Legislation that could make it easier to opt out of standardized state tests was adopted by the Georgia House of Representatives Friday.

House Bill 425 clarifies that parents can opt their children out of school testing without penalty. It also says they can choose to have their children take tests with paper and pencil rather than on a computer. The bill by Rep. Joyce Chandler, R-Grayson, passed 151-18.

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Uta Thomas picks up her son, Jax, during a public hearing in Atlanta on Wednesday, November 5, 2025. She implored the school board not to close Dunbar Elementary. 
"You would centralize education to decentralized families," she said. "You would break apart a community hub." (Abbey Cutrer / AJC)

Credit: abbey.cutrer@ajc.com

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Travelers wait in Concourse F, the international terminal, at Hartsfield-Jackson airport in Atlanta on Wednesday, June 4, 2025. (Arvin Temkar / AJC)

Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com