Georgia: Taking on college readiness

Legislation headed for the desk of Governor Nathan Deal in Georgia is designed to tackle college readiness from multiple angles. H.B. 186 addresses:

1. Definition of "college- and career-readiness": Directs the state board, working with the board of regents and the board of technical and adult education, to develop college and career competency standards in reading, writing and math, and to develop policies, in concert with these postsecondary partners, to ensure that students who complete the state board-approved core curriculum will meet admission requirements to a postsecondary institution without need for remediation. The policy also calls for one or more postsecondary readiness assessments in these subjects to be identified, and for the development of transitional courses in these subjects for 11th and 12th graders who do not meet readiness standards.
2. Dual credit (dual enrollment): Repeals existing dual credit legislation and replaces it with legislation that explicitly addresses (1) Student eligibility requirements; (2) Counseling guidelines and student awareness of dual credit options; and (3) Rigor of dual credit courses. Also provides that districts receive the same amount of funding for dually enrolled students as they receive for traditional high school students.
3. Credit based on demonstration of competency: If this legislation is enacted, Georgia would join the 30+ states that have provisions in place to allow students to substitute a demonstration of competency for seat time in completing high school graduation requirements.
4. Career and technical and agricultural courses: Calls for the state board to develop models and curricular frameworks for 15 CTE areas, and requires these courses to incorporate state standards in core academic areas, as appropriate. Allows a student to earn both CTE and academic credit for a CTE course with the embedded academic standards, for up to three CTE courses.
5. Individual graduation plans: Bars the state board from authorizing waivers from Section 20-2-327(c) regarding the development of individual graduation plans.