07 LC 33
1684
Senate
Bill 75
By:
Senators Meyer von Bremen of the 12th, Williams of the 19th, Stoner of the 6th
and Golden of the 8th
AS
PASSED SENATE
A
BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
AN ACT
To
amend Code Section 20-2-157 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating
to the uniform reporting system for certain purposes, so as to provide for
weighting of grades for honors, advanced placement, and international
baccalaureate courses for purposes of determining eligibility for postsecondary
scholarships, grants, and loans; to provide for the establishment of minimum
state-wide standards for honors courses; to provide for legislative findings; to
provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other
purposes.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION
1.
The
General Assembly finds that:
(1)
The State of Georgia has a compelling interest in the capabilities and
intellectual development of its high school students across the
state;
(2)
The General Assembly has repeatedly demonstrated its commitment to secondary and
higher education in the State of Georgia, as particularly evidenced in both the
longevity of the HOPE scholarship program and in the development of one of the
finest university systems in this country;
(3)
In order to sustain this level of commitment to education, it is of paramount
importance to strengthen the intellect of high school students in Georgia and to
encourage them to take the most demanding courses possible to challenge their
academic abilities;
(4)
A study should be conducted to determine whether disparity exists in the levels
of rigor in honors classes across this state and to ensure parity throughout
this state;
(5)
In the interim, the laws of this state should in no way dissuade the interests
of students in taking such rigorous academic courses out of fear that doing so
would jeopardize academic ranking for their ability to obtain a HOPE
scholarship; and
(6)
In order to encourage students to challenge themselves to the best of their
abilities, grades in those high school classes throughout this state with an
accelerated workload should be augmented for the purposes of HOPE scholarship
eligibility. Otherwise, the effect of the weighting of grades for coursework
that is classified as advanced placement or international baccalaureate under
Code Section 20-2-157 may discourage students from taking rigorous academic
classes.
SECTION
2.
Code
Section 20-2-157 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the
uniform reporting system for certain purposes, is amended by revising subsection
(b) as follows:
"(b)
Beginning May 1, 2007, each school system and private school shall adopt the
reporting system described in this subsection for purposes of identifying and
qualifying graduating seniors for the HOPE scholarship program and other
programs identified in this Code section:
(1)
Each school system and private school shall transmit, in a manner and at times
prescribed by the Georgia Student Finance Commission, an electronic transcript
of courses and course grades for each graduating senior that reflects the
complete high school academic record of the student, including scores on any
state tests required for graduation, the grading scales used by the school
system or private school for the time periods referenced by the transcripts, and
any other pertinent information as determined by the Georgia Student Finance
Commission. Each grade reported by a school system or private school to the
commission for the purpose of calculating the grade point average for HOPE
scholarship eligibility shall be the actual grade earned by the student, with no
weighting or addition of points by the local school system or private
school;
(2)
The Georgia Student Finance Commission shall calculate a grade point average for
the purpose of determining eligibility for the HOPE scholarship from these
electronic transcripts and shall notify students of their eligibility and high
schools as to the eligibility of students;
(3)
For students otherwise qualified and enrolling as freshmen students in eligible
public or private postsecondary institutions for the first time on May 1,
2007, or thereafter, the Georgia Student Finance Commission shall calculate
grade point averages for determining eligibility for the HOPE scholarship and
other scholarships referenced in this Code section as follows:
(A)
For students receiving a college preparatory diploma, each grade for a student
in attempted coursework in English, mathematics, science, social studies, and
foreign language that would, if successfully completed, satisfy a core
graduation requirement for the college preparatory curriculum shall be equated
to a grade on a 4.0 scale, such that a grade of 'A' = 4.0, a grade of 'B' = 3.0,
a grade of 'C' = 2.0, a grade of 'D' = 1.0, and a grade of 'F' = 0;
or
(B)
For students receiving a career/technical diploma, each grade for a student in
attempted coursework in English, mathematics, science, and social studies that
would, if successfully completed, satisfy a core graduation requirement for the
career/technical curriculum shall be equated to a grade on a 4.0 scale, such
that a grade of 'A' = 4.0, a grade of 'B' = 3.0, a grade of 'C' = 2.0, a grade
of 'D' = 1.0, and a grade of 'F' = 0.
Grades
for coursework that is classified as
honors,
advanced
placement,
or international baccalaureate shall be weighted by the Georgia Student Finance
Commission in calculating the overall grade point averages for
students,
provided that the weighting of such course grades is uniformly applied to all
students in the state taking the specified
coursework
by adding 0.5
to the grade received by the student in such course, except for a failing grade,
such that a grade of 'A' = 4.5, a grade of 'B' = 3.5, a grade of 'C' = 2.5, a
grade of 'D' = 1.5, and a grade of
'F' = 0. The sum of the equated
grades shall be divided by the number of course grades, adjusted for term
length, to yield a grade point average on a 4.0
scale. No
later than December 31, 2009, the State Board of Education shall establish
minimum state-wide standards for honors
courses;
(4)
Qualification for the HOPE scholarship shall be determined from the grade point
average calculated as set out in paragraph (3) of this subsection. Beginning
May 1, 2007, students with grade point averages equal to or in excess of 3.0 on
the 4.0 scale with a college preparatory diploma shall meet achievement
standards for the HOPE scholarship; students receiving a career/technical
diploma shall meet achievement standards for the HOPE scholarship with a grade
point average equal to or in excess of 3.2 on a 4.0 scale. This paragraph shall
apply regardless of when a student graduated from high school and regardless of
such student´s eligibility status prior to May 1, 2007; and
(5)
Beginning May 1, 2007, only the reporting system as indicated in this subsection
shall be used to determine eligibility for all grants, scholarships, or loans to
attend colleges or universities which are administered pursuant to Article 7 of
Chapter 3 of this title and eligibility for enrollment in postsecondary courses
pursuant to Code Section 20-2-161.1."
SECTION
3.
All
laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.