HB1064: HB1064 Education; standardized college admissions tests to include Classic Learning Test (CLT); revise provisions

26 LC 61 0341 House Bill 1064 By: Representatives Rice of the 139th, Gambill of the 15th, Martin of the 49th, Barrett of the 24th, Townsend of the 179th, and others A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT To amend Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to education, so as to1 revise provisions relating to standardized college admissions t ests, to include the Classic2 Learning Test (CLT) among tests such as the SAT and ACT; to provide for related matters;3 to provide for an effective date and applicability; to repeal c onflicting laws; and for other4 purposes.5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:6 SECTION 1.7 Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to education, is amended by8 revising subsection (a) of Code Section 20-2-84, relating to accountability, flexibility, and9 consequences of components of contract, as follows:10 "(a) The accountability component of the contract provided in Code Section 20-2-83 shall11 include at least one of the student achievement measures in paragraphs (1) through (4) of12 this subsection, including both total scores and any needed targeted subgroups:13 (1) High school graduation rates;14 (2) SAT, or ACT, or CLT performance;15 H. B. 1064 - 1 - 26 LC 61 0341 (3) State standardized test data, which may include end-of-gra de assessments,16 end-of-course assessments, or a combination thereof;17 (4) Advanced placement or international baccalaureate participation and performance;18 and19 (5) Any other accountability measures included pursuant to Part 3 of Article 2 of Chapter20 14 of this title."21 SECTION 2.22 Said title is further amended in Code Section 20-2-132, relatin g to primary goals of the23 "Quality Basic Education Act," by revising paragraph (5) as follows:24 "(5) A significant increase in the test scores of Georgia students who take the Scholastic25 Assessment Test (SAT) or the ACT Assessment (ACT) SAT, ACT, or CLT;"26 SECTION 3.27 Said title is further amended by revising Code Section 20-2-146 , relating to Scholastic28 Assessment Test preparatory course and acceptance as elective credit, as follows:29 "20-2-146.30 (a) All schools with grade ten or above may make available to eligible students a31 Scholastic Assessment Test preparatory course for the SAT, ACT, or CLT. Such course32 of study shall be designed to offer an opportunity for review a nd practice to students33 preparing to take the Scholastic Assessment Test such tests. The course may be offered34 periodically in the manner prescribed by the local board.35 (b) Each local board of education shall be authorized to supplement and develop the exact36 approach of content areas of such Scholastic Assessment Test preparatory course with such37 specific curriculum standards as it may deem appropriate.38 H. B. 1064 - 2 - 26 LC 61 0341 (c) For the purposes of earning Carnegie unit curriculum credits at the high school level,39 completion of the Scholastic Assessment Test such preparatory course may be accepted by40 the State Board of Education for one-half unit of elective credit."41 SECTION 4.42 Said title is further amended by revising paragraph (9) of subs ection (b) of Code Section43 20-2-161.3, the "Dual Enrollment Act," as follows:44 "(9) 'Eligible high school student' means a student who is:45 (A) Entering or enrolled in eleventh or twelfth grade at an eligible high school taking46 any eligible dual credit course at any eligible postsecondary institution; or47 (B) Entering or enrolled in tenth grade at an eligible high school when such student:48 (i) Is enrolled in an eligible CTAE course at an institution w ithin the Technical49 College System of Georgia;50 (ii) Has obtained prior to the beginning of the term of dual e nrollment coursework51 an SAT, or ACT, or CLT test score that would meet the assessment requirements of52 a Zell Miller Scholar pursuant to division (27)(A)(i) of Code S ection 20-3-519 and53 is taking eligible core courses at any eligible postsecondary institution; or54 (iii) Was enrolled as a ninth grader in one or more dual credit courses at an eligible55 postsecondary institution for which payment was made under this part on or before56 June 30, 2020."57 SECTION 5.58 Said title is further amended by revising paragraph (3) of subs ection (b) of Code Section59 20-2-171, relating to minimum direct classroom expenditures, wa ivers, sanctions for60 noncompliance, submission of budget and expenditure information , and rules and61 regulations, as follows:62 H. B. 1064 - 3 - 26 LC 61 0341 "(3) A local school system that has direct classroom expenditures that are less than 6563 percent of its total operating expenditures and that is unable to meet the expenditure64 requirements in paragraph (2) of this subsection may apply to t he State Board of65 Education for a one-year renewable achievement waiver. The wai ver request must66 include evidence that the local school system is exceeding the state averages in academic67 categories designated by the board, which may include, but not be limited to,68 end-of-grade assessments, end-of-course assessments, and the SAT, ACT, or CLT, a plan69 for obtaining compliance with this Code section, and any other information required at70 the discretion of the board; and"71 SECTION 6.72 Said title is further amended by revising Code Section 20-2-324.9, relating to availability of73 standardized testing to home study students, as follows:74 "20-2-324.975 (a) As used in this Code section, the term 'home study student' means a student in grades76 six through 12 who is in a home study program that meets the re quirements of77 subsection (c) of Code Section 20-2-690.78 (b) Each local school system that offers the PSAT/NMSQT, SAT, PreACT, ACT, CLT,79 CLT10, or Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery or an advanced placement exam80 to students enrolled in such local school system shall:81 (1) Make each such test or exam available to any home study student who resides in the82 local school system; and83 (2) Post on its public website notice of the date that each su ch test or exam will be84 administered. Such notice shall include registration dates and procedures and shall state85 that such test or exam is available for home study students who reside in the local school86 system.87 H. B. 1064 - 4 - 26 LC 61 0341 (c) No local school system that offers the PSAT/NMSQT, SAT, Pr eACT, ACT, CLT,88 CLT10, or Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery or an advanced placement exam89 to students enrolled in such local school system shall require home study students to pay90 a fee not required of students enrolled in such local school sy stem or impose any91 requirement that conflicts with or is in addition to the requir ements of subsection (c) of92 Code Section 20-2-690."93 SECTION 7.94 Said title is further amended by revising paragraph (27) of Code Section 20-3-519, relating95 to definitions relative to HOPE Scholarships and Grants, as follows:96 "(27) 'Zell Miller Scholarship Scholar' means a student who has m et the applicable97 eligibility requirements to receive a HOPE scholarship in accordance with Code Section98 20-3-519.2 and:99 (A) As an incoming freshman:100 (i) Having graduated from an eligible high school with a grade point average of at101 least 3.7 calculated in accordance with Code Section 20-2-157 and having received102 a score of at least 1,200 on the combined critical reading and math portions on a103 single administration of the SAT administered prior to March 1, 2016, or on the total104 score on a single administration of the SAT administered on or after March 1, 2016,105 or an equivalent ACT composite scale score, or an equivalent CLT score which shall106 be determined by the Georgia Student Finance Commission by January 1 of each year107 using nationally recognized standards, such as the College Board and ACT or CLT108 concordance tables;109 (ii) Having graduated from an eligible high school as a valedictorian or salutatorian;110 (iii) Having completed a home study program meeting the requir ements of111 subsection (c) of Code Section 20-2-690 or having graduated fro m a high school112 which is not an eligible high school, having received a score i n the ninety-third113 H. B. 1064 - 5 - 26 LC 61 0341 percentile or higher on the ACT, on the combined critical reading and math portions114 on a single administration of the SAT administered prior to March 1, 2016, or on the115 total score on a single administration of the SAT administered on or after March 1,116 2016, or on the CLT; or117 (iv) Having completed a home study program meeting the require ments of118 subsection (c) of Code Section 20-2-690 or having graduated fro m a high school119 which is not an eligible high school, having received a score of at least 1,200 on the120 combined critical reading and math portions on a single adminis tration of the SAT121 administered prior to March 1, 2016, or on the total score on a single administration122 of the SAT administered on or after March 1, 2016, or an ACT composite scale score123 of at least 26, or a CLT overall score of at least 86, and earning a cumulative grade124 point average of at least 3.3 at an eligible postsecondary institution at the end of the125 quarter or semester in which the student has attempted 45 quart er hours or 30126 semester hours, provided that such student shall be eligible to receive a retroactive127 scholarship for such student's freshman year to be paid at the end of the freshman128 year; and129 (B) As a sophomore, junior, senior, or first professional stud ent who met the130 requirements of subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, having a cumulative grade point131 average of at least 3.3 at the checkpoints set forth in paragraph (1) of subsection (b) of132 Code Section 20-3-519.2. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a stud ent who entered an133 eligible postsecondary institution as a freshman between July 1 , 2007, and134 June 30, 2011, and met the requirements of subparagraph (A) of this paragraph may135 become a Zell Miller Scholarship Scholar as a sophomore, junior , senior, or first136 professional student.137 A student who loses eligibility to be a Zell Miller Scholarship Scholar for any reason may138 regain eligibility one time if the student requalifies at one of the checkpoints set forth in139 paragraph (1) of subsection (b) of Code Section 20-3-519.2."140 H. B. 1064 - 6 - 26 LC 61 0341 SECTION 8.141 Said title is further amended by revising subparagraph (a)(1)(C ) of 20-3-519.2, relating to142 academic and enrollment requirements for eligibility for a HOPE scholarship, duration of143 scholarship, and award amount, as follows:144 "(C) In the case of an otherwise qualified student who:145 (i) Did not graduate from high school or complete a home study program meeting the146 requirements of subsection (c) of Code Section 20-2-690 but rec eived the state147 approved high school equivalency (HSE) diploma awarded by the D epartment of148 Technical and Adult Education, now known as the Technical Colle ge System of149 Georgia, after June 30, 1993;150 (ii) Completed a home study program meeting the requirements of subsection (c) of151 Code Section 20-2-690 in lieu of graduating from an eligible high school; or152 (iii) Graduated from a high school which is not an eligible hi gh school, earning a153 score in the seventy-fifth percentile or higher nationally on a standardized college154 admission test, such as the SAT, or ACT, or CLT; and"155 SECTION 9.156 This Act shall become effective on July 1, 2026, and shall apply to all school years beginning157 with the 2026-2027 school year and to all academic years beginn ing with the 2026-2027158 academic year.159 SECTION 10.160 All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.161 H. 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