Section 20-2-159.5. Dual credit courses; requirements

   (a) For purposes of this Code section, the term:

   (1) "Dual credit course" means any arrangement whereby an eligible student takes one or more courses, including virtual courses, at or through an eligible institution while still enrolled as a public high school student and receives credit both at the high school and at the eligible institution.

   (2) "Eligible institution" means any eligible postsecondary institution as defined in paragraph (7) of Code Section 20-3-519.

   (3) "Eligible student" means a student entering ninth through twelfth grades who attends a public high school in this state and takes at least two courses per day on campus.

   (4) "Secondary credit" means high school credit for dual credit courses taken at an eligible institution.

(b) The department, the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia, and the State Board of the Technical College System of Georgia shall jointly:

   (1) Establish the conditions under which high school students may earn dual credit for coursework completed while in high school. Such conditions shall include demonstration by students as to college readiness in reading, writing, and mathematics required for advanced training leading to a certificate, an associate's degree, or a bachelor's degree in order to receive dual credit as set forth in this Code section. A student who meets reading and writing readiness standards shall qualify to enroll in any dual credit course except in courses that require a strong mathematics foundation. To qualify for such mathematics courses, students shall be required to meet mathematics readiness standards as set forth in this Code section. Students who fail to meet these conditions may enroll in such courses if they enroll concurrently in specially designed courses to address their deficits in reading and writing or mathematics or both and shall be awarded dual credit if they meet readiness standards before or at the point they successfully complete the dual credit course;

   (2) Develop appropriate forms and counseling guidelines for dual credit courses and shall make such forms and guidelines available to local school systems and eligible institutions. No later than the first day of April each year, each local school system shall provide general information about dual credit courses, including such forms, to all its eighth through eleventh grade students. A local school system shall also provide counseling services in accordance with the counseling guidelines provided by the department to such students and their parents or guardians before the students enroll in a dual credit course. Prior to participating in a dual credit course, the student and the student's parent or guardian shall sign the form provided by the school system or by an eligible institution stating that they have received the counseling specified in this Code section and that they understand the responsibilities that shall be assumed in participating in the dual credit program; and

   (3) Establish policies to ensure that dual credit courses reflect college-level work in order for such courses to yield dual credit, which shall include:

      (A) Establishing college-readiness standards in reading, writing, and mathematics that students must meet to enroll in dual credit courses;

      (B) Setting minimum eligibility requirements for earning college credit while in high school and for all state postsecondary institutions to apply to both academic and career, technical, and agricultural education dual credit courses;

      (C) Establishing the same content standards, requirements for faculty, course syllabi, and end-of-course exams for dual credit academic and career, technical, and agricultural education courses, whether taught to high school or college students;

      (D) Developing a state-wide system for the transfer of college credits earned through dual credit courses; and

      (E) Determining how dual enrollment will be monitored to assure programs meet state standards for college-level work.

(c) Any eligible student may apply to an eligible institution to take one or more dual credit courses at or through that institution which are approved for secondary credit in accordance with the conditions established pursuant to subsection (d) of this Code section. If accepted at an eligible institution, such eligible student may take any such course at that institution, whether or not the course is taught during the regular public school day, and receive secondary credit therefor under the conditions provided in this Code section.

(d) (1) A local school system shall grant academic credit to an eligible student enrolled in a dual credit course in an eligible institution if that course has been approved by the State Board of Education or in a virtual course approved by the State Board of Education if such student successfully completes such course. The State Board of Education shall approve any such course which is substantially comparable to a state approved course. The secondary credit granted shall be for the comparable course approved by the State Board of Education. Upon completion of an eligible institution's approved course, the eligible student shall be responsible for requesting that the institution notify the student's local school system regarding his or her grade in that course.

   (2) Secondary school credits granted for dual credit courses under paragraph (1) of this subsection shall be counted toward State Board of Education graduation requirements and subject area requirements of the local school system. Evidence of successful completion of each course and secondary credits granted shall be included in the eligible student's secondary school records.

   (3) Following the grant of postsecondary credit for successful completion of any dual enrollment course, when a student enrolls in an eligible institution after leaving secondary school, that eligible institution shall award postsecondary credit for any dual credit course successfully completed on the same basis on which such credits are customarily awarded. An eligible institution shall not charge a student for the award of such postsecondary credit.

   (4) The department shall consult the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia and the State Board of the Technical College System of Georgia in developing rules and regulations to be recommended to the State Board of Education for approval regarding the eligibility criteria for dual credit courses.

(e) The State Board of Education shall establish rules and regulations relating to applicable state and federal testing requirements for eligible students participating in dual credit courses.

(f) Any person who knowingly makes or furnishes any false statement or misrepresentation, or who accepts such statement or misrepresentation knowing it to be false, for the purpose of enabling an eligible institution to obtain wrongfully any payment under this Code section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

(g) Students enrolled in the Georgia Youth Apprenticeship Program under Code Section 20-2-161.2 shall be eligible to earn dual credit upon completing a planned training experience under guidelines developed by the State Board of Education and the State Board of the Technical College System of Georgia provided students meet postsecondary readiness established in reading and writing and mathematics for the particular advanced training program or associate's degree.

Code 1981, § 20-2-159.5, enacted by Ga. L. 2011, p. 635, § 5/HB 186.