HB 294: Quality Basic Education Act; require State Board of Education to review and update policies, guidelines, and processes for awarding units of high school credit to students based on a demonstration of subject area competency

Georgia law already lets students earn high school credit by demonstrating mastery of a subject, such as through advanced placement exams, instead of just completing a course. This bill updates that law (O.C.G.A. § 20-2-159.4) by requiring the State Board of Education, by August 1, 2025, to review and update its policies and guidelines for awarding this kind of credit, rather than simply adopting them once as under current law. The bill adds international baccalaureate exams taken as part of an IB diploma program to the list of assessments students can use to show subject mastery. It also blocks the State School Superintendent from denying, delaying, or otherwise interfering with any performance based assessment the state board has already approved. Local school systems and other public school governing bodies must follow the state board's policies and cannot adopt local rules that undercut them. The updated rules apply starting with the 2025-2026 school year, and the law takes effect July 1, 2025.

• Requires the State Board of Education to review and update, rather than just adopt once, its policies for awarding high school credit based on subject mastery, by August 1, 2025.
• Adds international baccalaureate exams taken during an IB diploma program to the list of assessments students can use to demonstrate subject competency.
• Prohibits the State School Superintendent from denying, delaying, or interfering with any performance based assessment the state board has already identified and approved.
• Changes the school year when updated credit policies take effect from 2013-2014 to 2025-2026.
• Extends the rule against local governing bodies undercutting state credit policies to all public school governing bodies, not just charter schools.
• Clarifies that the law does not require any school to offer AP or IB courses just because those exams count toward credit.

Public school students seeking credit through exams or mastery demonstrations, the State Board of Education, the State School Superintendent, local school boards and other public school governing bodies, and students enrolled in international baccalaureate diploma programs across Georgia.

Students who take IB exams would gain a clearer path to earning high school credit without retaking a full course, and once the state board approves an assessment method, the State Superintendent could no longer hold up or block its use, changing how quickly new credit options reach classrooms.

• Section 1 requires the state board, in consultation with the Board of Regents and the Technical College System, to review and update credit policies by August 1, 2025.
• Subsection (c)(6) adds international baccalaureate exams taken with an IB diploma program to the list of qualifying assessments.
• New subsection (e) bars the State School Superintendent from denying, delaying, or interfering with any performance based assessment the state board has approved.
• Subsection (f) requires local school systems and other public school governing bodies to follow the state board's policies and bars them from adopting rules that impede compliance.
• New subsection (g) clarifies schools are not required to offer AP or IB courses simply because this Code section counts their exams toward credit.
• Section 2 sets the effective date as July 1, 2025, with updated credit policies applying starting the 2025-2026 school year.

1. 2025-02-10House Second Readers (House)
2. 2025-02-06House First Readers (House)
3. 2025-02-05House Hopper (House)

• Tanya Miller (D, HD-062)Primary sponsor
• Lydia Glaize (D, HD-067)
• Doreen Carter (D, HD-093)
• Mekyah McQueen (D, HD-061)
• Bryce Berry (D, HD-056)
• Inga Willis (D, HD-055)

• high school credit
• Quality Basic Education Act
• State Board of Education
• international baccalaureate
• education policy