HB 907: 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

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Discussed in meetings (12)

The House and Senate meetings that took this bill up, from their machine transcripts. Each account was written by Georgia Commons with AI and is not part of the record; the video is what was said.

1. House Education Committee, January 29, 2026

   From 1:29:33 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The chair announced that the Policy and Innovation Subcommittee would take up HB 907 at Monday’s meeting. The committee did not discuss the bill’s contents or vote on it.

2. House Education Committee, February 5, 2026

   From 1:43:32 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor presented a substitute for HB 907 updating completion schools, which the sponsor described as flexible programs for students at risk of leaving school or unable to succeed in their usual school setting. The sponsor outlined four changes: twice-yearly distribution and prominent posting of program and enrollment information; direct registration by parents, followed by coordination with the student's home school; continued service by existing completion schools to districts without a regional program; and sharing information about chronically absent or withdrawn students so completion schools could contact families. The sponsor said continued cross-region service would avoid a 2028 cutoff where a regional school had not opened. The sponsor reported that Albany was operating, Columbus would open the next school year, Macon was forming, and Metro Atlanta had not formed a regional program. The chair cited $1.7 million in the amended budget for Columbus. Asked whether instruction relied on computers, the sponsor described a combination of approaches. The chair said schools employed certified teachers and provided in-person instruction, with some online learning. The sponsor said students could be served through age 22 and adults could enroll directly. The committee approved the substitute by voice vote, with no opposition heard.

3. House Rules Committee, February 10, 2026

   From 0:30:10 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the 2026 House Journal, p. 523

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The speaker pro tempore requested a substitute for HB 907 to allow an existing completion school to serve a region without one. The speaker pro tempore said the earlier wording required a school to already be providing those services, preventing Foothills, based in the Athens region, from expanding into Rockdale to serve students at risk of dropping out. The committee adopted the substitute without stated opposition. Later, the committee placed the substituted measure on the next day's calendar without stated opposition.

4. House floor session, February 11, 2026 (legislative day 17)

   From 1:42:15 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the 2026 House Journal, p. 527

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said HB 907 improves access to public completion schools for students who are behind or at risk of dropping out. The sponsor described four changes: twice-yearly electronic notices and information in schools; direct registration at completion schools without returning to a former school; partnerships across regional boundaries; and sharing information about chronically absent students and dropouts so completion schools can contact families. The sponsor said cross-region partnerships would help Rockdale County work with Foothills and that students may attend until age 22. Asked about student privacy, the sponsor said information would go to an affiliated public school under an established partnership with privacy protections. Other members praised completion schools for helping students graduate, and one linked educational access to public safety. The House withdrew the Education Committee substitute, adopted the Rules Committee substitute without objection and passed the bill, 170 to 0.

5. Senate Education and Youth Committee, March 17, 2026

   From 0:26:37 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The presenter said the bill would improve access to completion schools for students ages 16 to 22 who had dropped out or were at risk of doing so. The presenter estimated that about 60 locations were operating and said expansion was expected to serve every area except core metro Atlanta by the end of the 2027-28 school year. The presenter said schools with access to a completion school would have to notify parents twice yearly, electronically and through information posted at school, and make clear that students could choose that option. Districts without access could participate in an adjoining region. The presenter also said schools would have to share information about chronically absent students and dropouts so completion schools could contact them and arrange enrollment without requiring a return visit to the original school. The presenter described these changes as addressing limited awareness and barriers to enrollment. No substantive questions or opposition were voiced. The committee unanimously approved the substitute version presented.

6. Senate Rules Committee, March 19, 2026

   From 0:15:50 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor described completion schools as high school dropout recovery programs and said the bill would close gaps in access. The sponsor said parents could enroll students directly without going through their home schools, families would receive information twice yearly, and existing completion schools could serve systems without an operating program in their region. The sponsor said programs would be available statewide outside the core metro area by 2027. The chair agreed to schedule the measure, and the committee later unanimously included it in the floor calendar.

7. Senate floor session, March 20, 2026 (legislative day 35)

   From 4:01:20 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the bill's status history (Senate Third Read)

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said HB 907 would require completion schools to share available programs, classes and registration instructions with associated school systems. The sponsor said systems would have to provide that information on campus and electronically to families, and parents could register students directly for one or more classes. The sponsor argued the measure would support credit recovery, academic intervention and dropout prevention. The clerk also described requirements concerning school-system participation or alternative services and contact information for students who stopped attending or withdrew. Another senator praised the House sponsor's education work, then used the floor time to object to the earlier hotel bill and the ending of debate on it. No opposition to the education measure was expressed. The Senate passed it 46-0.

• Read aloud: House floor session, January 12, 2026 (legislative day 1), 1:10:58
• Read aloud: House floor session, February 6, 2026 (legislative day 14), 0:54:02
• Read aloud: Senate floor session, February 12, 2026 (legislative day 18), 0:24:47
• Read aloud: Senate floor session, March 18, 2026 (legislative day 33), 0:29:54
• Read aloud: Senate floor session, March 19, 2026 (legislative day 34), 0:43:54

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