House Bill 918
By: Representatives Hilton of the 48th and Jones of the 25th
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Part 13 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia
Annotated, relating to organization of schools and systems under the "Quality Basic
Education Act," so as to permit private school students, home study students, and nonresident
public school students to enroll as part-time students in any public school in this state, subject
only to enrolling school capacity and academic and grade level prerequisites; to provide for
schools enrolling such students to receive state funds; to prohibit tuition; to provide for
policies, rules, and regulations; to provide for definitions; to provide for related matters; to
repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Part 13 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,
relating to organization of schools and systems under the "Quality Basic Education Act," is
amended by adding a new Code section to read as follows:
<ins>"20-2-297.
(a) As used in this Code section, the term:
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<ins>(1) 'Home study student' means a student in a home study program which meets the
requirements of subsection (c) of Code Section 20-2-690.
(2) 'Parent' means a parent, legal guardian, custodian, or other person with legal authority
to act on behalf of a student.
(3) 'Part-time student' means a student enrolling in a public school on a less than full time
basis.
(4) 'Private school student' means a student in a private school which meets the
requirements of subsection (b) of Code Section 20-2-690.
(5) 'Resident school' means the school in which a student is or would be enrolled based
on his or her residence.
(b) A parent of a home study student or a private school student shall be permitted to
enroll such student in any public school in this state on a part-time basis to attend academic
courses offered by such public school.
(c) A student enrolled in a public school in this state shall be permitted to enroll in any
other public school in this state on a part-time basis to access courses and other academic
and school based services and programs currently unavailable to such student at his or her
resident school.
(d)(1) A local school system shall earn state funds for each home study student, private
school student, or nonresident public school student enrolled in one or more courses
pursuant to this Code section. Such funds shall be earned in accordance with Code
Section 20-2-160 for any one-sixth segment of the day or its block scheduling equivalent
that each such part-time student attends, or in accordance with State Board of Education
guidelines established for such purpose.
(2) A local board of education shall not charge part-time students enrolled as provided
for in this Code section.
(e) Each local board of education shall adopt such policies, rules, and regulations
necessary to implement and consistent with the purpose and intent of this Code section.
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<ins>The only enrollment criteria that may be applied to restrict the enrollment of part-time
students as provided for in this Code section shall be academic or grade level prerequisites
and enrollment capacity at the enrolling school."
</ins> SECTION 2.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.