20-2-281.1. Petition to obtain high school diploma; notice of petition option.

On and after March 30, 2015, students shall no longer be required to earn a passing score on the Georgia High School Graduation Test to earn a high school diploma.#

A person who is no longer enrolled in a Georgia public school and who previously failed to receive a high school diploma in this state or was denied graduation solely for failing to achieve a passing score on one or more portions of the Georgia High School Graduation Test or its predecessor or the Georgia High School Writing Test or its predecessor may petition the local board of education in which he or she was last enrolled to determine the student’s eligibility to receive a high school diploma pursuant to this Code section based on the graduation requirements in effect when the student first entered ninth grade. Once the local board of education confers a diploma upon a student meeting such requirements, the local board shall transmit to the Georgia Department of Education in accordance with department procedures the number of diplomas awarded. The local board of education may date the high school diploma on the date the student graduated or the date the diploma was conferred. Students receiving diplomas pursuant to this Code section shall not be counted as graduates in the graduation rate calculations for affected schools and school systems, either retroactively or in current or future calculations. On or before January 31, 2020, the Georgia Department of Education shall report to the State Board of Education and the General Assembly the number of diplomas granted, by local school system, pursuant to this Code section.#

Each local school system shall annually advertise the provisions of this Code section, one time no later than January 15, 2016, one time no later than January 15, 2017, and one time no later than January 15, 2018. Such advertisement shall be made in a local newspaper of general circulation which shall be the same newspaper in which other legal announcements of the local board of education are advertised. At a minimum, such notice shall consist of two columns measuring at least ten inches in length and measuring at least four and one-half inches in combined width, and include:#

1. (1)

   A headline printed in at least a 24 point boldface type;#

2. (2)

   An explanation of who qualifies for the petitioning option;#

3. (3)

   An explanation of the petition process;#

4. (4)

   A contact name and phone number; and#

5. (5)

   The deadline for submitting a petition.#