New Georgia diploma law changes lives

Georgia Lawmakers passed House Bill 91 in the most recent legislative session. The new law officially does away with the state’s graduation test requirements and retroactively grants diplomas to those denied graduation due to failing the test.

For Leticia Guerrero, the new law means a new life, “It gives me the opportunity to go to college and opens new doors.”

Guerrero should have graduated from Habersham Central in 2004. She had the grades to earn a diploma. The only thing standing in her way was the requirement that she pass the Georgia High School Graduation Test. No matter how many times she tried, she could not get over that hurdle. Guerrero was not alone, 30 other students have applied for diplomas under HB 91 in Habersham County since Governor Nathan Deal signed the law at the end of March.

Superintendent Matthew Cooper and Board of Education Chairman Dr. Robert Baron held a mini-graduation ceremony for the handful of former students who came to pick up their diploma’s at this week’s BOE meeting. “Each year our legislature passes many bills,” Cooper says. “People have varying opinions if most of those bills are good or bad. I would say, in my opinion, House Bill 91 is a good bill.”

The former students agree, “It feels pretty dog-gone good!” Dylan Thomas exclaimed when asked how it felt to finally, officially graduate high school. Thomas plans to use his new status to enroll at North Georgia Technical College.

After 10 years of waiting, Leticia Guerrero says the University of North Georgia at Oakwood is her next stop, “It’s very exciting!”

State School Superintendent Richard Woods says the new law is specifically for students like Guerrero and Thomas, “Those who completed all of the requirements for graduation except for passing one test on one given day now have the opportunity to go on to some form of post-secondary education, where they can obtain skills needed to have a great quality of life and be contributors to our society.”

HB 91 also requires the Habersham County school system to advertise the details of the law and their procedure for petitioning for a diploma every year. If you would like more information about how the new law works, visit the Georgia Department of Education website. They’ve set up a special HB 91 Q&A section.

HB91 Habersham Central Graduates