For purposes of this part, the term:

(1) “Articulation” means agreement between a high school and a postsecondary institution regarding the awarding of both secondary and postsecondary credit for a dual enrollment course.

(2) “College and career academy” means a specialized school established as a charter school or pursuant to a contract for a strategic waivers school system or charter system, which formalizes a partnership that demonstrates a collaboration between business, industry, and community stakeholders to advance work force development between one or more local boards of education, a private individual, a private organization, or a state or local public entity in cooperation with one or more postsecondary institutions.

(3) “Focused program of study” means a program of study with a rigorous academic core combined with a focus in mathematics and science; a focus in humanities, fine arts, and foreign language; or a coherent sequence of career pathway courses that is aligned with graduation requirements established by the State Board of Education and content standards established pursuant to Part 2 of this article that prepares a student for postsecondary education or immediate employment after high school graduation.

(4) “GAfutures.org” means the public website managed by the Georgia Student Finance Commission to provide students with tools and information for higher education planning and financial aid.

(5) “Georgia MATCH” means the college admissions program for Georgia high school students that is located at GAfutures.org.

(6) “Individual college and career plan” means a student specific plan developed in accordance with subsection (c) of Code Section 20-2-327 detailing the courses necessary for a high school student to graduate from high school and to successfully transition to postsecondary education and the work force.

(7) “Industry certification” means a process of program evaluation that ensures that individual programs meet state, national, or international industry standards in the areas of curriculum, teacher qualification, lab specifications, equipment, and industry involvement.

(8) “Industry credentialing” means a process through which students are assessed by an independent third-party certifying entity using predetermined standards for knowledge, skills, and competencies, resulting in the award of individual certification or state licensure or an occupational competency that is state, nationally, or internationally recognized.

(9) “Public college or university” means a two-year or four-year college, university, or other institution under the auspices of the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia.

(10) “Teacher adviser” means an educator in the school who assists a small group of students and their parents or guardians throughout the students’ high school careers to set postsecondary goals and help them prepare programs of study, utilizing assessments and other data to track academic progress on a regular basis; communicates frequently with parents or guardians; and provides advisement, support, and encouragement as needed.

(11) “Technical school or college” means a college, institution, or unit of the Technical College System of Georgia.