HB 546: Quality Basic Education Act; require local school systems to offer certain exams to home study students

Under current Georgia law, local school systems are not required to let home study (homeschool) students take standardized tests such as the PSAT/NMSQT, SAT, PreACT, ACT, the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB), or advanced placement exams alongside enrolled students. This bill adds a new section to the Quality Basic Education Act requiring that if a local school system offers any of these tests to its own students, it must also offer them to home study students who would otherwise be enrolled there based on where they live. The bill defines a home study student as one in grades six through 12 in a home study program that meets existing legal requirements (O.C.G.A. § 20-2-690). School systems must apply the same rules and procedures to home study students, post test dates and registration information online, and cannot charge home study students extra fees or add requirements beyond what home study law already requires.

• Requires local school systems that offer the PSAT/NMSQT, SAT, PreACT, ACT, ASVAB, or AP exams to enrolled students to also make those tests available to eligible home study students.
• Requires school systems to apply the same testing rules, policies, and procedures to home study students as apply to enrolled students.
• Requires school systems to post online notices listing test dates, registration deadlines and procedures, and confirmation that home study students may participate.
• Bars school systems from charging home study students fees not charged to enrolled students.
• Bars school systems from imposing extra requirements on home study students beyond what current home study law already requires.

Home study (homeschool) students in grades six through 12, their families, and local school systems and school boards across Georgia that administer standardized tests like the SAT, ACT, PSAT/NMSQT, ASVAB, or AP exams to enrolled students.

Home study students who currently may struggle to access certain standardized tests through their local public school would gain a guaranteed right to take them under the same terms as enrolled students, without extra fees or conditions, potentially affecting their college or military entrance prospects.

• Section 1 adds new Code Section 20-2-324.8 to the Quality Basic Education Act, defining a home study student as one in grades six through 12 enrolled in a qualifying home study program under O.C.G.A. § 20-2-690(c).
• Subsection (b) requires school systems offering the listed tests to make them available to home study students under the same rules as enrolled students, either on the same date or another date chosen by the school system.
• Subsection (b)(2) requires public website notices listing test dates, registration deadlines and procedures, and availability to home study students.
• Subsection (c) prohibits school systems from charging home study students fees not charged to enrolled students or imposing additional requirements beyond existing home study law.
• Section 2 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2025-02-24House Second Readers (House)
2. 2025-02-21House First Readers (House)
3. 2025-02-20House Hopper (House)

• Noelle Kahaian (R, HD-081)Primary sponsor
• Charlice Byrd (R, HD-020)
• Emory Dunahoo (R, HD-031)
• Mitchell Scoggins (R, HD-014)
• Matthew Gambill (R, HD-015)
• Sandy Donatucci (R, HD-105)

• homeschooling
• standardized testing
• education policy
• SAT and ACT access
• Quality Basic Education Act