HB 971: 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

Under current Georgia law, home study students and private school students can only enroll in college and career academy courses if the academy sits inside their resident school system. HB971 expands that geographic reach so students can also enroll in a college and career academy located anywhere within the same regional educational service agency (RESA) service area as their residence, or in a local school system adjacent to their resident district, even if that adjacent district is in a different RESA area. The bill also narrows what counts as a qualifying 'course' under this law, limiting it to eligible career, technical, and agricultural education (CTAE) courses as defined in another section of Georgia code, rather than any course offered by the academy. All existing rules on fees, transportation responsibility, discipline, and funding for local school boards stay the same. The changes would take effect July 1, 2026, starting with the 2026-2027 school year.

• Expands where home study and private school students can enroll in college and career academy courses to include academies anywhere in the same RESA service area as their home, not just their own school district.
• Allows enrollment at academies in adjacent local school systems even when that adjacent system is in a different RESA service area.
• Narrows the definition of qualifying 'course' to eligible CTAE (career, technical, and agricultural education) courses as defined in O.C.G.A. § 20-2-161.3, rather than any course an academy offers.
• Keeps in place existing rules requiring available space, no tuition charges, student responsibility for transportation, and compliance with the academy's code of conduct.
• Sets the changes to take effect July 1, 2026, applying starting with the 2026-2027 school year.

Home study students and private school students across Georgia, their families, local school systems and boards of education, college and career academies, and regional educational service agencies (RESAs) that would need to coordinate enrollment across district lines.

Students who live near a college and career academy just outside their home district, or anywhere in their broader region, would gain access to career and technical courses they previously could not take. Local school boards would still earn funding for these students but must coordinate enrollment across a wider geographic area.

• Section 1 revises O.C.G.A. § 20-2-319.5 to expand eligible academy locations to the same RESA service area or an adjacent local school system, in addition to the student's own resident school system.
• Section 1 redefines 'course' to mean only eligible CTAE courses as defined in O.C.G.A. § 20-2-161.3, narrowing what qualifies compared to current law.
• Section 1 retains the requirement that space be available and that local boards may not charge home study or private school students tuition for these courses.
• Section 1 keeps funding rules unchanged: local boards earn FTE (full-time equivalent) funds for enrolled students under O.C.G.A. § 20-2-160 in the same manner as nonresident students.
• Section 2 sets the effective date as July 1, 2026, applying beginning with the 2026-2027 school year.
• Section 3 repeals conflicting laws.

1. 2026-03-31Senate Tabled (Senado)
2. 2026-03-19Senate Read Second Time (Senado)
3. 2026-03-18Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senado)
4. 2026-02-25Senate Read and Referred (Senado)
5. 2026-02-24House Passed/Adopted (Cámara de Representantes)
6. 2026-02-24House Third Readers (Cámara de Representantes)
7. 2026-02-06House Committee Favorably Reported (Cámara de Representantes)
8. 2026-01-16House Second Readers (Cámara de Representantes)

• Rick Townsend (R, HD-179)Patrocinador principal
• Todd Jones (R, HD-025)
• Buddy DeLoach (R, HD-167)
• Lynn Smith (R, HD-070)
• Mitchell Horner (R, HD-003)
• Angie O'Steen (R, HD-169)
• Mike Hodges (R, SD-003)

1. AprobadaVotación: Cámara de Representantes24 de febrero de 2026

   164 a favor, 0 en contra (4 sin votar, 9 ausentes)

   Passage: House Vote #547

2. AprobadaVotación: Senado31 de marzo de 2026

   39 a favor, 10 en contra (2 sin votar, 3 ausentes)

   Motion To Table Remaining Legislation On The Rules Calendar: Senate Vote #912

• home study students
• private school students
• college and career academies
• career and technical education
• school enrollment rules