevention, credit recovery, and flexible scheduling programs on their own.
• Requires completion special schools to send program and registration details to resident school systems by June 1 and December 1 each year, and requires those systems to post and electronically share the information with students and parents within seven days.
• Allows parents or guardians to register a student directly with a completion special school for part time classes, instead of going only through the resident school system.
• Requires completion special schools and resident school systems to work together quickly to enroll a student who registers for a program but is not currently enrolled anywhere.
• Revises the rules for completion special schools operating programs outside their assigned attendance zone, including a transition period through June 30, 2028 and special allowances for students at Department of Defense Youth Challenge Academies or in custody.
• Requires local school systems to give completion special schools the name, address, and phone number of students who miss ten consecutive school days or withdraw, within ten school days, with exceptions for graduates and students transferring elsewhere.

High school students in grades nine through 12 who need dropout prevention, credit recovery, or nontraditional scheduling, along with their parents and guardians; local school systems located inside a completion special school's attendance zone; completion special schools themselves; and the state board of education, which oversees waivers and attendance zone assignments.

Students at risk of dropping out or falling behind would have clearer, faster paths into credit recovery and part time programs, since parents could register them directly and schools would have to publicize options twice a year. School districts would face a firmer choice between partnering with a completion special school or building similar programs themselves.

• Section 1 rewrites O.C.G.A. § 20-2-2096.3 to require completion special schools to keep collaborative operating agreements current, including student liaison staffing and funding terms, and to notify resident school systems of program details by June 1 and December 1 each year.
• Section 1 lets parents or guardians register a student directly with a completion special school for part time classes, and requires the school and resident district to coordinate quickly if that student is not otherwise enrolled.
• Section 2 revises O.C.G.A. § 20-2-2096.7 on attendance zones, letting existing programs outside their assigned zone continue until June 30, 2028 or until a new school is assigned there, with a transition period for affected students.
• Section 2 allows the state board to permit programs outside a school's attendance zone for students at U.S. Department of Defense Youth Challenge Academies or in the custody of a correctional or detention facility.
• Section 2 lets a student attend a completion special school outside his or her home attendance zone if the student lives in a contiguous county and that school is closer than the one assigned to the student's zone.
• Section 3 adds new O.C.G.A. § 20-2-2096.9, requiring local school systems inside a completion special school's zone to either sign a collaborative agreement or run comparable programs themselves.
• Section 3 requires those local school systems to send a completion special school the name, address, and phone number of students who miss ten straight school days or withdraw, within ten school days, unless the student graduated or is transferring to another district.
• Section 4 makes the Act effective as soon as the Governor signs it or it becomes law without his signature.

1. 2026-05-05Effective Date 2026-05-05
2. 2026-05-05Act 392
3. 2026-05-05House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2026-04-06House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2026-03-20Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
6. 2026-03-20Senate Third Read (Senate)
7. 2026-03-19Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
8. 2026-03-18Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)

• Jan Jones (R, HD-047)Primary sponsor
• Jon Burns (R, HD-159)
• Matt Dubnik (R, HD-029)
• Rick Jasperse (R, HD-011)
• Chris Erwin (R, HD-032)
• Todd Jones (R, HD-025)
• Shawn Still (R, SD-048)

1. PassedHouse voteFebruary 11, 2026

   168 yea, 0 nay (1 not voting, 6 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #498

2. PassedSenate voteMarch 20, 2026

   46 yea, 0 nay (1 not voting, 7 absent)

   Passage: Senate Vote #771

• completion special schools
• dropout prevention
• credit recovery programs
• high school enrollment
• school district partnerships