SB 369: "Charter Schools Act of 1998"; completion charter schools; provide

Georgia already lets home study students try out for sports and activities at their local public school under the 'Dexter Mosely Act.' This bill extends that same option to students enrolled full time in certain online-only public schools, called qualifying virtual schools, starting with the 2027-2028 school year, as long as they meet grade, conduct and residency rules similar to those for home study students. The bill also directs the State Board of Education to write rules by July 1, 2027 for nontraditional programs like credit recovery and flexible scheduling, and to create a new category of charter school, called a dropout recovery charter school, for grades six through 12 with its own performance standards. It revises the charter school incentive grant program (capping it at $2.25 million a year), updates duties of the Office of Charter School Compliance, requires school districts to weigh long-term costs when buying technology devices and report on device repairs starting in 2027, and shortens how long a closed state charter school's nonprofit must keep student records, from one year to 180 days. The law would take effect July 1, 2026.

• Requires the State Board of Education to adopt rules by July 1, 2027 governing nontraditional education programs such as credit recovery and flexible scheduling.
• Extends the Dexter Mosely Act so that full-time students at qualifying virtual (online-only) public schools can try out for their resident school's sports and activities starting in the 2027-2028 school year.
• Requires local school boards to weigh long-term cost, repair costs, and resale value when buying school technology devices, and to report device data to the state starting in 2027.
• Creates a new 'dropout recovery charter school' category for grades six through 12 that combines special education, remedial education, and nontraditional programs, with its own performance standards.
• Caps the charter school incentive grant program at $2.25 million per year and extends grant payments to the first three years of a new charter school's operation.
• Shortens the time a closed state charter school's nonprofit must retain student records before transferring them to the state, from one year to 180 days.

Public school students and families, especially those in home study or virtual school programs, local school boards, the State Board of Education, the State Charter Schools Commission and its Office of Charter School Compliance, existing and prospective charter school operators, and district technology purchasing staff.

Students who take classes entirely online would gain a path to play sports or join clubs at their neighborhood school, something currently limited mostly to home study students. Districts would also face new charter school options and grant rules, and new reporting requirements meant to track technology spending and repair costs.

• Section 1 adds O.C.G.A. § 20-2-154.4, requiring the State Board of Education to set rules for nontraditional education programs by July 1, 2027 and requiring annual state reporting on their performance.
• Section 2 revises the Dexter Mosely Act (O.C.G.A. § 20-2-319.6) to add 'qualifying virtual school' and 'virtual school student' definitions and let such students join resident-school extracurricular activities beginning in the 2027-2028 school year, under conditions similar to home study students.
• Section 3 adds O.C.G.A. § 20-2-1018, requiring districts to consider total cost of ownership when buying school technology devices and to report device counts, repair rates, and repair costs to the Department of Education starting in 2027.
• Sections 4 and 5 create the 'dropout recovery charter school' category for grades six through twelve and direct the State Board of Education to set petition and conversion rules for such schools.
• Section 6 requires the State Board and State Charter Schools Commission to establish separate performance principles and standards for dropout recovery charter schools and to report on them annually.
• Section 7 revises the charter school incentive grant program (O.C.G.A. § 20-2-2064.2), paying $250,000 for each of a new charter school's first three years of operation, capped at $2.25 million total per fiscal year, and shifts administration from the State Board in collaboration with the Office of Charter School Compliance.
• Section 9 expands duties of the Office of Charter School Compliance, including administering charter school grant programs and publishing standardized evaluation guidance for local boards.
• Section 12 shortens the record retention period for closed state charter schools from one year to 180 days before records must transfer to the State Charter Schools Commission.

1. 2026-05-11Effective Date 2026-07-01
2. 2026-05-11Act 504
3. 2026-05-11Senate Date Signed by Governor (Senate)
4. 2026-04-10Senate Sent to Governor (Senate)
5. 2026-03-31Senate Agreed House Amend or Sub (Senate)
6. 2026-03-27House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (House)
7. 2026-03-27House Third Readers (House)
8. 2026-03-20House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)

• Shawn Still (R, SD-048)Primary sponsor
• Jason Esteves (D, SD-035)
• RaShaun Kemp (D, SD-038)
• Matt Brass (R, SD-006)
• Jan Jones (R, HD-047)

1. PassedSenate voteFebruary 17, 2026

   47 yea, 0 nay (4 not voting, 3 absent)

   Passage By Substitute: Senate Vote #551

2. PassedHouse voteMarch 27, 2026

   151 yea, 6 nay (4 not voting, 15 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #784

3. PassedSenate voteMarch 31, 2026

   49 yea, 0 nay (2 not voting, 3 absent)

   Agree To House Substitute: Senate Vote #920

• charter schools
• virtual schools
• school sports eligibility
• education funding
• school technology