HB971: HB971 Quality Basic Education Act; home study students and private school students to enroll in college and career academies located in certain RESA service areas and adjacent local school systems; provide

26 LC 49 2473 House Bill 971 By: Representatives Townsend of the 179th, Jones of the 25th, DeLoach of the 167th, Smith of the 70th, Horner of the 3rd, and others A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT To amend Part 14 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the O fficial Code of Georgia1 Annotated, relating to other education programs under the "Quality Basic Education Act,"2 so as to provide for home study students and private school students to enroll in college and3 career academies located in certain RESA service areas and adjacent local school systems;4 to revise what courses are available to such students; to revise a definition; to provide for an5 effective date and applicability; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and6 for other purposes.7 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:8 SECTION 1.9 Part 14 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official C ode of Georgia Annotated,10 relating to other education programs under the "Quality Basic Education Act," is amended11 by revising Code Section 20-2-319.5, relating to enrolling home study and private school12 students in college and career courses, as follows:13 "20-2-319.5.14 (a) As used in this Code section, the term:15 H. B. 971 - 1 - 26 LC 49 2473 (1) 'College and career academy' has the same meaning as set f orth in Code Section16 20-4-37.17 (2) 'Course' means a an eligible CTAE course, as such term is set forth in Code Section18 20-2-161.3, offered by a college and career academy to public school students enrolled19 in such college and career academy.20 (3) 'Home study student' means a student in a home study progr am which meets the21 requirements of subsection (c) of Code Section 20-2-690.22 (4) 'Private school student' means a student in a private scho ol which meets the23 requirements of subsection (b) of Code Section 20-2-690.24 (5) 'Resident school system' means the local school system in which a home study25 student or a private school student would be enrolled by virtue of his or her residence.26 (b) Local school systems are authorized to enroll home study students and private school27 students in one or more courses at a college and career academy which is geographically28 located within the student's resident school system, the same regional educational service29 agency (RESA) service area as the student's residence, or a loc al school system that is30 adjacent to the student's resident school system irrespective of whether such adjacent local31 school system is in the same RESA service area as the student's residence, so long as space32 is available in such course or courses.33 (c) The State Board of Education shall promulgate rules and regulations to effectuate the34 provisions of this Code section, which may include, but not limited to:35 (1) Forms for use by local school systems to enroll a home stu dy student or a private36 school student;37 (2) Timelines for enrolling and withdrawing from a course;38 (3) Procedures for reporting academic progress and grades to t he student's parent or39 guardian and the student's home study program or private school;40 (4) Procedures for handling disciplinary issues that arise relating to home study students41 and private school students while attending the courses;42 H. B. 971 - 2 - 26 LC 49 2473 (5) Procedures for reporting disciplinary issues to the student's parent or guardian; and43 (6) Any other procedures or requirements deemed necessary by the state board.44 (d) Home study students and private school students enrolled i n courses in college and45 career academies pursuant to this Code section shall meet all of the same requirements for46 enrollment and participation in a course; shall be subject to all rules, including the school's47 code of conduct; and shall be subject to any fees for a course which are applicable to the48 public school students enrolled in the college and career academy.49 (e) Home study students and private school students shall be responsible for transportation50 to and from the college and career academy.51 (f) A local board of education shall earn FTE funds for each h ome study student and52 private school student enrolled in one or more courses pursuant to this Code section at a53 college and career academy that has a charter with such local b oard of education. Such54 funds shall be earned in accordance with Code Section 20-2-160 for any one-sixth segment55 of the day or its block scheduling equivalent that each such st udent attends in a manner56 similar to nonresident students, or in accordance with State Board of Education guidelines57 established for such purpose. A local board of education shall not charge home study58 students or private school students tuition to enroll in a cour se pursuant to this Code59 section."60 SECTION 2.61 This Act shall become effective on July 1, 2026, and shall apply to all school years beginning62 with the 2026-2027 school year.63 SECTION 3.64 All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.65 H. B. 971 - 3 -