SB 126: Completion Special Schools Act; certain students to be enrolled; lower the age of eligibility from 18 to 16

Georgia's Completion Special Schools Act sets up special schools aimed at helping students who left high school without graduating finish their education. Under current law, a student generally has to be at least 18 years old and meet the legal definition of a 'dropout' to enroll in one of these schools. This bill changes the age threshold in two places in the law: the definition of 'dropout' and the definition of 'enrollment eligible student.' Both would now apply to individuals 16 years of age or older, instead of 18. The bill does not change any other eligibility requirements, such as not currently being enrolled in a public school, or the separate eligibility category for students in Department of Defense Youth Challenge Academies or in custody of a correctional or detention facility. The change would take effect once the bill is enacted, and it repeals any conflicting laws.

• Lowers the minimum age to count as a 'dropout' under the Completion Special Schools Act (O.C.G.A. § 20-2-2096.1) from 18 to 16 years old.
• Lowers the minimum age for an 'enrollment eligible student' who can enroll in a completion special school from 18 to 16 years old.
• Leaves unchanged the other requirements for enrollment eligibility, including that the student is not currently enrolled in a public school in Georgia.
• Leaves unchanged the separate eligibility path for individuals attending a U.S. Department of Defense Youth Challenge Academy or in custody of a correctional or detention facility.

Sixteen and seventeen year olds in Georgia who have dropped out of high school, the completion special schools that enroll them, and local school systems that work with dropout recovery programs under the Completion Special Schools Act.

By dropping the enrollment age from 18 to 16, more teenagers who leave high school early would become eligible sooner for completion special schools designed to help them finish their education, rather than having to wait until they turn 18.

• Section 1 revises paragraph (5) of O.C.G.A. § 20-2-2096.1 so the definition of 'dropout' applies to individuals 16 years of age or older.
• Section 1 also revises paragraph (6)(A) so an 'enrollment eligible student' is an individual 16 years of age or older, down from 18, who meets the dropout definition and is not enrolled in a public school.
• Paragraph (6)(B), covering students in a Department of Defense Youth Challenge Academy or in custody of a correctional or detention facility, is left unchanged.
• Section 2 repeals any conflicting laws, a standard closing provision.

1. 2025-03-10House Second Readers (House)
2. 2025-03-06House First Readers (House)
3. 2025-03-04Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
4. 2025-03-04Senate Third Read (Senate)
5. 2025-02-20Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
6. 2025-02-19Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
7. 2025-02-10Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
8. 2025-02-06Senate Hopper (Senate)

• Clint Dixon (R, SD-45)Primary sponsor
• Billy Hickman (R, SD-4)
• Greg Dolezal (R, SD-27)
• Jason Anavitarte (R, SD-31)
• Chuck Payne (R, SD-54)
• Chuck Hufstetler (R, SD-52)
• Elena Parent (D, SD-44)

1. PassedSenate voteMarch 4, 2025

   50 yea, 1 nay (2 not voting, 3 excused)

   PASSAGE: Senate Vote #154

• education
• dropout recovery
• completion special schools
• school enrollment age