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

26 LC 49 2636S/AP House Bill 907 (AS PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE) By: Representatives Jones of the 47th, Burns of the 159th, Dubnik of the 29th, Jasperse of the 11th, Erwin of the 32nd, and others A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT To amend Article 31C of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,1 the "Completion Special Schools Act," so as to require certain local school systems to either2 be a party to a collaborative operating agreement with a completion special school or provide3 certain education programs and services to students in grades n ine through 12; to require4 completion special schools to provide certain information to resident school systems twice5 each year and for the resident school systems to provide such i nformation to students in6 grades nine through 12 and their parents and guardians; to provide for direct registration of7 program students in completion special schools by parents and g uardians; to require8 completion special schools and resident school systems to coordinate enrollment of program9 students; to revise provisions by which completion special schools may operate one or more10 programs outside the attendance zone assigned to such completion special school; to provide11 for transition period; to require local school systems to provide to completion special schools12 the contact information for students who stop attending or withdraw from the local school13 system, subject to conditions and exceptions; to provide for an effective date; to provide for14 related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.15 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:16 H. B. 907 - 1 - 26 LC 49 2636S/AP SECTION 1.17 Article 31C of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Ge orgia Annotated, the18 "Completion Special Schools Act," is amended by revising Code S ection 20-2-2096.3,19 relating to requirements of completion special schools, student enrollment, and waivers or20 variances, as follows:21 "20-2-2096.3.22 (a) Each completion special school shall be a public school and shall:23 (1) Provide education programs and services to students in gra des nine through 12,24 including, but not limited to:25 (A) Nontraditional education programs and services for student s who are eligible to26 attend a traditional public school but are more likely to succe ed in a nontraditional27 setting such as that provided in such completion special school;28 (B) Dropout prevention and academic intervention programs;29 (C) Programs for high school credit recovery; and30 (D) Opportunities for students to schedule classes on weekdays , evenings, and31 weekends;32 (2) Operate under the supervision and direction of a governing board as provided for in33 Code Section 20-2-2096.4;34 (3) Be treated as a single local education agency for administrative purposes, including35 data reporting, student enrollment counting procedures, student achievement reporting,36 funding allocations, and related purposes as defined by the state board and consistent with37 department rules and regulations; and38 (4) Be the subject of a school report card prepared and distri buted by the Office of39 Student Achievement as provided in Code Section 20-14-34.40 (b) Only enrollment eligible students shall be enrolled in a completion special school.41 (c)(1) Students in grades nine through 12 who are enrolled in a school in their resident42 school system shall be permitted to attend one or more classes in a completion special43 H. B. 907 - 2 - 26 LC 49 2636S/AP school's credit recovery, dropout prevention, or academic inter vention program on a44 part-time basis as program students, subject to the following conditions:45 (1)(A) The completion special school has available classroom space;46 (2)(B) Such student shall not be included in the count provided for in Code Section47 20-2-161 of the completion special school;48 (3)(C) Such student remains enrolled in his or her resident school system; and49 (4)(D) Such student's resident school system is party to a current c ollaborative50 operating agreement with such completion special school which shall include, but shall51 not be limited to, provisions for the following:52 (A)(i) Funding to be provided by the resident school system to the completion special53 school for program students who attend such school as provided in this subsection,54 which funding shall be no less than what is required in subsection (b) of Code Section55 20-2-2096.6;56 (B)(ii) The number and qualifications of student liaisons to be emplo yed by the57 resident school system to provide academic support and monitori ng for program58 students who attend such school as provided in this subsection and the relevant terms59 and conditions for how such liaisons will provide such support and monitoring; and60 (iii)(I) By June 1 and December 1 each year, the completion sp ecial school shall61 provide the resident school system with an updated description of programs62 available for program students and detailed instructions and gu idance for the63 registration of students in grades nine through 12 to attend one or more classes at64 such completion special school's credit recovery, dropout prevention, or academic65 intervention program as a program student.66 (II) Within seven calendar days of receiving the information p rovided for in67 subdivision (I) of this division, the resident school system sh all post such68 information in a prominent location frequented by students at each high school in69 H. B. 907 - 3 - 26 LC 49 2636S/AP the resident school system and shall electronically provide such information to all70 students in grades nine through 12 and their parents or guardians; and71 (C)(iv) Such other requirements as may be established by the state board consistent72 with this article.73 (2) The parent or guardian of a student in grades nine through 12 who is enrolled or74 eligible to be enrolled in a school in his or her resident school system shall be permitted75 to register such student directly with a completion special school to attend one or more76 classes at such completion special school's credit recovery, dr opout prevention, or77 academic intervention program as a program student, subject to the provisions of78 paragraph (1) of this subsection; provided, however, that, if such student is not currently79 enrolled in a school in his or her resident school system, the completion special school80 and the resident school system shall work in coordination and w ithout delay to enroll81 such student in the resident school system.82 (d) The state board shall be authorized to approve a request by a completion special school83 for a waiver or variance of specifically identified state rules , regulations, policies, and84 procedures or provisions of this chapter. The goal for each waiver and variance shall be85 improvement of student performance. The state board shall not be authorized to waive or86 approve variances on any federal, state, and local rules, regul ations, court orders, and87 statutes relating to civil rights; insurance; the protection of the physical health and safety88 of school students, employees, and visitors; conflicting interest transactions; the prevention89 of unlawful conduct; any laws relating to unlawful conduct in or near a public school; the90 early intervention program provided for in Code Section 20-2-15 3; any reporting91 requirements pursuant to Code Section 20-2-320 or Chapter 14 of this title; the92 requirements of Code Section 20-2-210; the requirements of Code Section 20-2-211.1; or93 the requirements in subsection (c) of Code Section 20-2-327. A local school system that94 has received a waiver or variance shall remain subject to the p rovisions of Part 3 of95 Article 2 of Chapter 14 of this title, the requirement that it shall not charge tuition or fees96 H. B. 907 - 4 - 26 LC 49 2636S/AP to its students except as may be authorized for local boards by Code Section 20-2-133, and97 shall remain open to enrollment in the same manner as before the waiver request."98 SECTION 2.99 Said article is further amended by revising subsection (b) of Code Section 20-2-2096.7,100 relating to attendance zones, payments, and use of funds, as follows:101 "(b)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, only one completion102 special school may operate in each attendance zone provided for in subsection (a) of this103 Code section.104 (2)(A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B) or (C) of this p aragraph, upon being105 established as a completion special school, if such school is c urrently operating an106 existing completion special school may operate one or more programs outside the107 attendance zone assigned to such school by the state board then , and the state board108 shall be authorized to permit such school to continue to operat e such program or109 programs until the earlier of June 30, 2028, or the establishment of a new completion110 special school that is assigned to the attendance zone where such program or programs111 are operating and, in such cases, the state board shall provide for a reasonable transition112 period for students of the existing completion special school.113 (B) The state board shall be authorized to permit one or more completion special114 schools to operate one or more programs outside the attendance zone assigned to such115 school; provided, however, that such permitted program exclusively provides education116 programs and services for students in grades nine through 12 to individuals who are117 attending a United States Department of Defense Youth Challenge Academy or who118 are in the custody of a correctional facility, detention facili ty, jail, prison, or other119 lawful place of confinement; and provided, further, that the st ate board shall be120 authorized to designate which completion special school is authorized to provide such121 program or programs.122 H. B. 907 - 5 - 26 LC 49 2636S/AP (C) The state board shall be authorized to permit an enrollmen t eligible student to123 attend a completion special school outside of his or her attendance zone, provided that124 such student resides in a county that is contiguous to but outside of the attendance zone125 of such school; and provided, further, that such school is located closer to such student's126 residence than the completion special school with the attendanc e zone where such127 student's residence is located."128 SECTION 3.129 Said article is further amended by adding a new Code section to read as follows:130 "20-2-2096.9.131 (a) Each local school system with all or part of its territory within the attendance zone of132 one or more operating completion special schools shall:133 (1) Be a party to a collaborative operating agreement with at least one such operating134 completion special school; or135 (2) Provide education programs and services to students in gra des nine through 12,136 including, but not limited to:137 (A) Dropout prevention and academic intervention programs;138 (B) Programs for high school credit recovery; and139 (C) Opportunities for students to schedule classes on weekdays , evenings, and140 weekends.141 (b)(1) Each local school system with all or part of its territory within the attendance zone142 of one or more operating completion special schools shall provide to each such operating143 completion special school the full name and last known address and telephone number144 for each student in grades nine through 12 who:145 (A) Does not attend the public school in which he or she is enrolled for a period of ten146 consecutive school days; or147 (B) Withdraws from school pursuant to Code Section 20-2-690.1.148 H. B. 907 - 6 - 26 LC 49 2636S/AP (2) The information required in paragraph (1) of this subsecti on shall be provided by149 each such local school system to each such operating completion special school no later150 than ten school days after either condition provided for in sub paragraph (A) or (B) of151 paragraph (1) of this subsection is met.152 (3) Paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection shall not apply to any student:153 (A) Who has successfully completed all requirements for a high school diploma or a154 state approved high school equivalency (HSE) diploma; or155 (B) Whose parent or guardian has provided such local school sy stem within the156 preceding 45 school days a notice of intent to enroll such student in another local school157 system."158 SECTION 4.159 This Act shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its becoming law160 without such approval.161 SECTION 5.162 All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.163 H. B. 907 - 7 -