HB 18: Dual Enrollment Act; residency requirement for eligible students; provide

Georgia's Dual Enrollment Act lets qualifying high school students take college courses, sometimes with the state paying tuition costs, while also earning high school credit. Currently the law defines an 'eligible high school student' mainly by grade level and coursework, without a stated residency rule. This bill amends O.C.G.A. § 20-2-161.3 to add a new condition: a student must meet residency requirements to be classified as a legal resident of Georgia, based on rules set by the postsecondary commission, and must remain a Georgia resident for the whole time they are in the program. The existing grade-level and course requirements in paragraph (9) stay in place alongside this new residency condition. The change would take effect July 1, 2025, and would apply to school years starting on or after that date.

• Adds a residency requirement to the definition of 'eligible high school student' under the Dual Enrollment Act (O.C.G.A. § 20-2-161.3).
• Requires students to meet Georgia legal residency rules set by the postsecondary education commission in order to qualify for dual enrollment.
• Requires participating students to remain Georgia residents for the entire time they take part in the program.
• Keeps the existing grade-level and coursework eligibility rules (11th/12th grade, or 10th grade under specific conditions) unchanged.
• Sets the change to take effect July 1, 2025, applying to school years beginning on or after that date.

High school students who want to take part in Georgia's Dual Enrollment program, their families, high schools, and the technical colleges and universities that offer dual credit courses funded through the program.

Students who are not Georgia residents, or who move out of state while enrolled, would lose eligibility for dual enrollment funding and coursework under this program. Schools and colleges administering the program would need to verify and track students' residency status going forward.

• Section 1 revises paragraph (9) of subsection (b) in O.C.G.A. § 20-2-161.3, adding language requiring students to meet residency requirements for Georgia legal residency as set by commission regulations.
• Section 1 also requires that a student remain a Georgia resident throughout their participation in the dual enrollment program.
• Section 1 preserves the existing subparagraphs (A) and (B) defining which grade levels and course types qualify a student.
• Section 2 sets the effective date as July 1, 2025, applying to school years starting on or after that date.
• Section 3 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2025-01-15House Second Readers (Cámara de Representantes)
2. 2025-01-14House First Readers (Cámara de Representantes)
3. 2025-01-13House Hopper (Cámara de Representantes)

• Steven Sainz (R, HD-180)Patrocinador principal
• Jesse Petrea (R, HD-166)
• Gary Richardson (R, HD-125)
• Rick Jasperse (R, HD-011)
• Joseph Gullett (R, HD-019)

• dual enrollment
• education funding
• residency requirements
• high school students
• college courses