SB 233 School choice legislation excludes illegal alien students — but not “parents.”

Click here to see the entire bill current as of today : LC 49 1473S

Note the LC # and line numbers will change if the language is adjusted. We predict exactly that.

For folks not accustomed to dealing with legislation, see line 72:  “(a) A student shall qualify for a promise scholarship account under this chapter if:”

Then go down to lines 82 & 83: “The student does not meet any of the ineligibility criteria provided for in subsection (b) of Code Section 20-3-519.1; (This code section defines eligibility for scholarships and grants and yes, they used a double negative).

What does subsection (b) say about ineligibility?

This:(b) A student is ineligible for any scholarship or grant described in this part if the student:

The below request for comment was sent to the Georgia Student Finance Commission at 7:13 PM on Dec. 27, 2023. I did not receive a reply.

GSFC

The below is from the GSFC website (“024 Dual Enrollment.pdf Dual Enrollment Program Regulations – 1600. 2023- 2024 Award Year) and must be downloaded.

• Student eligibility also here from GAFutures site.

Dual Enrollment Program

Regulations – 1600.

2023- 2024 Award Year

Page 6 (and part of page 7):

1603. Definitions. (Electronic Link)

1604. Program Specific Eligibility Requirements.

1604.1. General Eligibility.

1. An Eligible High School is any private or public secondary educational institution

physically within the State of Georgia and any Home Study program operated

pursuant to O.C.G.A. §20-2-690 and completes the program participation

agreement.

2. A student who does not live in Georgia may participate in the Dual Enrollment

Program if the student is enrolled and physically attending a participating high

school in Georgia and meets all other eligibility requirements.

3. An eligible student must be enrolled in an approved eligible core academic area

course(s) in English, math, science, social sciences and world (foreign) languages,

and Career, Technical and Agricultural Education (CTAE) career pathway course(s)

listed on the Dual Enrollment Course Directory.

1604.2. Grade Level Eligibility.

1. A student must be a 10th, 11th or 12th grade student at an Eligible High School,

subject to the limitations set forth in these program regulations.

1. Students in the 11th or 12th grade may enroll in any approved Dual Enrollment

courses at an eligible participating postsecondary institution (USG, TCSG or

private).

1. Students in the 10th grade may enroll in approved Career, Technical and

Agricultural Education (CTAE) courses at a participating TCSG institution only.

1. Students in the 10th grade with a minimum SAT score of 1200 or minimum ACT

composite score of 26 in a single national test administration, taken prior to the

term of enrollment and in the GSFC Dual Enrollment system, may enroll in any

approved Dual Enrollment courses at a TCSG, USG or private eligible

participating postsecondary institution.

1. Students that were 9th graders during the 2019-2020 school year and participated

in Dual Enrollment funding Program during the 2019-2020 (FY 2020) year may

enroll as 10th graders in any approved Dual Enrollment courses at an eligible

participating postsecondary institution (USG, TCSG or private) for the 2020-2021

year.2023 – 2024 Dual Enrollment Program Regulations Page 7 of 35

1. Public high school students, designated by their high school, pursuing High School

Graduation Accelerated Career Diploma as of Spring term 2020, may enroll in any

approved Dual Enrollment courses at a TCSG, USG or private eligible participating

postsecondary institution pursuant to their Accelerated Career Diploma.

1604.3. Age Limit.

1. A student must be less than twenty-two (22) years of age on the start date of the

postsecondary term of enrollment for which funding is sought.

1. A student who reaches twenty-two (22) years of age during the

postsecondary term may complete the term.

1604.4. Enrollment Status.

1. A student must be approved and classified by the Eligible High School or Home

Study program at which he or she is Enrolled, as a Dual Enrollment student.

2. A student must be admitted and classified as a Dual Credit Enrollment student

by an Eligible Postsecondary Institution through the last day of the Eligible

Postsecondary Institution’s drop/add period in order to be eligible for Dual

Enrollment program funding payment.

1. If a student officially or unofficially withdraws or drops out prior to the

postsecondary institution’s’ drop/add period, he or she is ineligible to receive

Dual Enrollment program funding payment for that school term. Students that

drop out during the drop/add period are subject to the provisions in

accordance with Section 1612.

3. A student may Enroll at two or more Eligible Postsecondary Institutions during a

single term. An Eligible Dual Enrollment student cannot receive Dual Enrollment

funding for hours which exceed the 15 semester or 12 quarter hours per term

limit, regardless of the number of Eligible Postsecondary Institutions in which the

student is Enrolled.

4. Prior to participating in the Dual Enrollment funding Program and as part of the

application process, the student and student’s parent/guardian must sign a

student participation agreement (SPA) acknowledging an understanding of the

responsibilities assumed by the student while participating in Dual Enrollment.

5. A student must abide by the rules of the Eligible High School or Home Study

program and the Eligible Postsecondary Institution the student is attending, and a

student can be denied participation at any time in the Dual Enrollment Program

for violations of such rules.

REVISED2023 – 2024 Dual Enrollment Program Regulations Page 8 of 35

1604.5. Length of Eligibility.

1. A student’s length of eligibility concludes at the end of the term in which the student

has reached the age limit, as set forth in Section 1604.3, or the Funding Cap or

received a high school diploma, a High School Equivalency diploma or completed a

Home Study program, whichever occurs first.

__

Selective Service, page 9 (and 10):

1604.9. Selective Service Registration.

(Federal Selective Service laws here).

1. A student must be in compliance with Georgia state law requirements of having

registered with the United States Selective Service System requirements, in

accordance with O.C.G.A. § 20-3-519.1(b).

2. Selective Service registration, by required males, should be completed prior to the

program application deadline in order to be eligible for payment for such school term.

a. A late disbursement is permitted if the student meets Selective Service

requirements any time during the fiscal year.

3. GSFC will maintain Selective Service registration or exemption status information for

state aid program applicants/recipients. The registration status will be available to

the postsecondary institution in which the student is enrolled in order for the

institution to determine program eligibility.2023 – 2024 Dual Enrollment Program Regulations Page 10 of 35

a. The Institution may collect documentation supporting a student’s registration

status and submit to GSFC for consideration.

4. Male applicants required to register with the Selective Service System must have a

registered or exemption status on file with GSFC to be eligible for state aid programs

and for a disbursement invoice to be paid.