SB 179: Education; the academic and disciplinary records of each transferring student shall be provided within five days; require

Georgia currently encourages but does not require computer science instruction in schools. This bill changes that by requiring, beginning in the 2031-2032 school year, that students graduating in 2037 or later complete a computer science or computer-science-embedded CTAE course to graduate high school, without adding to total credit requirements. It also lets that course substitute for one unit of credit in math, science, CTAE, foreign language, fine arts, or electives under specific rules. The bill raises the per-student, per-semester tuition cap for the state's Georgia Virtual School from $250 to $350. It creates a new requirement that local school systems let representatives of "patriotic societies" like the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts speak with students during school hours, with a notice and approval process for superintendents. Finally, it expands the definition of "private school" to include online-only schools that otherwise meet private school requirements, even if they don't meet the standard instructional-hours rule.

• Requires all local boards of education to make computer science (or a qualifying CTAE course) a graduation requirement for the class of 2037 and beyond, starting in the 2031-2032 school year.
• Allows a qualifying computer science or CTAE course to substitute for one unit of credit in subjects like math, science, foreign language, fine arts, CTAE, or electives, under detailed limits.
• Increases the maximum tuition local school systems can be charged for a Georgia Virtual School course from $250 to $350 per student per semester.
• Creates a new law requiring local school systems to let representatives of youth patriotic societies, such as the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, speak with students during school hours, subject to a 30-day notice and approval process.
• Requires school superintendents to give written reasons if they deny a patriotic society's request to visit, unless they offer an alternate date.
• Expands the legal definition of a private school to include online-only schools that meet other private school requirements but do not offer the standard 180-day, in-person school schedule.

Public high school students and their families, local school boards and superintendents, teachers who deliver computer science instruction, the Georgia Virtual School program, youth patriotic organizations like the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, and online-only private schools seeking recognition under state law.

Students graduating from 2037 onward would need a computer science credit to earn a diploma, changing what schools must teach and how students plan their schedules years in advance. Families using Georgia Virtual School would pay up to $100 more per course, and schools would gain a new legal obligation to host patriotic youth groups.

• Section 1 revises O.C.G.A. § 20-2-149.3 to require a computer science or CTAE-embedded computer science course for graduation starting with the 2031-2032 school year, applying to students graduating in 2037 or later.
• Section 1 details how the course can substitute for one credit in math, science, CTAE, modern language, fine arts, or electives, with limits on how many credits can be offset.
• Section 2 amends O.C.G.A. § 20-2-319.1 to raise the maximum Georgia Virtual School tuition local school systems can be charged from $250 to $350 per student per semester course.
• Section 3 adds a new Code section, 20-2-324.10, requiring local school systems to allow patriotic societies like the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts to speak with students during school hours, following a notice and approval process with a 30-day advance request and a 7-day superintendent response window.
• Section 3 requires superintendents to give a written explanation if they deny a visit request without offering an alternative date, and states the section is void if any part is found invalid by a court.
• Section 4 amends O.C.G.A. § 20-2-690 so that online-only nonpublic schools can qualify as private schools even without meeting the standard 180-day, four-and-a-half-hour school day requirement, as long as other private school criteria are met.

1. 2026-05-12Effective Date 2026-07-01
2. 2026-05-12Act 625
3. 2026-05-12Senate Date Signed by Governor (Senate)
4. 2026-04-10Senate Sent to Governor (Senate)
5. 2026-03-23House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub (House)
6. 2026-03-09Senate Agreed House Amend or Sub As Amended (Senate)
7. 2025-04-04House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (House)
8. 2025-04-04House Third Readers (House)

• Clint Dixon (R, SD-045)Primary sponsor
• Steve Gooch (R, SD-051)
• Bill Cowsert (R, SD-046)
• John Kennedy (R, SD-018)
• Frank Ginn (R, SD-047)
• Russ Goodman (R, SD-008)
• Billy Hickman (R, SD-004)
• Randal Mangham (D, SD-055)
• Chuck Hufstetler (R, SD-052)
• Bethany Ballard (R, HD-147)

1. PassedSenate voteMarch 6, 2025

   54 yea, 1 nay (0 not voting, 1 absent)

   Passage By Substitute: Senate Vote #165

2. PassedHouse voteApril 4, 2025

   169 yea, 0 nay (4 not voting, 7 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #430

3. PassedSenate voteMarch 9, 2026

   48 yea, 3 nay (1 not voting, 3 absent)

   Agree To House Substitute As Amended: Senate Vote #693

4. PassedHouse voteMarch 23, 2026

   99 yea, 66 nay (5 not voting, 6 absent)

   Agree To Senate Amendment To House Sub: House Vote #741

• computer science education
• high school graduation requirements
• Georgia Virtual School
• school access for youth groups
• private school definition